Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Students who are native speakers or who have taken Spanish in the past or have a strong
foundation in Spanish can apply for PLA. Students must complete a PLA application
and complete either a Departmental Exam or an External Exam.
Prior Learning Assessment
Departmental Exam
Students must complete a PLA application and pay a $25 fee per class of which they
are attempting to test out. They then take a placement test with one of the professors
who will proctor the test, grade it, and discuss placement with the student. Students
must score 75% or higher on the test to pass. While students do have a reported grade
for the test, the grade does not appear on the student’s transcript. Students receive
credit hours, but the grade does not appear on the transcript nor does it impact GPA.
External Exam – CLEP Test for Spanish
This exam will allow students to receive credit for 0, 6, or 12 hours depending on
how they score on the test. Students receive credit hours, but no grade so it will
not impact GPA. There is a testing fee from CLEP and from the WSCC testing center
for this test.
CLEP Exams
Placement Test
Students who are native speakers or who have taken Spanish in the past can schedule
a placement test with one of the Spanish professors. This may also include a short
oral interview in Spanish. Immediately after completing the test and/or interview,
students will be advised as to which level of Spanish would be best for them to enter.
This is an option if a student does NOT need to show credit for previous semesters
of Spanish. For example, majors requiring all four semesters of a foreign language
like AA English, would not be able to place up using this test.
Challenge Test
Students currently enrolled in a Spanish class who are native speakers or who have
taken Spanish in the past can contact their instructor requesting to schedule a challenge
test for the class in which they are enrolled. These students can take the final exam
during the first two weeks of class. If their score on the exam is acceptable to both
the student and professor, then the student stays registered in the class, but does
not have to attend nor complete any further assignments. The student will receive
the grade that they earned on the final exam as their final class grade, which will
be factored into their GPA.
Contact the Lead Faculty for Foreign Languages if you have any questions.
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