Language Credit by Examination
- NO course may be challenged as part of the last thirty hours of any degree.
- NO credit may be earned by examination for the elementary level of a language.
- Students may earn up to six intermediate language credit hours by taking the STAMP 4S test.
- A STAMP 4S test may not be taken if the student has audited the class.
- A STAMP 4S test may not be attempted for a course after the student has been enrolled in that course beyond the second week of a semester.
- At least 12 hours must be earned at Southern before the STAMP 4S test credit is officially recorded.
- The STAMP 4S test is a computerized test, administered by the Student Support Services staff.
- Students are allowed a total of four hours to complete the test.
- Students can earn up to six semester credit hours if passed with a grade of "B" or above. No credit will be earned with a grade of "B-" or below.
- The STAMP 4S test has four sections—reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
- Students are allowed to take the language STAMP 4S test only once at Southern.
- Permission to take the STAMP 4S test must be obtained from the student's academic adviser, the Chair of the Modern Languages Department, and the Associate Vice President of Academic Administration.
- There is a $25 fee that the student must pay by credit card when completing the online STAMP 4S test registration.
- A test administration fee of $10 will be charged by the Student Support Services. Methods of payment: cash, check, or charge to the student’s Southern account. The student should bring a receipt of the transaction from Student Finance to the Student Support Services. Credit cards are not accepted.
- The student’s Southern account will be charged a fee of $40 per credit hour for the recording of the earned credits on the official transcript.
- The above fees are subject to change. More information about credit by examination at Southern may be found in the current undergraduate catalog in the Academic Policies section. Information about related fees may be found in the Financing Your Education area of the catalog in the Fees and Charges section.
Before Registering for the STAMP 4S test, students should complete steps 1-8 below:
1.The student should print this STAMP 4S Proficiency Assessment Advisor Permission Form, speak with his/her academic adviser about taking the STAMP 4S test, and obtain the adviser’s signature.2. The student should take a placement exam. This exam is in a computerized, multiple-choice format and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. During the academic year, placement exams are administered on a walk-in-basis in the language lab, Miller Hall 114, during the following hours: Monday-Thursday 4:30-7:30 p.m. During the summer, placement exams may be scheduled by emailing Rayna Robinson, Office Manager, Modern Languages Department.
3. The student should print two copies of his/her placement exam results.
4. The student should leave one copy of his/her placement exam results in the main office, Miller Hall 101. The second copy will be retained by the student for his/her personal records.
5. The student should complete a separate Request for Challenge, Waiver, or Validation Examination form for each of the intermediate language courses (i.e. FREN-207 and FREN-208, SPAN-207 and SPAN-208, etc.). These forms are available in the language lab, the main office, Miller Hall 101, and from Records and Advisement.
6. The student should bring the second copy of his/her placement exam results, the STAMP 4S Proficiency Assessment Advisor Permission form, and the Request for Challenge, Waiver, or Validation Examination forms to Adrienne Royo, Chair of the Modern Languages Department, Miller Hall 107, during the office hours posted beside her door.
7. The student should take the Request for Challenge, Waiver, or Validation Examination forms to Dionne Felix, Associate Vice President of Academic Administration, and obtain her signature.
8. After steps 1-7 have been completed, the student may go to http://www.avantassessment.ecwid.com/, click on Southern Adventist University, and register for the STAMP 4S test. The student must pay by credit card through the registration portal, and print the test registration receipt.
9. To schedule a time to take the test, the student should bring his/her STAMP 4S test registration receipt, the STAMP 4S Advisor Permission form, and the Request for Challenge, Waiver, or Validation Examination forms to Lauree Fogg, Office Manager, Student Support Services, Lynn Wood Hall 3012. Her phone number is 423.236.2782.
10. Please have your Southern ID card with you when you report for your scheduled test.
11. After taking the STAMP 4S test, the student should bring his/her completed copy of the Request for Challenge, Waiver, or Validation Examination forms to Adrienne Royo, Chair of the Modern Languages Department, Miller Hall 107, during the office hours posted beside her door. This is to ensure that students receive proper credit after taking the exam.
12. Test results should be available approximately seven business days after the test is completed.