Language Requirement
Linguistic and cultural adventures await those who learn languages. Are you ready?
All undergraduates in Butler’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as International Business majors, are required to show proficiency in a language other than English.
International Business has articulated its language requirement. Please visit their website.
Students with a major in Butler’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must complete 2 courses at the 200-level or above
- In the same language
- With a passing grade (D- or better)
- Each course must be worth 3 or more credits at Butler
- RX Medical Spanish courses are not eligible to fulfill the language requirement
In order to complete the LAS language requirement, first determine your placement.
Then, proceed along the appropriate path:
- Begin in 101: Complete 101, 102, 203, and 204
- Begin in 102: Complete 102, 203, and 204
- Begin in 203: Complete 203 and 204
- Begin in 204: Complete 204 and 300-level Skills
- Begin in 300-level Skills (MLLC): Complete 300-level Skills and another 300-level course
All courses must be completed with a “D-” or better (unless you’re attempting to transfer in “dual enrollment credits,” in which case “C-” or better).
If at any point you feel your placement is incorrect, please meet with the department chair or your professor.
If you have a documented disability and wish to request course substitutions for the language requirement, please read the “Specific Guidelines: Foreign Language Substitution” section on the course substitution webpage.
(This process involves obtaining forms from the office of Student Disability Services and working with the Modern Languages department chair to complete them.)
International students whose native language is not English can request a variance, which means their college work in English will count as their FL requirement. To qualify:
a. Students have to come from a non English speaking country (ie. visiting students or students who have come to Butler University directly from their home country).
b. The language of instruction in their home country must have been a foreign language rather than English.
c. Taking ESL classes at the time of requesting this waiver or having taken the TOEFL exam or a similar exam for learners of English during the last 2 years can be proof of eligibility for this waiver.
This variance does not apply to students who:
a. Studied all or part of their formal elementary and secondary education (grades 1 to 12) in the United States in English, except if it was as an interchange student in grades 1-11.
b. Grew up in a country where English is the official (or de facto official) language or one of the official languages. For example: Canada, India, Nigeria, South Africa, Malaysia, etc.
c. Studied all or part of their formal elementary and secondary education (grades 1 to 12) in English, even if it is not in an English speaking country (i.e. in bilingual schools).
d. Are bilingual in a foreign language and in English (see section 1). However, in this case, bilingual students can take advanced classes in their second language to satisfy the Foreign Language requirement. The chair, in consultation with a professor from the target language if different, can make that determination.
Students who want to fulfill the criteria for this variance must contact the chair of the Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department and include one of the following:
a. A copy of their High School transcripts. A certified translation must be included if the original language of the transcripts is not English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish.
b. A copy of their English exam results (i.e. TOEFL).
If you meet the requirements for this variance and want to request it, please meet with the MLLC department chair to discuss your situation.
Although the Core curriculum requirements are waived for those students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree, the foreign language requirement must still be fulfilled.
Info on second baccalaureate degrees can be found on the following Butler Bulletin webpages:
- Academic Regulations and Definitions under “Requirements for Graduation”
- Admission Information and Requirements under “Transfer Students”