College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Islamic World Studies > Student Resources > Advising > Modern Language Requirement

Modern Language Requirement

Yes, there is a Modern Language Requirement (MLR) for all students in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. The modern language requirement may be met in any of the following eight ways: 

  • completing the last course in the fourth-year high school sequence of a non-English language; 
  • completing the last course in the first-year college sequence of a non-English language; 
  • completing a college course beyond the first-year level in a non-English language; 
  • achieving a satisfactory score on any of the Modern Language placement examinations administered at DePaul University; 
  • achieving a satisfactory rating in a language proficiency examination accepted by DePaul University; 
  • scoring a 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement (AP) test of a non-English language; 
  • scoring 5 or higher on the Language B assessment from a Standard or Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) program in a non-English language; or 
  • achieving a satisfactory score on the CLEP evaluation in a non-English language. 

Note: American Sign Language (ASL) does qualify as a modern language.

Note: Please see the Department of Modern Languages' Guide to Placement Tests.

Note: Transfer students will need to provide official high school transcripts in order to use high school coursework to meet the non-English language requirement. For students who applied to DePaul as high school students, the university already has a copy of the high school transcript.

Yes, completing the Arabic Language Requirement for your IWS major, consisting of the Basic Arabic sequence, will also satisfy the Modern Language Requirement.

For more information on the Language for Liberal Studies Option, please go here.

If you don't see an available "button" in Campus Connection giving you access to the language placement exams, contact DePaul Central. Students who have taken a foreign language in high school may take a Modern Language Placement Test at any time to determine the appropriate level class at DePaul. If the language is not one for which DePaul has an online exam, please see the Modern Language Department for information about alternative forms of assessment.
Even if you are comfortable speaking in a foreign language, you still need to have your language skills assessed by taking a Modern Language Placement Test. If the language that you know is not one of those for which an online test is available, see the Modern Languages Department for information about alternative forms of assessment.
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