Foreign Language Proficiency Exam

To insure accurate course placement, the Office of Testing at William Paterson University administers a proficiency exam in the languages of Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish. These exams are administered on the same day a student is scheduled for the William Paterson University First Year Foundations Program Placement Test. If a student wishes to fulfill their language requirement in a language other than the aforementioned, they should contact the Department of Languages and Cultures by calling 973-720-2330.

William Paterson University has a 0-6 credit foreign language reading requirement that all students must satisfy before earning a baccalaureate degree. The University does not automatically accept high school foreign language work as equivalent to college-level study. All new freshmen students are required to take a foreign language proficiency exam to determine the appropriate level the student should begin study of a new language.

The Department of Languages and Cultures honors advanced placement in foreign languages by granting 3-6 credits, based on Advanced Placement (AP) scores. Additionally, a student may fulfill their foreign language requirement in the languages of French, German and Spanish by taking a College Level Examination Program (CLEP). For additional information on this exam, please click here College Level Examination Program-CLEP.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact the Department of Languages and Cultures by calling 973-720-2330 or you may visit their website by clicking here.