Foreign Language Alternative

A student who may have a significant problem learning a foreign language at the college level due to a language-based learning disability may apply for the foreign language alternative to replace the basic foreign language requirement for graduation. Documentation guidelines for verification are on the website of the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (CLASS).

A member of the CLASS staff will review the documentation provided by the student; and, if the documentation is sufficient to support a Foreign Language Alternative, they will write a letter to the Committee on Academic Affairs (CAA) in support of the student’s request. 

The Office of Academic Advising considers the support letter and the student’s written request; and, if satisfied, grants the student an alternative series of classes to meet the requirement of gaining knowledge of the literature of another culture.  This is a key component of the liberal arts curriculum at Wake Forest University and a requirement that all Wake Forest undergraduates must meet.

The student must provide the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success with one of the following:

  1. A psycho-educational evaluation diagnosing a language-based learning disability. 
  2. Current medical documentation of a severe speech disorder or severe hearing impairment.

The approved courses are listed below:

  • Arabic (ARB) 350 or 351
  • Classics (CLA) 155, 161, 163, 164, 172, 175 or 176 
  • East Asian Languages and Cultures (EAL) 219, 221 or 222
  • German Studies (GES) 337, 340, 341, 350, 351, 390, 394, 396 or 397
  • Humanities (HMN) 200, 211, 212, 213, 219, 223, 226, 272, or 290
  • Russian (RUS) 341