French Language: Placement and Course Offerings
Updated Spring 2009
Placement for F-Cape, SAT II and AP
Incoming first-year students are placed according to their F-CAPE (computerized placement test), SAT II or AP test scores. Students who have no French SAT II or AP score are required to take the UVa (F-CAPE) placement exam online prior to enrollment in a French course. After a student has received a Placement Test score, placement in French is made according to this schedule:
|
F-CAPE Score
UVA Computer Test |
SAT II Score
|
AP Scores
|
Placement
|
| 296 or below | 440 | FREN 1010*** | |
| 297-377 | 450-530 | FREN 1020 | |
| 377 or below | 530 or below | FREN 1050 | |
| 378-394 | 540-600 | FREN 2010 | |
| 395-476 | 610-650 | FREN 2020/2320 | |
| 477 and above | 660 and above
|
French Language Requirement Fulfilled | |
| 462-498 | 660-690 | FREN 2320 (suggested but not required) or FREN 3031 |
|
| 499-556 | 700-750 | Language 3 | FREN 3031 |
| Literature 4,
5 (+ 3 credit hrs for FREN 3032) |
FREN 3031 | ||
| 557 and above | 760 and above | Language 4, 5
(+ 3 credit hrs for FREN 3031) |
See French Advisor |
If a student has taken more than one type of placement test, the French Department accepts the highest of the scores.
Students within the Required Courses Sequence (1010-2320) must select a course at a level which corresponds to their placement score or one level higher than the score indicates.
NOTE: It is usually to the student's advantage to attempt a higher level course and thus complete the required sequence more quickly. Selection of a lower level course may be made only with the authorization of the Language Program Director.
***IMPORTANT: Students who have completed more than 2 years of high school French (grades 9-12) will not receive credit for FREN 1010, regardless of the placement score. They should register for FREN 1020 , FREN 1050, or FREN 2010.
The normal sequence, depending on the level at which the student places, is 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020. Once a student has placed into and completed one of these courses, he/she must complete the rest of the courses in the sequence in order to satisfy the language requirement. Students may not skip courses in the sequence, so it is important to start at the highest level appropriate. All courses are taught primarily in French, and emphasis is on the development of not only the language skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing but also cultural awareness and understanding.
Students who have placed out of the language requirement and who wish to continue to study French normally take FREN 3031, a prerequisite for most upper-level French courses.
Satisfaction of the Language Requirement
COMPLETION OF FREN 2020 OR FREN 2320, OR A PLACEMENT TEST SCORE OF 477 (UVa F-CAPE exam), OR 600 (SAT II), OR ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCORE OF LANGUAGE 3 OR LITERATURE 4 SATISFIES THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT.
