Language Requirement Substitution
The Dartmouth College language requirement is described in “Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, III.3” and on the Registrar’s website. Under rare circumstances, the language requirement may be substituted with a course for a student who has a disability-related need. Such substitution will not be granted in the absence of (1) a verified disability, (2) sufficient information about the petitioner’s disability-related need for a substitution, and (3) approval for a substitution, all confirmed by Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Students who wish to inquire about a disability-related substitution of the language should contact SAS.
Petitions are submitted to SAS and will be considered only from students with documented disabilities who have not yet completed the language requirement. Students who are approved for language substitution by SAS must then select a course from a list of previously approved courses or work with SAS to identify at least two language-related substitution course options (with course descriptions and rationale provided) for Committee on Instruction (COI) review. A student may also petition to use a course they previously completed and passed at Dartmouth for substitution of the language requirement; however, advance approval of substitution courses is recommended.
The COI generally reviews language substitution petitions in the fall, winter, and spring. Petitions made over the summer may not receive a response until the following fall term. As students are expected to complete the language requirement (or be granted a language substitution) by the end of the seventh term of enrollment, a student’s substitution course should also be approved by this point.
Students who have been granted a language substitution:
Once SAS has determined that language course substitution is appropriate, the following occurs:
- Student must complete a previously approved substitution course, notifying SAS of their intent to count it as their language substitution course, or submit a petition to the COI as described above. If no proposed course is approved by the COI, the student will need to petition again with different courses until at least one substitution course is approved. The student must notify SAS of their COI-approved substitution course and complete it.
- All grades for elementary non-English language courses will not be incorporated into the student’s cumulative grade point average. This provision is retroactive, so there may be effects on a student’s existing cumulative grade point average. Students’ transcripts will designate those grades and note that they are not incorporated into the grade point average, but the transcript will not contain direct information about the reason.
- Language courses numbered 1, 2, or 3 and other beginning language courses may not be taken under the Non-Recording Option if they are being used to fulfill the language requirement. However, students have completed the language requirement (through substitution or other means) who still wish to enroll in any elementary language courses (typically numbered 1, 2, or 3) will be permitted to use the Non-Recording Option in those courses. All the regulations governing use of that option will apply except that students who have received a substitution are allowed a total of five (5) uses of the Non-Recording Option, two of which can be applied only to introductory courses in the same language. If the grade matches or surpasses a student’s selection, it will appear on the transcript; any grade of NR will count as one of the five uses of the option allowed, and any grade of E will appear on the transcript. However, no grade assigned in the course will be incorporated into the student’s grade point average.
Please review the SAS language requirement petition page or contact SAS for more information.