<p>I am currently a first-year undergrad student at UVa and have a few questions about the foreign language requirement for the College of Arts & Sciences.
First of all, I am a native speaker of Spanish and feel like i could use some improvement so I am interested in taking Spanish. I took regular Spanish (not AP) in high school, but felt that it was not helpful.
I was wondering since I am native and pretty fluent, would I most likely place out of it?
And if so, does that mean that I have fulfilled the foreign language requirement?
Also if I don't need to take it, would I get any credits for placing out of it? or should I just do poorly on the placement exam so I can take it and get credit?</p>
<p>Have you looked at the information provided on the College of Arts & Sciences website? I believe all of your questions are answered.</p>
<p>The FAQ page is the first return when you google:
[Foreign</a> Language Requirement FAQ — Undergraduate, College of Arts & Sciences, U.Va.](<a href=“http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/college/requirements/competency/language_requirement_faq.html]Foreign”>http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/college/requirements/competency/language_requirement_faq.html)</p>
<p>From what you say, most likely your Spanish is sufficient or nearly sufficient to fulfill the College requirement, which only requires an intermediate level of proficiency. Take the placement exam and do as well on it as you can. If your requirement is out of the way, that’s all to the better. You can certainly still take Spanish!. Many native speakers in your situation benefit from SPAN 3010, a grammar review which serves as the gateway to the major–there were several Puerto Rican kids in it when I took it a number of years ago. 3020, a composition course, is another good option. There’s also a more advanced grammar review, SPAN 4010, if you place above the 3010 level.</p>
<p>So on the FAQ page it says i earn exemption…so I don’t earn credits then?</p>
<p>…no
but if you come in with 0 credits and take the recommended 15 credits/semester you will get the 120 you need to graduate. so you could use your new free credits to take spanish classes like the ones already recommended to you, or any other classes that you want.</p>