Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

Satisfying the Language GER

Before graduating from Saint Joseph’s University, all students must complete at least two language or literature courses at the 1200-level or higher. Alternatively, in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, students may complete the intensive three-semester program for beginners. Click here to see the sequence of classes for each language.

We take very seriously our responsibility to place students in the course in which they can best build on their previous language experience. Several components guide us during the placement process:

A student’s high school profile (which includes the number of years of language study, grades in those classes, and whether honors or AP language courses were taken);

Responses to the online questionnaires (which provide detailed information about what grammatical structures students have learned, whether classes were conducted in the target language, and what skills students were asked to practice in class);

The score on the online placement test (for French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish);

Our expectations for each level. Our expertise in language pedagogy and our knowledge of what we wish students to accomplish at each level enable us to place students in courses that allow them to reach their own goals and enhance their understanding of the culture and language they are studying.

Placing students in the appropriate level is in the best interests of all involved—the individual student, others enrolled in the class, and the instructor. Should you have questions regarding your placement (or, for faculty members, the placement of one of your advisees), we urge you to consult your instructor.

When planning their schedules, students may also wish to take the following factors into consideration:

The first course in each sequence (i.e. 1011, 1211, 1311, 1331) is offered ONLY in the fall term, as is the third course of the intensive beginning-level sequence (1031 and, in Spanish, 1071). The second course (i.e. 1021, 1221, 1321, 1341) is offered ONLY in the spring semester. Therefore, deciding to postpone taking the second course means waiting at least a year to be able to do so. We urge students to complete both courses during the same academic year; returning to language study after a long absence can present special challenges.

For French, German, Italian, and Spanish, each course in the three-semester first-year sequence (1011-1021-1031 and, for Spanish, 1051-1061-1071) carries four credits and includes a required hour in the language lab. The first course in the sequence counts as an elective; the final two count toward the language GER.

For Chinese, Japanese, and Russian, each course in the first-year sequence (1011-1021) carries six credits. They count as electives for students fulfilling the language GER in those languages. The second-year courses (1211-1221) carry five credits each and count toward the language GER.

For Latin, each first-year and second-year course (1011-1021, 1211-1221) carries three credits. The first-year courses count as electives, whereas the second-year courses satisfy the language GER.

Should you have any questions about fulfilling the language GER, please contact Dr. Maria Marsilio, Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.