Rhodes requires every graduate to have developed intermediate proficiency in a second language. (We refer to this as the F10 requirement.) Students may fulfill this requirement in one of three ways:
- By continuing study at Rhodes of a language they began in high school and successfully completing a third-semester (201) or higher course (202 and above) in that language.
- Starting a new language at Rhodes and successfully completing the third semester (201).
- By passing an examination offered by the appropriate Rhodes department. For specifics, see below.
The language must be one that is offered by the Department of Modern Languages or the Department of Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
For now, however, as you develop your plan of study for next year and begin choosing classes, we want to place you in the appropriate class if you intend to continue with a language you have studied in high school.
For Ancient Greek, Latin, or Hebrew
If you have taken ancient Greek in high school or at another college or university, the Department of Ancient Mediterranean Studies will communicate with you via email and provide information about the appropriate course or courses to take this coming fall based on the information you submitted in the application process. If you have taken Latin in high school or at another college or university, please take our short placement survey. You should receive our recommendations for your fall schedule within a few days of taking the survey. If you have questions about the placement process or our program in general, we invite you to contact Dr. Geoff Bakewell.
To provide you with a general idea of which course might be right for you, please refer to the following table:
| If you have taken . . . | You might consider taking . . . |
| One year or less of Latin | Latin 101: Elementary Latin |
| One or two years of Latin | Latin 102: Elementary Latin |
| Three or four years of Latin | Latin 201: Intermediate Latin |
| AP Latin (and scored 4 or 5) | Latin 265: Topics in Latin Literature |
| One year or less of Greek | Greek 101: Elementary Greek |
| Two years of Greek | Greek 102: Elementary Greek |
| Three or four years of Greek | Greek 201: Intermediate Greek |
If you are interested in starting ancient Greek or Latin at Rhodes, the ancient Greek sequence begins in the fall with Greek 101, which will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00 to 12:50 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:20 p.m. The Latin sequence begins in the spring semester with Latin 101, which will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:00 to 12:50 p.m. and on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:20 p.m.
If you have an extensive background in ancient Greek or Latin but do not intend to continue with your study of those languages at Rhodes, you may fulfill your F10 requirement by taking the final examination from Greek 201 or Latin 201. Language placement exams will take place during Welcome Week; please consult the Welcome Week schedule. If you plan on taking the Greek 201 examination, you should contact Professor Jansen by email at jansenj@rhodes.edu. If you intend to take the Latin 201 examination, please contact Professor Sick by email at sick@rhodes.edu .
For information on the Hebrew program at Rhodes, please contact Professor Steve McKenzie at mckenzie@rhodes.edu . At present only biblical Hebrew is offered at Rhodes. It is possible to fulfill the F10 requirement by completing Hebrew 201 or by passing the proficiency exam.
Placement Examinations for French, German, Russian, Spanish, or Chinese
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers an online placement examination for students who have taken French, German, Russian or Spanish. A paper placement examination is given to students who have taken Chinese. Even if you if are not planning on continuing a language you took in secondary school, you should take these tests to determine at what level you place for your own and your advisor's records. If you are beginning a language you have never studies there is no need to take the placement test in that language.
Because the exam is just a way for us to place you in the correct level for your language, you do not need to prepare for the exam and you will not need any reference materials (textbooks, dictionaries, etc.) to complete it. Should the exam indicate that you have placed into a 202 course or beyond, you will be required to meet with faculty in your language for follow up. In other words, you have not fulfilled the F10 language requirement simply by taking this test.
Please note that students who have taken two or more years of French, German, Russian, Spanish or Chinese in high school may not take a 101 class for credit in that language. Students in this category whose placement exam score indicates that 101 is the best level to start study at Rhodes have three options:
- enroll in a 101 course for no credit with the permission of the instructor
- do an intensive review at another institution before enrolling in 102
- consider beginning at 101 for credit in another language
For inquiries about modern languages (other than Greek and Latin), please contact: Dr. Han Li, Modern Languages and Literatures, at hanl@rhodes.edu.
If you are a student of Chinese language and seek to take a placement test, please do not take the WebCAPE online exam. A paper placement test of Chinese is offered on the designated dates indicated on your Welcome Week schedule. You can also contact Prof. Han Li by email at hanl@rhodes.edu for any questions or information..
To take the online exam for French, German, Russian or Spanish - read the directions below.
The online placement exam is administered by Emmersion. Once you have read this page carefully you may follow the link below, which will take you to the Emmersion website, where you will create an account. The exam length varies for everyone since it adjusts to your responses. You may only take the exam once and you must acknowledge that your conduct abides by the Rhodes Honor Code before taking the exam.
Instructions
- Fill in your name, student ID, and email address in the appropriate fields. Create a password you will remember.
- You will have the option to take any language placement exam. Select the language you plan to continue taking at Rhodes.
- Take both the pre-exam survey and the placement exam.
- When the exam is completed, a screen with your name, score, and a chart placing you into a level will appear. Print or write down the results and bring them to your first advising session.
- Exit the exam after printing off the results.
- If your exam session is interrupted, login again and click "Resume."
Honor Code
By clicking on the Honor Code below, you acknowledge that you have read the Honor Code and promise to abide by it while taking the language placement test. Once you have done so, you will be automatically directed to the test site.