Prerequisites
In the World Languages and Cultures Department, there are NO PREREQUISITES for the following types of courses:
- Entry-level courses in any language that assume no previous background or study, such as 1, 1A, or 10A.
- Conversation courses in any language; 10A, B, C, D,E ; 12A,B,C ; 11A,11B ; 14A, 14B, 14C ; 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B
Many courses do have advisories (recommended preparation). Please check the college catalog for information. You do not need to provide any documentation to show that you have met the advisories. They are there to help you choose the correct course to enroll in.
If you have taken the prerequisite course at CCSF then you will have no problems enrolling in the language class. If you have taken the prerequisite courses at another college or in high school, or if you have learned the language skills another way, follow the steps below to complete a "prerequisite clearance" so you can still enroll in the class.
How to Clear a Prerequisite
You may register for the course before your prerequisite clearance has been processed. You do not need to wait for it to be processed. However, in order to remain in the course, you will need to have the clearance processed no later than the first week of classes. Therefore, please submit the necessary documentation as soon as possible after registering.
Prerequisite Clearance Process for World Languages and Cultures Courses—Three Easy Steps
Step 1 — Determine if the course you want to take requires prerequisite clearance
Courses for beginners and all conversation courses have no formal prerequisites. Register and you are done.
Most other courses do require prerequisite clearance. If you passed the prerequisite course at CCSF with a grade of C or better, then no additional prerequisite clearance is required.
Step 2—Register for the course
Even if your course requires prerequisite clearance, you can register first on MyRAM Portal. Then clear the prerequisite before classes start if possible. See Step 3 for details on how to do this. Registration and prerequisite clearance are two separate processes.
Step 3—Clear the prerequisite using a transcript or a placement test
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3A—Transcript
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3B—Placement Test
Email a copy of college or high school transcripts showing language courses taken and grades received to Prerequisite Coordinator, Kimiyoshi Inomata.
- An unofficial transcript, such as a screenshot or a photo of a paper document or report card, is fine.
- Make sure the document shows the student’s name, the school’s name, the courses taken, the grade received and some indication of the length of the course (units, number of semesters, etc.).
- In general, one year of a high school language course is equivalent to a 5-unit semester course in college and one semester of a high school language course is equivalent to a 3-unit semester course in college.
- In order to count, a grade of C or Pass or better is required in the most advanced course taken.
In addition to a copy of the transcript, the email message must include:
- Student’s name
- Student’s CCSF Student ID Number (usually beginning with @ or W)
- The language and course number the student is registering for (e.g. Spanish 1B or French 2). The 5-digit CRN is not required.
This process can only be done electronically. There is currently no way to do it on paper.
You should get a reply in no more than one week confirming your prerequisite clearance. If you have not heard back in that time, please follow up with Kimiyoshi Inomata to make sure he received your message.
For most languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish) the placement exam is done online. There are special processes for American Sign Language and Pilipino. Please read the details about Placement Test for the language you wish to enroll in.
Whichever method you use:
You should hear back within a week with confirmation your prerequisite has been cleared. If not, follow up by sending an email to Kimiyoshi Inomata.