Oregon State University and OSU-Cascades Second Language Admission Requirement

 

What is the requirement?

The admission requirement is defined by the completion of an acceptable second language or languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), through 1) coursework in a regionally accredited or public middle school, high school and/or college or 2) by the demonstration of knowledge and/or proficiency in a second language or languages.. If admitted by exception, two quarters or semesters of the same college-level second language will be required prior to degree completion to satisfy the admission deficiency.

When did the requirement first take effect?

The requirement began for all new undergraduates in Fall term 1997.

Who must meet the requirement?

The requirement applies to all admitted freshmen and transfer students who graduated from high school in or after 1997. New freshmen and transfer students who graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency program prior to 1997 are exempted from the second language requirement.

Can exceptions be made to this requirement?

Yes, students without two years of a second language can be admitted by exception. However, students admitted by exception must make up the admission deficiency prior to degree completion. All exceptions to the second language requirement will be decided on a case-by-case basis as deemed appropriate by OSU Admissions.

Options for meeting the requirement

There are a number of approved options for meeting the second language requirement, some of them at time of admissions and some of them post-admissions.

Admissions Options:

  1. Two academic years of high school-level second language with combined course average grade of C- or better (can be one year of one language and one year of another.
    • If the first course transcripted in high school is a second-year foreign language or higher, then proficiency in the first year of foreign language is presumed.
  2. An average of C- or higher in the third year of high school-level second language.
  3. Completion of the Seal of Biliteracy on the student’s high school diploma. Successful completion of TOEFL examinations, representing that English is the student’s second language.
  4. Successful completion of any of the following tests with a satisfactory score as listed below:
    • Score of 500 or higher on a SAT Foreign Language Subject Test
    • Score of 2 or higher on an Advanced Placement Foreign Language Test
    • Score of 4 or higher on an International Baccalaureate Standard Level Foreign Language Exam
    • Score of 40 or higher on a CLEP Foreign Language Exam
    • Military training at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) with a score of 0+ (memorized proficiency).
  5. Education satisfactorily completed through 7th grade in school or country where English was not the language of instruction.
  6. Satisfactory performance on additional tests (such as SLIP) administered according to accepted district policy.

Academic History Options:

  1. Two college quarters or semesters of the same college-level language with a combined course average grade of C- or better
    • Two courses equaling at least 8 credits (or equivalent transfer credit), of the same language, or the successful completion of the second course or higher in a course sequence (ex. Completion of SPAN 112 or higher)
    • Students may complete their college level language courses at any regionally accredited institution.
  2. Successful completion of INTO ALS 150, 151, 162, or 181.

 

World Languages and Culture Options:

  1. Successful completion of recognized proficiency test1 at the level of novice-high, per ACTFL proficiency standards, including but not limited to:
    • Language testing services provided by the OSU World Languages and Cultures program.
    • Proficiency tests administered by world language departments and/or testing centers at regionally accredited post-secondary institutions, e.g., Brigham Young Foreign Language Assessment (BYU Flats);
    • Proficiency tests administered by post-secondary institutions associated with OSU approved study abroad programs;
    • Proficiency tests administered through recognized world language institutes and/or regulatory bodies, e.g., Alliance Française, Goethe Institut, National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics, Real Academia de la Lengua, etc.
    • Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) test
    • American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI)
    • ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)
    • ACE transcript of language training
  2.  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Students with proficiency in languages for which no proficiency test is readily available, including Indigenous languages, should consult the WLC program to help them identify a speaker with advanced proficiency who can administer a test using a standardized form provided by the WLC program. Demonstrated proficiency in an Indigenous or Native American language can meet the world language requirement.
  3. Military deployment where:
    • The primary language of the country in which the student (or family member) was deployed was/is not English, and
    • The student spent significant time with local community engagement, and
    • The student (or family member) was deployed for a period of 6 or more months
  4. Pre-approved study abroad experiences in a country where English is not the main language. This requires joint approval by OSU GO and WLC department. (See Appendix A).
  5. Ability to demonstrate significant time abroad (minimum of 10 weeks, or one term) in countries whose primary language is other than English.

If you believe you meet the World Languages requirement through other means, please reach out to the World Languages and Culture department.

1Proficiency tests must align with ACTFL standards, CEFR standards, or other established world language proficiency standards as approved by the WLC program.

