Area B Policy
The Department of Modern Languages acknowledges that students may already possess native or near-native proficiency in languages other than English. Native speakers of other languages normally may not take 1000-level courses in that language, and must seek approval from the Department of Modern Languages to take them at the 2000-level. However, the Department also understands that such proficiency should be recognized, and a variety of options exists for that purpose. Students may present appropriate AP or CLEP scores in such languages (if they exist) and, provided that they meet institutional requirements, receive credit at the 1001, 1002, 2001, and 2002 levels. Cutoff scores for the granting of such credit are posted on the North Georgia web site. Other options are available for languages in which AP and CLEP exams do not exist; please contact the Department for details.
Students whose native language is other than English may receive an exemption from the Area B Language requirement either by certifying proficiency in their native language with a school transcript or other documentation from their country of origin or background of language proficiency, or by sitting for an exam in that language.
Students whose native language is English but who have studied one or more other languages (be they classical, foreign, or domestic) may receive an exemption from the Area B language requirement by certifying their proficiency through placement and/or evaluation mechanisms available in the Department of Modern Languages. To facilitate exemptions from (but not credit for) institutional language requirements, these students should consult the Department for details.
Students seeking exemptions from the Area B requirement of language at the 1002 level - after being certified by the Department of Modern Languages as being appropriately proficient in another language - may substitute one of the following courses for the Area B 3-credit hour requirement in another language: ENGL 2111(World Lit I) or ENGL 2112 (World Lit II), Since these courses may also be used in other areas of the Core Curriculum, it is important to remember that courses may not count twice toward the degree. For example, if a student takes ENGL 2112 for Area C, the same course may not be counted again in Area B.
Finally, students should be aware that although North Georgia accepts course work in American Sign Language for elective credit, it cannot be used to fulfill the language requirement in Area B.