You are eligible for referral for testing if despite diligent study and regular attendance in class, lab sessions, and tutoring sessions, you earn a C- or below in a language. If you have questions about referral procedures, please make an appointment to talk with Andrew Christensen, Coordinator of Disability Services (x4080).

Referral for Testing

Andrew Christensen, Coordinator of Disability Services for Students, will meet with you and consult your instructors, support service staff, and files. He will make a determination regarding your eligibility for testing. Students may call x4080 to schedule an appointment.

Following Testing

If testing indicates a learning problem regarding language, the Coordinator of Disability Services for Students will discuss with you the nature of the problem, make recommendations, and refer you to sources of assistance (i.e. Academic Support Center, or in some cases, special tutoring or further evaluation).

The Petition Process

Step 1. If you are considering petitioning for language exemption you should make an appointment with Dean Pattanayak, (x4300). By the time you get to Dean Pattanayak’s office, we assume that you've

-- been referred for testing by a faculty member,
-- had the testing done,
-- received the results, and
-- met with Andrew Christensen for a follow-up session to help you decide if you should proceed with the process.

At the meeting with Dean Pattanayak, he will:

• Explain the process to you and make sure you have the necessary petition form (which can be downloaded from this page).
• Ask your permission to contact language faculty or to secure from the Dean of Students office any forms language faculty may have filled out concerning your lack of progress in their classes.
• Have you talk about your experience trying to learn a foreign language.
• Ask you to write a brief statement about your experience trying to learn a foreign language. Along with the petition and statement, you may also include supporting documents from others (i.e. tutors, instructors, those who are familiar with your history of effort and attempts at language study). The subcommittee is interested in knowing what it was like for you to try to learn a language, what you did to try to learn the language, what worked, what didn’t, and what gave you difficulty. Useful statements detail not just that language learning was difficult for you, but how it was difficult for you.

How long should the statement be? Some students write a page, others more--whatever is needed. Remember, this isn’t a test and we aren’t going to grade you, but we are trying to understand the nature of your difficulty. If you're having trouble with the writing, imagine you are writing to someone you like and trust--a younger sibling, a close friend, a favorite uncle. If you're still having trouble, call or e-mail Dean Pattanayak.

Step 2 - Submit your completed petition and statement to Dean Pattanayak, Dean of the College office, Laird 131. Make certain your adviser has signed the petition.  Lastly, e-mail a copy of your personal statement, in Word format, to Karen Moldenhauer,
Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean.

Step 3 - A subcommittee will meet to consider your petition. Meetings are held twice a term, in weeks 2 & 9, approximately.  The committee will have a packet of information which includes your Carleton transcript, high school transcript, SAT scores or pre-admission test scores, reports from language instructors and other relevant information provided from your student file. The subcommittee will either recommend or deny exemption.

Step 4 - Dean Pattanayak then writes up a summary of your petition, including the subcommittee recommendation, and submits it to the Academic Standing Committee (ASC) for final decision (the petition is name-blinded). You will be notified by the Dean of Students office, via email, of the decision.

Alternate Courses

If you are evaluated as having difficulty in learning a foreign language, this does not mean that you will automatically be guaranteed an exemption from the language requirement. Students who are enrolled in language during the filing of a petition and evaluation should stay enrolled in the language course until they have been assured that their petition for exemption has been approved by Academic Standing Committee (ASC). Students with a documented significant learning disability are generally permitted to substitute appropriate pre-approved literature and/or culture courses in lieu of further language study.

View the Alternate Courses for Language Exemption list. These are pre-approved literature and/or culture courses that may be substituted for the language requirement for students with a document significant learning disability.