Appendix A

Appendix A:
Approved Study Abroad Experiences to Meet Core Language Requirement:

  1. College of Agricultural Sciences: Wageningen University Exchange, The Netherlands
  2. College of Business: Aarhus School of Business,
  3. College of Business: Accademia Italiana, Italy
  4. College of Business: Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
  5. College of Business: City University of Hong Kong, China
  6. College of Business: DHBW Bad Mergentheim School of Business, Germany
  7. College of Business: Hanyang University Exchange, South Korea
  8. College of Business: Lund University, Sweden
  9. College of Business: Mendel University, Czech Republic
  10. College of Business: Radboud University, Netherlands
  11. College of Business: Universidad de Chile, Chile
  12. College of Business: University of Agder, Norway
  13. College of Business: University of Murcia, Spain
  14. College of Business: Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
  15. College of Education: Macau Teaching Experience, China
  16. College of Engineering: Saarland University Exchange, Germany - ATLANTIS Dual Degree
  17. College of Engineering: Technical University of Denmark Exchange, Denmark
  18. College of Forestry: Ecole Superieure Du Bois Exchange: Nantes, France
  19. College of Forestry: Fachhochschule Salzburg Exchange, Austria
  20. College of Forestry: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
  21. College of Health: University of Jyväskylä, Finland
  22. College of Liberal Arts: Accademia Italiana, Italy
  23. College of Liberal Arts: Buddhism in Nepal, Nepal
  24. College of Science: Hungary - Budapest Semesters in Mathematics, Hungary
  25. IE3 Global Internship: 4 week Clinical Health Rotations with CFHI in Ghana
  26. IE3 Global Internship: 4 week Healthcare Rotations with CFHI in Ecuador
  27. IE3 Global Internship: 4 week Public Health Rotations with CFHI in India
  28. IE3 Global Internship: Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations in South Africa
  29. IE3 Global Internship: Agricultural Education in Thailand
  30. IE3 Global Internship: Agriculture and Horticulture in Mongolia
  31. IE3 Global Internship: Agriculture, Environment, and Sustainability Internships in Vietnam
  32. IE3 Global Internship: Animal Sciences and Zoology in Singapore
  33. IE3 Global Internship: Art as Community Development Internships in Costa Rica
  34. IE3 Global Internship: Art, Architecture & Design Internships in Vietnam
  35. IE3 Global Internship: Artisan Chocolate Production in Costa Rica
  36. IE3 Global Internship: Brewing Industry Internship in South Africa
  37. IE3 Global Internship: Business & Woman's Empowerment in Ghana
  38. IE3 Global Internship: Business Administration in China
  39. IE3 Global Internship: Business, Marketing & Communications Internships in Vietnam
  40. IE3 Global Internship: Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia
  41. IE3 Global Internship: Cloud Forest Conservation, Habitat Restoration & Research Internships in Costa Rica
  42. IE3 Global Internship: Community Development, Health, and Education Internships in Costa Rica
  43. IE3 Global Internship: Community Medicine from Rainforest to Coast in Ecuador
  44. IE3 Global Internship: Community-Engaged and Personalized Internships in Costa Rica
  45. IE3 Global Internship: Computer Engineering, Science, and Technology in Spain
  46. IE3 Global Internship: Computer Science and IT Internships in Vietnam
  47. IE3 Global Internship: Counseling, Public Heath, and Social Work Internships in South Africa
  48. IE3 Global Internship: Counseling, Public Heath, and Social Work with Vulnerable Populations in Indonesia
  49. IE3 Global Internship: Digital Marketing and Graphic Design in Singapore
  50. IE3 Global Internship: Eco-Lodge, Hospitality, and Tourism Management in China
  51. IE3 Global Internship: Education and Sustainability in Thailand
  52. IE3 Global Internship: Education Internships in South Africa
  53. IE3 Global Internship: Education, Environmental Science, and Outdoor Leadership in Thailand
  54. IE3 Global Internship: Education, Psychology, and International Studies in Japan
  55. IE3 Global Internship: Education, Social Work & Community Development Internships in Vietnam
  56. IE3 Global Internship: Educational and Social Program Internship in India
  57. IE3 Global Internship: Electrical, Environmental & Mechanical Engineering Internships in Vietnam
  58. IE3 Global Internship: Entrepreneurship & Business Administration in Estonia
  59. IE3 Global Internship: Entrepreneurship, Business, and Technology Internships in South Africa
  60. IE3 Global Internship: Entrepreneurship, Media, & Tourism in Brazil
  61. IE3 Global Internship: Environmental Education and Conservation in India
  62. IE3 Global Internship: Environmental Sustainability and Outdoor Education in Singapore
  63. IE3 Global Internship: Fair-Trade International Commerce in Costa Rica
  64. IE3 Global Internship: Film Industry Internships in South Africa
  65. IE3 Global Internship: Fulbright Educational Advising Center in Romania
  66. IE3 Global Internship: Global Health, Pre-Med & Nursing Internships in Vietnam
  67. IE3 Global Internship: Health Rotations and Tropical Medicine with CFHI in Mexico
  68. IE3 Global Internship: Healthcare Rotations and Intensive Spanish with CFHI in Ecuador
  69. IE3 Global Internship: Horticulture and Food Science Internships in Costa Rica
