Course Selection Guide

  • If you have no previous knowledge of Spanish, you should take SPAN 101: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture I.
  • If you did all or part of your high school in an immersive Spanish-speaking environment, you may take any 300 or 400 level courses, although we recommend that you begin with SPAN 301: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies. 300 and 400 level courses count for the Spanish Major.
  • If you are a heritage learner of Spanish, you may consider SPAN 205: Finding Your Bilingual Voice.

The following descriptions, in addition to our Online Placement Exam, will help guide you toward the appropriate course for your level of Spanish:

  • I am a true beginner. I have neither studied Spanish before nor been exposed to it through family and friends.
  • I took less than a year of Spanish in middle school or at the beginning of high school. 
  • I am able to say hello, my name, and name a few objects in the classroom or in my immediate surroundings.

...then you should take SPAN 101: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture I

 

  • Through prior exposure to Spanish, whether in- or outside the classroom, I have the equivalent of one college semester of Spanish. 
  • I am able to use simple sentences to communicate information and ask questions on familiar and everyday topics. 
  • I am able to speak and write in the present, although I might still need a review.

...then you should take SPAN 102: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture II 

 

  • Through prior exposure to Spanish, whether in- or outside the classroom, I have the equivalent of two college semesters of Spanish. 
  • I am able to narrate and describe in the present and have some exposure to the past tenses (preterite, and maybe imperfect) on different topics in formal and informal conversations, but sometimes I confuse verb conjugations and my vocabulary isn’t precise. 
  • When I don't understand someone, I am able to ask for clarification.  
  • When someone doesn’t fully understand me, I am often able to rephrase my ideas for better comprehension.

...then you should take SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture 

 

  • Through prior exposure to Spanish, whether in- or outside the classroom, I have the equivalent of three college semesters of Spanish. 
  • I am able to narrate and describe in the major time frames (past, present and future) on different topics in formal and informal conversations, but sometimes I confuse verb conjugations and my vocabulary isn’t precise. 
  • I am able to express (and sometimes support) opinions on abstract and controversial issues using the subjunctive and/or indicative mood.
  • When someone doesn’t fully understand me, I am able to find a way to rephrase my ideas for better comprehension.

...then you should take SPAN 202: Advanced Spanish Language and Culture or SPAN 205: Finding Your Bilingual Voice

 

  • Through prior exposure to Spanish, whether in- or outside the classroom, I have the equivalent of four college semesters of Spanish. 
  • I am able to narrate using all of the verb tenses (past, present and future) and can use verb moods (indicative, subjunctive) when appropriate.
  • I can discuss complex topics, ask questions, share my opinions and read literature (poetry, short stories, etc.) in Spanish.
  • I may have taken AP Spanish or an advanced Spanish class in high school or have completed SPAN 202 at Amherst.

...then you should take SPAN 301: Literature and Cultures of the Hispanic World


 

If you took the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam, follow this guide:

  • Score of 1-3: Take placement exam
  • Score of 4: SPAN 202: Advanced Spanish Language and Culture or SPAN 205: Finding Your Bilingual Voice
  • Score of 5: SPAN 301: Literature and Culture of the Hispanic World

If you took the AP Spanish Literature and Culture Exam, follow this guide:

  • Score of 1-3: Take placement exam
  • Score of 4 or 5: SPAN 301: Literature and Culture of the Hispanic World 

If you took the SAT Spanish Subject Test, follow this guide:

  • Score under 380:  SPAN 101: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture I
  • Score of 380-440: SPAN 102: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture II 
  • Score of 450-540: SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture
  • Score of 550-640: SPAN 202: Advanced Spanish Language and Culture or SPAN 205: Finding Your Bilingual Voice
  • Score of 650+: SPAN 301: Literature and Culture of the Hispanic World

If you took the IB exam, follow this guide:

  • Score of 6 or 7: SPAN 301: Literature and Culture of the Hispanic World

Online Placement Exam

If you have any previous knowledge of Spanish but have not taken any of the tests mentioned above, you should take our Online Placement Exam.

Please remember that the placement exam is a tool to help place you in the appropriate language course. You are not expected to know all of the answers, so if you come across something that is not familiar or if you don't know the answer, please don't panic. Answer the question to the best of your ability and move on to the next one. It is important that you take this exam without outside help, in whatever form, as this may skew the results and you might end up in the wrong course.

Please remember that, as stated in the Statement of Intellectual Responsibility in Amherst College's Honor Code: "...the College considers it a violation of the requirements of intellectual responsibility to submit work that is not one's own or otherwise to subvert the conditions under which academic work is performed by oneself or by others." 

Please use your Amherst College Username and ID Number when registering for the Spanish Placement Exam. Take the Online Placement Exam and follow this guide to register for the correct class:

  • Score of 0-200:  SPAN 101: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture I
  • Score of 201-324: SPAN 102: Fundamentals of Spanish Language and Culture II 
  • Score of 325-449: SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture
  • Score of 450-550: SPAN 202: Advanced Spanish Language and Culture or SPAN 205: Finding Your Bilingual Voice
  • Score of 551 and above:  SPAN 301: Literature and Culture of the Hispanic World

If your placement score is at the higher end of the scale, the department strongly encourages you to also attend the next course in the sequence during the Add/drop period to ensure that you are at the correct proficiency level. 

Tags:  Spanish AP score