Taking a course or courses

Which CSUSM Courses meet the LOTER?
Which CSUSM Course do I enroll in?
How did my high school classes prepare me?
Which Non-CSUSM Courses meet the LOTER?
What do I need to do to get my documents processed?

1. Which CSUSM courses meet the LOTER?

• Arabic, French, German, Japanese & Spanish 201 or higher (EXCEPT for Spanish 205, 398 or 399, and maybe 395.)
• SPAN 250: Spanish for Native Speakers (in just one semester!)
• Grade of “C” OR “Credit” (You can take a class for "Credit", if you don't need it to count for anything else. A "Credit" grade is listed if you would have gotten a C or higher. You must ALSO earn C or Credit for 101 and 102 taken at CSUSM, if you use them as prerequisites.)
• Study Abroad! Contact the Office of Global Education.
• List of courses that meet the LOTER (at many schools)
• If you are still not sure what to do, contact the LOTER Advisor.

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2. Which CSUSM course do I enroll in? How did my high school classes prepare me?

(Note: If you are taking classes not at CSUSM, see your specific college for course numbers. The same sequence of three semesters will apply.)

• See grid below.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: If it has been more than 2 years since you took a language, you will be required to start at the beginning (101).  For example: If you took Spanish 1 and 2 during Freshman and Sophomore years of high school, you would have to take Spanish 201 during your college Freshman fall, spring or summer. If you did not do this, you will need to take 101.
• RELATED NOTE: If you have taken a language course at CSUSM already and earned a C or higher, then you waited 2 years to take the next level, you will STILL have to start over.  However, you will not be able to enroll in the course again because you earned a passing grade.  An option would be to audit the course instead.
• No high school class meets LOTER, but they DO meet the prerequisites to take classes that do meet the LOTER or to sit for the Proficiency Exam.
• Meet with your academic advisor before registering for classes.
• College courses taken in high school can meet the LOTER ONLY if you did not use course for high-school units and/or diploma. If you did use it for high school, then we suggest taking the Proficiency Exam.
• A general guide is that 1 year in high school equals a semester in college.
• For all classes but 101, bring an unofficial transcript or test score on the first day of class, unless you took the prerequisistes at CSUSM.
• If you think you should place higher than suggested below, speak to the Modern Language Studies Department (2nd Floor of Markstein).
• Guidlines on how to pick your course:

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3. Which NON-CSUSM meet the LOTER?

• List of courses that meet the LOTER (at nearby schools)
• Almost any language – including American Sign Language (Note: ASL Deaf Culture and Fingerspelling do not meet the LOTER.)
• At least 3rd semester, intermediate course equal to or above CSUSM 201. (Note: Luiseno or Cupeno at Palomar must be 4th semester courses.)
• Grade of “C”, “Credit”, or “Pass” (You can take the class for credit or pass, if you don't need it to count towards anything else.)
• From any regionally-accredited college or university – including study-abroad, community colleges, National University and University of Phoenix!
• Study Abroad! Contact Office of Global Education. Note: Study-abroad programs must be no shorter than 4 weeks and meet at least 4 hours/day, for a total of 20 hours/week and 80 hours total. Programs not already approved by Global Education are considered, but will need special approval.
• Online courses DO meet the LOTER, as of Fall Semester 2010. (Prior to Fall 2010, only CSUSM's EL class was accepted.) Online courses can be at any regionally-accredited community college or university. One local choice is Spanish 201 as part of the Accelerated Spanish path offered at CSUSM's Extended Learning. National University and University of Phoenix are accepted, and schools such as Mira Costa, Palomar, etc.
• No courses with title "Elementary" - unless it is in the list of approved courses or has been approved by the LOTER Advisor.
• No languages without written grammar rules, such as dialects or patois or computer.
• College courses taken in high school can meet the LOTER ONLY if you did not use course for high-school units and/or diploma. If you did use it for high school, then we suggest taking the Proficiency Exam.
• Courses that earn credit through an exam process.  Normally in these cases the transcript will list the actual course with units and grade and then have the notation that it was earned through "Credit by exam".
• SOME language insitutes MAY meet the requirement. Contact the LOTER Advisor for more information.
• Courses do NOT meet it, if the name includes "conversation" or "listening" or "writing" or "reading"; if an ASL course name includes "fingerspelling" or "deaf culture"; or if it is less than 3 units.

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4. What do I need to do to get documents processed?

• If you took the course at CSUSM, nothing!
• If your non-CSUSM transcript was part of your admissions packet to CSUSM (via an official score sent by the school directly), then Admissions checked the LOTER as MET.
• If your non-CSUSM transcript was NOT part of your admissions packet, then have the university send an official transcript *and official translation, if needed*, directly to:
  Office of Admissions and Recruitment
  California State University San Marcos
  333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd.
  San Marcos, California 92096
• If your non-CSUSM transcript has been sent and the LOTER is not yet checked as MET, please contact your primary academic advisor.
• If you want to go or have gone to a 'language institute', speak to the LOTER Advisor.

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