Foreign Language Requirement
The foreign language requirement is a one-year sequence at the 100-level for students who start at John Jay College as freshmen. It is strongly suggested that students complete the sequence within their first two years at the college. Students who can demonstrate competency by taking an exam and placing into the 200-level (or intermediate level) are exempt from the foreign language requirement.
John Jay values education in languages and strongly encourages all students, including transfer students, to take these or higher-level foreign language courses and consider a minor.
Students who take the placement test and place into the second half of the 100-level (102) can satisfy the general education requirement with one 3-credit course in the College Option: Communication area. Students who place into SPA 101 must complete the sequence by taking SPA 102. Students who take SPA 111 must complete the sequence by taking SPA 112 or a higher level course (upon the instructor’s recommendation) to satisfy the general education requirements.
Exemptions. The foreign language requirement applies to students who start at John Jay College as freshmen.Transfer students are exempt from the foreign language requirement.
Students with prior knowledge of a foreign language can become exempt from the requirement by taking a placement examination and scoring high enough to place above the FL 102 (or FL 112) level. Those who place into the FL 102 (or FL 112) level will only need one semester of that language to fulfill the requirement.
Students who can provide documentation of a high school degree from a foreign country and whose primary language of instruction is not English are exempt from the foreign language requirement but are not awarded any credits for that language. Students who receive a grade of 4 or higher on the Advanced Placement examination will be awarded 6 credits, thereby fulfilling the foreign language requirement.
Foreign language credit earned through College Now will be counted toward the requirement.
Credit by examination (up to a maximum of 6 credits) or exemption by examination may be obtained by taking the CLEP examination.
Students who are exempt from the foreign language requirement may choose any course from the World Cultures and Global Issues category and from the Communications category. We encourage students who place above the FL 102 level to continue foreign language study, and depending on the placement, they may be able to fulfill World Cultures and Global Issues area and/or Communications with higher level foreign language courses.
Note: American Sign Language will be accepted on the same basis as all other languages in fulfillment of John Jay’s foreign language requirement. For more details about how the foreign language requirement works, see http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/foreign-language-requirement.