Undergraduate Bulletin

Fall 2024

Communicate in a Human Language Other Than English (LANG)

We wish to inspire engaged global citizenship within each of our students. Speaking and writing proficiently in English alone still leaves us with a limited understanding of the people and cultures of the rest of the world. Therefore, we expect our students to become proficient in basic writing, reading, listening, and speaking in at least one non-English language, and also that students be knowledgeable about the people and culture associated with that language. The Stony Brook Curriculum requires the equivalent of two semesters of college-level language courses to acquire and practice these skills. Students must complete this requirement by completing the equivalent of language courses numbered 111 and 112 or 101.  We believe this proficiency is foundational, but recognize that students don’t necessarily have to complete this requirement in their freshman year. Note: students in CEAS majors are exempt from this requirement.

Because of the increasing globalization of culture, society, and the economy, students should have proficiency in a foreign language. Students may demonstrate achievement of foreign language proficiency before entering Stony Brook in any of the following ways:

  • A third-year high school Regents examination score of 85 or higher prior to Fall 2011;
  • A  Stony Brook Foreign Language Placement exam  score allowing enrollment in an intermediate-level language course (numbered 200 or above);
  • A score of 530 or higher on the SAT II in a foreign language; 
  • A score of 3 or higher on a foreign language or literature AP exam;
  • If students have at least two years of formal language study at a secondary school or university where the primary language of instruction is other than English, then transcripts from the institution may be submitted to demonstrate foreign language proficiency.

All entering students who have not demonstrated basic foreign language proficiency are urged to complete this requirement early in their academic careers. Students achieve foreign language proficiency at Stony Brook in one of the following ways:

  • Enrolling in and passing with a letter grade of C or higher the second semester of an elementary foreign language course numbered 101 or 112, or passing with a letter grade of C or higher a foreign language course certified as LANG; 
  • Obtaining equivalent transfer credit for the second-semester introductory or higher level foreign language course, passed with a grade of C or higher; 
  • Passing a  Stony Brook Challenge examination  for a foreign language course numbered 101 or 112 or higher. 

For a list of Stony Brook courses that satisfy LANG, complete a course search at this link.

SBC Learning Outcomes