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FAQs

OFFERINGS

CREDIT

STUDY ABROAD

 

(QUESTIONS REPEATED BELOW WITH ANSWERS IN ITALICS)

 

OFFERINGS

  • What languages do you offer?

Please see the Offerings section.

  • Do you offer summer language classes?

We currently offer beginning ASL, French, and Spanish during the summer. Because of the compressed time frame, summer classes move very quickly, typically meeting three times a week for three and a half hours per meeting.

  • Do you offer online language classes?

To ensure quality, we are experimenting very slowly with online language teaching. At present we offer only FRE 111 and 112 in an all-online format.

  • Where can I study languages that you don’t offer?

The University of Minnesota offers many languages that we are unable to given our small size. Macalester College and the University of St. Thomas, both in Saint Paul, are also good choices.

CREDIT

  • Do you give credit for language courses taken elsewhere?

Yes, as long as the course is taken at an accredited institution of higher education and you receive a 2.0 or higher.

  • How do I test out of a language?

French, German, Spanish: Contact anyone in Academic Advising to take the online placement test. You are allowed to take this test only once, and you do not receive transcript credit for the courses you test out of.

ASL: We offer an in-person department exam that will give you transcript credit for ASL 101 or 102. The fee is $100 per credit or $400 per course, which comes to $800 if you want transcript credit for both ASL 101 and 102. If your intention is simply to satisfy the Augsburg language requirement, you would need to take (and pass) only the test for 102 ($400). Please contact the Languages Department chair if you are interested in pursuing this option.

Other languages: Augsburg honors exam results from Language Testing International (LTI), which offers the oral proficiency interview (OPI) in a wide variety of languages. The cost is around $200: contact LTI directly for a quote or to set up the exam. As with the placement test in French, German, and Spanish, you do not receive transcript credit for this test, but a sufficient score (Intermediate-Low on the ACTFL scale) will allow you to pass out of the Augsburg language requirement.

International students: If you graduated from a high school abroad in which all instruction was in a language other than English (international schools with curricula in English do not count), your high school experience may demonstrate the proficiency necessary to exempt you from the Augsburg language requirement. To request an exemption through this option, you must provide a certified copy of your high school transcript, with an official translation into English, to the chair of the Languages Department. 

STUDY ABROAD

  • Do I have to study abroad?

Majors in French, German, and Spanish must study abroad for one semester (15 consecutive weeks). The study-abroad time may not be broken into smaller units even if it adds up to 15 weeks total.

Majors in Cross-Cultural Studies are required to study abroad for one semester (15 consecutive weeks) OR complete two international-study seminars approved by the department.

Language minors are strongly encouraged but not required to study abroad.

  • How do I get study-abroad courses pre-approved?

Please identify from the list below the type of course (in boldface) for which you seek approval and consult with the indicated authority.

1.  For courses that will count toward the Augsburg language requirement or that will fulfill an LAF or Core requirement, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

2.  For upper-division courses to be applied toward your major, please see your academic advisor.

3.  For upper-division courses to be applied toward your Languages minor, please see the Languages Department chair.

4.  For electives that you intend to count as graduation credit only (and not toward any of the categories in items 1-3), you do not need official approval, but it is a good idea to discuss them (and your entire study-abroad plan) with your academic advisor.