Language Testing
Many students are required to take three semesters worth of a language, including students in the College of Arts and Sciences, but some come in with prior knowledge of a language and are able to test out of their language requirement, or be placed into a higher class and limit their time taking introductory language courses. To show language proficiency students must be able to read, speak, write, and listen in the language. The Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures department can provide language testing only for Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and Uzbek.
If you are wanting to test out of a language, especially to waive the language requirement for College of Arts and Sciences majors, please do so as early as possible and DO NOT wait until your last year at Ohio State prior to graduating to do so.
There are several factors that can inhibit you from receiving the full credits necessary to graduate. To show language proficiency, students must be able to read, speak, write, and listen in the language. For example, if you can only speak and listen in the language, but not read or write, there is a likely possibility that you will not gain the necessary credits from our language testing examination to waive the requirement.
Please know that it can take several weeks between the time a student reaches out to schedule the language exam and the time it takes to update their academic record, and hence can impact a student being able to graduate or take classes on time.
For details on how to schedule a language testing exam please see below.
Arabic and Hebrew Testing
Arabic and Hebrew language exams are available through the Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. More details of the Arabic and Hebrew exams are on the CLLC website at cllc.osu.edu/undergraduate/testing.
Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and Uzbek Testing
Students wishing to complete tests in Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and Uzbek can complete paper exams in the Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages, and Cultures office in Hagerty 300. Paper exams are available only by appointment, through nesa@osu.edu.
Language exams are used to place students in language coursework, to evaluate transfer language coursework, and to verify language competency for graduate students in other departments. All transfer language coursework in Arabic, Hindi, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian, and Uzbek must be evaluated by examination.
Students may also use these examinations to request Validation of their GE foreign language requirement as well as EM Credit (credit by examination) for NESA languages. (Students receive Validation in languages of which they are native speakers and EM Credit in languages for which they are not.) Students should consult with their College of enrollment for specific information on General Education requirements and the Center for Languages, Literatures, & Cultures (CLLC) for more information about Language Testing.
The NESA Department standard language placement exams evaluate a student's proficiency level through the 3rd semester (1101-1103) courses. Students that successfully test out of the first three semesters of NESA languages, that are interested in pursuing corresponding language and area studies minors/majors in the NESA Department, may have the opportunity to earn EM credit for a total of 4 semesters of coursework in Persian, Turkish, and Uzbek, while 6 semesters of credit may be available for Arabic and Hebrew major/minor program students. To inquire about additional testing options, please contact the NESA Program Coordinator, Phoebe Carmichael (carmichael.96@osu.edu)