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Department of
French and Italian

romantic view of the Chenonceau castle in france

French Language Placement

Students who wish to take French language classes should take the placement test to determine what French course to begin with. Take the placement test here.

After taking the placement test, use the scores list below to determine which course to take.

Interpreting Your Scores

VU Placement Test ScoreCourse to be taken
0-259French 1101 (2 years or less of French in high school)
260-349French 1103 (2-3 years of French in high school)
350-419French 2201 (3-4 years of French in high school)
420+French 2202 (4 years of French in high school)
Above 520, contact the DUS (p.miller@vanderbilt.edu) to determine what level course best fits your needs.
SAT Placement ScoreCourse to be taken
0-500French 1101
501-530French 1103
531-590French 2201
591+French 2202
Advanced Placement (AP) CreditCourse Equivalent
4 or 5 on French Language Exam 8 hours credit for FR 2201 & 2202
4 or 5 on French Literature Exam8 hours credit for FR 2201 & 3 hours of elective credit
International Baccalaureate (IB) CreditCourse Equivalent
6 or 7 on subsidiary5 hours credit for FR 2201
6 or 7 on higher5 hours credit for FR 2201 plus 3 hours elective credit

Interpreting Your Language Experience

  • No high school French or a placement score of 0-260 = FREN 1101
  • Students who have completed FREN 1101 = FREN 1102
  • One to two years of high school French, placement score of 260-349 = FREN 1103 (1103 is a one-semester, accelerated first-year French)
  • Three to four years of high school French, placement score of 350-419, or SAT score of 540-589 = FREN 2202
  • Four or more years of high school French, placement score of 420+, IB subsidiary score of 6 or 7, or SAT score of 590 = FREN 2202 or higher. Please reach out to Dr. Alexis Finet or Dr. Paul Miller to ensure you are signing up to the right class.

Contact

If you need further assistance in determining where to begin with French language courses, contact:

  • Alexis Finet, Language Program Director: FREN 1101-2501w (or FREN2500)
  • Paul Miller, Director of Undergraduate Studies: FREN 3000 and above