General Education requirements at High Point University include the completion of one foreign language class at the 1020 level or higher. American Sign Language courses do not fulfill the foreign language requirement.
The Office of Accessibility Resources and Services strongly advises students to attempt a foreign language course with accommodations and supports while at High Point University or while attending another post-secondary institution prior to requesting a foreign language substitution.
To receive a foreign language substitution, a student must qualify for and be approved by the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS). Students who wish to request a Foreign Language Substitution (FLS) may indicate this on the OARS Accommodate Registration, if not yet registered with OARS. If an FLS accommodation is granted, American Sign Language courses do fulfill the substitution requirement.
Students who are already registered with OARS and receive accommodations should make a Supplemental Request through their Accommodate Portal to request FLS as an additional accommodation.
FLS must be specifically requested by the student, as course substitutions do not come automatically.
While each request is decided on a case-by-case basis, OARS may consider the following information to determine qualification:
- Whether a student’s primary diagnosis/learning difference is language-based.
- Results from a psychoeducational or educational evaluation. Students may be asked to obtain a new evaluation if the previous one is more than five years old.
- Whether a student received a foreign language substitution or a language waiver in high school.
- Whether a student received a grade in a high school foreign language of C- or higher. Students with such grades would not likely be eligible for a substitution at HPU, as the grades are an indication of the ability to access a foreign language course.
- For a student who is currently attending a foreign language course at HPU, a statement from the foreign language instructor may be requested.
Foreign language substitution decisions, along with a list of classes that can be substituted for a foreign language, will be sent to the student via their HPU email.