Foreign Language Placement Test

The Foreign Language Placement Test is available online to all incoming freshman students who attend an orientation session.

Students who plan to enroll in a foreign language course, either by choice or because it is required by their major (see below for a list of majors with a foreign language course requirement) should take the Foreign Language Placement Test.

The following majors have a foreign language requirement:

• Accounting
• Business (Business students do not have a Foreign Language requirement, but are still required to take the Placement Test)
• Cinematic Arts (B.A. only)
• College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (all majors)
• Communication
• Engineering (Computer Science only)
• Fine Arts (B.A. only)
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
• Journalism (Broadcast and Print)
• Music (B.M. in String Instrument and Vocal Arts Performance; B.A. in Music)
• Occupational Therapy
• Public Relations
• Theatre (B.A. only)

Upon completion of the test, students are placed into the first, second or third semester of the language. If you believe you are placed into a level other than what you should be in, seek assistance from an academic advisor at the orientation session.

Japanese, Korean, Latin and Mandarin Chinese
The USC Testing Bureau offers in-person foreign language tests in Japanese, Korean, Latin and Mandarin Chinese. Students who wish to continue study of these languages must do one of the following:

1. Attend a regular test administration by the Testing Bureau prior to their orientation session (dates available on the USC Testing Bureau website).
2. Take the test during the regular administration by the Testing Bureau during USC Welcome Week.

Italian
Students who wish to continue study of Italian should contact the Language Center at language@college.usc.edu.

Other Languages
Students who wish to satisfy the language requirement in a language not taught at USC should contact the Language Center upon arrival to USC for Welcome Week (fall) or Welcome Day (spring).

International Students
International Students whose native language is not English are exempt from the foreign language requirement. Students from outside of the United States whose native language is English must take the written placement test administered on select dates by the USC Testing Bureau.

Students who have not previously studied a particular foreign language must check the Online Schedule of Classes to determine how to enroll in semester one. 

Foreign Language Requirement at USC

The foreign language skill level requirement may be fulfilled in the following ways:

• By earning a passing grade in Course III (third college semester) of a foreign language sequence at USC or its equivalent elsewhere
• By taking a USC Testing Bureau paper and pencil placement test and placing at a level equivalent to three semesters of a foreign language