Foreign Languages

Wake Tech offers university first- and second-year levels of French and Spanish courses. These studies are fundamental to a robust and well-rounded education, and knowledge of a foreign language makes graduates more marketable in today's global economy.

Most four-year colleges and universities in North Carolina require at least two semesters of foreign language study, and some bachelor's degree majors require more. Students should contact four-year institutions to find out about foreign language requirements for specific majors.

Native speakers of English who have not earned college credit for foreign language studies should register for the Level 1 lecture course (SPA-111 or FRE-111) and the corresponding language lab (SPA-181 or FRE-181). Language labs supplement lectures and are co-requisites for foreign language lecture courses. The labs meet for two hours each week and provide one hour of transferable credit.

Students who grew up in a Spanish- or French-speaking household or have significant prior experience with the language through other means are encouraged to take a Foreign Language Placement Exam.

The Spanish for the Workplace (SPA-120) course is not a University Transfer course and will not count toward a bachelor's degree.

Students who already have the skills taught in SPA-120 and are enrolled in a degree or certificate program that includes SPA-120 may request a challenge examination for this non-transferable course.

To take the exam, students must follow these steps by the 10% date of the semester:

1. Provide proof that they have registered and paid for the course being challenged.
2. Make arrangements with the instructor to take the exam during the drop/add period for the semester, or prior to the end of the previous semester.
3. Fill out a "Request for challenge Examination Form" (Form 610), which is available as part of the appointment set-up process.
4. Present a valid photo ID.

To receive transcript credit for SPA-120 after passing the challenge examination, students must pay for and remain registered for the course. At the end of the term, an "X" grade will be assigned to indicate the successful challenge. For a Wake Tech degree program that requires SPA-120, these credits will count toward meeting that program's graduation requirements but are not figured in a student's grade point average.

Students who successfully challenge the class need to stop attending their scheduled SPA-120 class section.

Foreign language tutoring

Foreign Languages faculty provide free tutoring to students enrolled in Wake Tech university transfer courses in the Tutoring and Learning Center. Faculty also support language study outside of class through Sigma Delta Mu, Honors option and Service Learning projects.

Non-degree courses

Wake Tech also offers a variety of non-degree world language courses, with levels from beginner to advanced. The courses do not transfer to meet high school or university foreign language requirements.

Courses for high school students

High school students need to be enrolled in either a Cooperative Innovative High School or the Career & College Promise program (CCP) to take University Transfer foreign languages courses at Wake Tech.

CCP is North Carolina's dual-enrollment program for high school students. Qualified students can take community college courses tuition-free while they are in high school, giving them a head start on their workplace and college preparation.

A CCP student may take up to eight semester hour credits of foreign language courses and accompanying labs in a single language. It is designated as General Education coursework in the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement as a part of the following pathways:

• Associate in Arts (P1012C)
• Associate in Engineering (P1052C)
• Associate in Fine Arts: Visual Arts (P1062C)
• Associate in Sciences (P1042C)

These courses are not a part of the Universal General Education Transfer Component. Students who complete these courses with a grade of "C" or higher will receive transfer credit. The receiving university will determine whether the courses will count as general education, pre-major or elective credit.