The Pennsylvania State University College of the Liberal Arts Proficiency Certification and Credit by Examination in Foreign Languages Information for Students and Advisors at the Lehigh Valley Campus Some students seek to satisfy language requirements by means other than taking coursework. If their situations fall within the criteria established by Penn State’s Foreign Language Placement Policy, they may request that the relevant language and literature departments provide Credit by Examination or Non-Credit Proficiency Certification. Credit by Examination (CRX): this process can confer credits This is a method of graded credit acquisition. It is officially defined by Faculty Senate Policy (52.50.1) and the Handbook: "Penn State students may earn credits which are accepted to fulfill degree requirements through successful completion (C or better) of a comprehensive examination. This examination is a substitute for completing the usual requirements of a course. Credit by examination may not be used to earn credit for a course previously completed with a quality letter grade (including courses that were failed). Credit by examination may not be attained on the satisfactory - unsatisfactory grading system. Obtaining credit by examination may not be possible for some courses." A fee per credit is charged for CRX. The Fall 2013 rate is $30 per credit—for instance, $120 for a 4credit language course. The credits and grades are entered on the student's transcript. Paperwork to request CRX can be obtained from advising offices and from academic departments In language courses, students are eligible for CRX only within the parameters of the University's Foreign Language Placement Policy. This policy states, for example, that students may not receive credit for elementary or intermediate courses in their native language. Non-Credit Proficiency Certification: this process does not confer credits Sometimes the situations of students do not fall within the CRX opportunity. Examples include the following: a) Graduate students who need certification of proficiency (but not necessarily credits) in order to meet doctoral requirements, apply for grants, etc. This issue does not arise at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The next three situations are those most likely to apply at Penn State Lehigh Valley b) Undergraduates seeking documentation of their proficiency in a language acquired through means such as education abroad or other such programs, often to satisfy the 12th-credit-level B.A. proficiency requirement. c) Undergraduates who are native speakers of languages other than English. Such students are not eligible for credit in the elementary or intermediate courses in their native language, as 2 noted above, but they may be seeking certification that they have met the 12th-credit-level proficiency requirement for B.A. (and some other) degrees. d) Students seeking proficiency certification in languages not taught at their Penn State location. Procedure: Students seeking credits through the CRX option should obtain the CRX paperwork from an advising office or a department office and follow the instructions it provides. The fee ($30/credit as of Fall 2013) must be paid before the examination is administered. Students seeking Non-Credit Proficiency Certification in Foreign Languages should use the Non-Credit form available here. Requests are to be submitted to the Office of the Director of Academic Affairs at the Lehigh Valley Campus. It is not guaranteed that all requests will be fulfilled. If the campus cannot fulfill the request, the student will be notified and can seek alternative means of documenting proficiency (such as taking an external standardized exam in the language). If the Campus can fulfill the request, the fee ($60 as of Fall 2013) must be paid before the examination is administered. For questions about this policy, contact the Lehigh Valley Campus Office of Academic Affairs (610) 2855056. 2/19/14 LV: 9/11/14 3 Request for Non-Credit Proficiency Certification in Foreign Languages at the Lehigh Valley Campus Name of Student (please print) __________________________________________________________ Student Number ________________________________Email ____________________________ Local Address and Phone _______________________________________________________________ Permanent Address and Phone __________________________________________________________ Major (or pre-major or DUS)_____________________________________________________________ Academic Adviser’s Name (please print) ___________________________________________________ Adviser’s Email _______________________________________________________________________ To the student: This form does not lead to your receiving credits. It only certifies that you have been found proficient at the level specified. The staff assistant in the Office of Academic Affairs will tell you which instructors or other examiners are authorized to provide certification for your language. After Academic Affairs staff member tells you the name of an authorized instructor or other examiner, it is your responsibility to contact this person, arrange a time to be examined in the language, pay the fee by check or money order to “Penn State Lehigh Valley” (prior to taking the exam), give the form to the examiner at the time of the exam, and obtain the first two approval signatures in the order shown below. The language examiner -not the student- should return the form to the Office of Academic Affairs. (In some cases, at the option of the Director of Academic Affairs, official credentials showing your prior knowledge of the language may be used as an alternative or supplement to an exam.) Academic Affairs will then send the completed form to your advisor and give you a copy of the form for your records. Your advisor can have your language proficiency entered into your official “degree audit” record. 