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Language Programs Placement

Frequently Asked Questions about ROMS language placement/enrollment:

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How do I choose the appropriate level to begin my French or Spanish studies?

If you have never taken Spanish or French:

Contact the Director of the Language Program to secure a spot in the course
Place yourself on the waitlist for the course (the limit might be set to zero capacity - this is done so that we can double check students’ level before enrolling them)

If you have taken 1+ years of the language in High School or somewhere else:

Most students will place in the 32 level if they have taken Spanish or French for 3-4 or more years.
You will be asked to take a placement test. This test cannot be used to fulfill the language requirement. It’s only an indication of what your level might be. A conversation with the Director will help you determine what class is right for you.

If you have an AP score or other official test score:

We will use your reliable official score to place you in our classes.

3 in AP: in French and Spanish, you will be placed in levels 32 or 104 depending on how confident / motivated you are.
4 in AP: will place you in 105
5 in AP: will place you in 106

If you have completed the Seal of Biliteracy:

Let us know which State awarded it and we will look into the documentation. MOST States have requirements for the Seal that are comparable to or higher than our language requirement. In those cases, you will have fulfilled the Brandeis requirement and we will work with you to determine placement.

How do I enroll in a FREN or HISP language course (10–108)?

Our language program classes (levels 10-108) will require that students place themselves on the waitlist for the course (the limit might be set to zero capacity - this is done so that we can double check students’ level before enrolling them). Students always have the option to just email the Director of the Language Program and we will help them enroll.

Students already taking a language class in our programs:

will receive an email from our office before registration opens. They should respond to the email stating which section they prefer. We will enroll them in the order in which we receive their emails.

All other students in Spanish and French:

should contact the Director of the Language Program to ensure correct placement. They can also place themselves on our waitlists, and we will still contact them to make sure they are correctly placed before we officially enroll them.

How do I choose the appropriate level to begin my Italian studies?

If you have never taken Italian:

Go ahead and enroll in Italian 10 via Workday

If you have taken 1+ years of Italian:

Contact the Director to receive a placement test. Once you have your score, you should submit a Prerequisite Override Request Form in WorkDay, and then you can enroll directly into the course you have placed into.
During the first week of classes, your instructor will evaluate your level again and may ask you to change levels if you have been incorrectly placed.
There are no restrictions for students to enroll through Workday. Faculty in Italian Studies want to make sure that interested students encounter no barriers to enroll in their courses.

If you have an AP score or other official test score:

We will use your reliable official score to place you in our classes.

3 in AP: in Italian, go ahead and enroll in level 30
4 in AP: enroll in 105 (you may contact the UAH to see if you are eligible for an upper-level class)
5 in AP: enroll in 106 (you may contact the UAH to see if you are eligible for an upper-level class)

You will need to submit a Prerequisite Override Request Form in WorkDay, and then you can enroll directly into the course. Please contact the Director if you have any questions.

Common Myths

Language classes at college are harder

We often find students with 3 or more years of the language who want to place in level 10 or 20, because they wrongly assume that the level of the class is higher than it is. We base our levels on proficiency standards, so a level 10 class expects zero knowledge in the language.

The language requirement is 3 semesters

This is rarely the case. It only needs to be 3 semesters if you have never studied the language before and you need to start off in level 10. For most students it can be fulfilled with just one 1 semester (if they start in level 30 or above) or 2 semesters (if they start in level 20).

Beyond the 30-level

Even though our 30 level is the requirement, many of our students who have taken the language throughout high school might be ready to take the next level up (104 or 105, depending on the language). This course will be more beneficial to them than taking the 30 level. Please do not advise students to sign up for a lower level than their current proficiency for an “easier” course. It is not fair to the other students in the class, they will not learn as much, and it’s not ethical to misrepresent themselves pretending that they do not know as much as they do.

Taking a language can wait

We recommend that students take a language course as soon as possible. Waiting will mean that they will feel “rusty” and lack confidence and therefore try to place below a level that is adequate for them. Fulfilling the language requirement early opens more doors for study abroad, access to higher courses or even the possibility of a minor or major in the language.

Placement Test is binding

The placement test does not exempt students from the language requirement, it's only an indicator of level. Besides, if a student feels that the class they are placed into is not a good fit for them, they are encouraged to talk to their professor during the Add/Drop period and request to change the level.

Exemption Exam

We prefer that students take a course with us at Brandeis if they have no official test scores. We occasionally conduct exemption exams but mainly for heritage speakers who can communicate in the language but have not taken a language class before.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about registration:

Hollie Harder (harder@brandeis.edu) - Director of French and Italian Language Programs
Elena González Ros (elenag@brandeis.edu) - Director of Spanish Language Program
Katie Dickinson (kdickin@brandeis.edu) - ROMS Academic Administrator