  70. IE3 Global Internship: Horticulture, Environmental Science, and Business in India
  71. IE3 Global Internship: Hospitality and Tourism Internships in Vietnam
  72. IE3 Global Internship: Human Development and Family Services in Cambodia
  73. IE3 Global Internship: Human Rights Internships in South Africa
  74. IE3 Global Internship: International Relations & Higher Education in Estonia
  75. IE3 Global Internship: International Student Affairs and Education in Korea
  76. IE3 Global Internship: Journalism in Kyrgyzstan
  77. IE3 Global Internship: Journalism Internships in South Africa
  78. IE3 Global Internship: Leadership, Marketing, and Management Training in China
  79. IE3 Global Internship: Marine, Wildlife and Environmental Conservation in South Africa
  80. IE3 Global Internship: Marketing, Events, and Brand Management in Malaysia
  81. IE3 Global Internship: Maternal Child Health, HIV & Nutrition with CFHI in Uganda
  82. IE3 Global Internship: Migrant, Refugee, and Women’s Rights non-profit in Malaysia
  83. IE3 Global Internship: Molecular and Cellular Biology Research in Czech Republic
  84. IE3 Global Internship: Non-Profit Marketing and Communications Internships in Costa Rica
  85. IE3 Global Internship: Otter Conservation in Brazil
  86. IE3 Global Internship: Outdoor Youth Education & Empowerment in Japan
  87. IE3 Global Internship: Pediatric Health and Pre-Med Rotations with CFHI in Bolivia
  88. IE3 Global Internship: Pre-med and Pre-Nursing Healthcare Rotations with CFHI in India
  89. IE3 Global Internship: Pre-Med Rotations & Child Health with CFHI in Ghana
  90. IE3 Global Internship: Pre-med Rotations and Public Health in India
  91. IE3 Global Internship: Pre-Med Rotations with CFHI in South Africa
  92. IE3 Global Internship: Primary and Adult Education in Tanzania
  93. IE3 Global Internship: Primary Care and Hospital Medicine with CFHI in Argentina
  94. IE3 Global Internship: Public Health, Gender Studies, and Social Work in Malaysia
  95. IE3 Global Internship: Public Health, Social Work, and Crisis Support in Japan
  96. IE3 Global Internship: Rainforest Eco-Tourism, Organic Farming, and Research in India
  97. IE3 Global Internship: Run for the Cure Foundation in Japan
  98. IE3 Global Internship: Shark Conservation, Research, and Fieldwork in South Africa
  99. IE3 Global Internship: Social Work and Human Rights in Singapore
  100. IE3 Global Internship: Sports Business & Marketing in Germany
  101. IE3 Global Internship: STEM Research in Spain
  102. IE3 Global Internship: Sustainability and Humanitarian Issues in Japan
  103. IE3 Global Internship: Teach English in China 
  104. IE3 Global Internship: Teach English in Japan
  105. IE3 Global Internship: Teach English in Kyrgyzstan
  106. IE3 Global Internship: Teach English in Nepal
  107. IE3 Global Internship: Teach in China: Leadership, Life-skills, and English Language
  108. IE3 Global Internship: Teach in India: Art, Science, or Technology
  109. IE3 Global Internship: Technical Research, Graphic Design, and Sustainability in Vietnam
  110. IE3 Global Internship: Television and Documentary Production in Japan
  111. IE3 Global Internship: Think Tank Research in India
  112. IE3 Global Internship: Three Generation Tennis Program in Thailand
  113. IE3 Global Internship: Traditional Medicine and Community Development in Uganda
  114. IE3 Global Internship: Trailblazer Foundation in Cambodia
  115. IE3 Global Internship: Tropical Forestry and Botanical Studies in Costa Rica
  116. IE3 Global Internship: U.S. Commercial Service in China
  117. IE3 Global Internship: U.S. Commercial Service in Singapore
  118. IE3 Global Internship: University Student Services & Language Education in France
  119. IE3 Global Internship: Wildlife Rehabilitation in Singapore
  120. IE3 Global Internship: Wildlife Research in Paraguay
  121. IE3 Global Internship: Winery Internships in South Africa
  122. IE3 Global: Akita International University, Japan
  123. IE3 Global: Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan
  124. IE3 Global: Baden-Württemberg Universities, Germany
  125. IE3 Global: Ewha University, South Korea
  126. IE3 Global: Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts & Sciences (GAIAS), Ecuador
  127. IE3 Global: Germany Tübingen Language Program, Germany
  128. IE3 Global: Heidelberg Accelerated Program, Germany
  129. IE3 Global: ITESM, Querétaro, Mexico
  130. IE3 Global: Lyon - Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems
  131. IE3 Global: Lyon – Business
  132. IE3 Global: Lyon - Custom Combination
  133. IE3 Global: Lyon - French and European Studies
  134. IE3 Global: Lyon - French Language
  135. IE3 Global: Lyon - Summer Language and Culture
  136. IE3 Global: Querétaro, Mexico
  137. IE3 Global: Tübingen International & European Studies (Summer)
  138. IE3 Global: Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Mexico
  139. IE3 Global: Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Ecuador
  140. IE3 Global: University of Poitiers, France
  141. IE3 Global: Waseda Language Intensive Program
  142. IE3 Global: Waseda University, Japan
  143. IE3 Global: Yonsei University, South Korea
  144. OSU Exchange: National Taiwan University
  145. OSU Exchange: Universidad de Cantabria, Spain
  146. OSU: South Korea, Dankook University (Summer)
  147. OSU: Université Laval (Summer), Quebec, Canada