2/19/14 LV: 9/11/14 4 CERTIFICATION OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY To the Lehigh Valley Director of Academic Affairs: The student identified here has been found proficient in the language indicated, at the level indicated. This form is valid only when all approval signatures are provided. NAME OF STUDENT ____________________________________________________________________ LANGUAGE __________________________________________________________________________ PROFICIENCY equivalent to completion of the highest Penn State course level that is checked below: _____ Language 001 (4th-credit level) _____ Language 002 (8th-credit level) _____ Language 003 (12th-credit level, which completes the B.A. requirement) _____ Language ___________ (or 15th-credit level) _____ Language ___________ (or 18th-credit level) _____ Beyond 18th-credit level (may include native speakers) _____ Other pattern of equivalency (for example: 3 credits, 6 credits) __________________________ Additional descriptors may also be used (optional). For example, if only a reading knowledge, or only a conversational knowledge, has been tested, this can be indicated below. Listening skills _____ Not tested _____ Very minimal or no practical ability to comprehend the spoken language _____ Able to understand short, basic utterances on everyday topics and immediate situations _____ Able to understand ideas and details of conversations beyond the immediate situation _____ Able to understand main ideas and essentials of most or all speech in a standard dialect, when listening for personal, social, and professional purposes _____ Native or native-like ability 2/19/14 LV: 9/11/14 5 Speaking skills _____ Not tested _____ Very minimal or no practical speaking ability _____ Able to handle a range of uncomplicated, basic tasks and simple practical and social situations _____ Able to satisfy the needs of many everyday situations, including routine school and work _____ Able to participate effectively in most or all situations and to speak appropriately on practical, social, academic/professional, and abstract topics _____ Native or native-like ability Reading skills _____ Not tested _____ Very minimal or no practical ability to understand written material _____ Able to read short, simple texts dealing with basic practical and social needs _____ Able to read prose several paragraphs long, and to understand main ideas if not all details _____ Able to read with complete or almost complete comprehension, including academic/professional material and material on unfamiliar subjects _____ Reading ability of a well-educated native or native-like speaker of the language Writing skills _____ Not tested _____ Very minimal or no practical ability to communicate in writing _____ Able to meet limited practical needs such as writing a short letter _____ Able to write items such as routine correspondence though there may be some errors _____ Able to use written expression successfully in most or all formal and informal writing situations, including writing on academic/professional topics _____ Writing ability of a well-educated native or native-like speaker of the language 2/19/14 LV: 9/11/14 6 Signatures (obtain in the order indicated): 1. Student. I have requested Non-Credit Proficiency Certification as indicated on this form. I have read and understand the policy and procedure statements on this form. ____________________________________________________(signature) ___________________(date) 2. Office of Academic Affairs staff member. With reference to the student indicated on this form, the fee for the language examination and/or evaluation of his/her credentials ($60) has been paid. _____________________________________________________(signature) _________________(date) 3. Examiner (do not administer the exam or evaluate credentials unless both signatures #1 and #2 have been supplied). I am an instructor or examiner whom the Lehigh Valley Director of Academic Affairs, as indicated above, has authorized to verify proficiency in the language shown. Having examined the student identified above, or having evaluated his/her credentials, I certify that he/she is proficient in the language at the level indicated. ____________________________________________________(printed name) ____________________________________________________(signature) ___________________(date) 4. Director of Academic Affairs, Lehigh Valley Campus ____________________________________________________(signature) ___________________(date) 2/19/14 LV: 9/11/14