If your graduate program has a foreign language requirement, and you choose to complete it through the German and Slavic Department, this is the page you need to read. Click on the statement that applies to you:

I am an undergraduate in the Elliott School. If this statement applies to you, stop here. You have no separate foreign language exam to pass. You do, however, have a three-year foreign language requirement. You may seek to have this requirement waived on the basis of language already learned. For German, contact Prof. Margaret Gonglewski (994-3072; margaret@gwu.edu). For Russian see Prof. Richard Robin (994-7081; rrobin@gwu.edu).

I am an ESIA graduate student, and I have a foreign language requirement in...

·         German, Russian, Ukrainian

·         Other Slavic languages

·         a non-Slavic language of the xUSSR

·         Dutch or a Scandinavian language

Please note: As of 2003 we cannot test Polish and Czech in house.

 

I am a CSAS graduate student with a foreign language requirement in...

·         German or Russian

·         A different Slavic language

·         Dutch or a Scandinavian language

·         A non-Slavic language of the former Soviet Union

 

I need to find out about reading courses to prepare me for the foreign language reading exam.

ESIA FOREIGN LANGUAGE EXAMS: 
GERMAN, RUSSIAN, CZECH

As a graduate student enrolled in the Elliott School of International Affairs in fall 1997 or later, you must demonstrate a working proficiency in reading and speaking a foreign language. Proficiency in German and the Slavic languages is determined by two foreign language exit exams, one in reading and one in speaking.

THUMBNAIL VIEW OF ESIA EXIT REQUIREMENTS BY LANGUAGE AND SKILL

 

 

Take the Diagnostic before the Exit Exams!

When you enroll in the Elliott School, you are required to take a short diagnostic during ESIA orientation. The diagnostic helps you determine how close you are to passing the foreign language exit exam and what sort of preparation you need to be within shooting range.

The diagnostic runs between 15-20 minutes. It consists of a brief oral proficiency interview and a short version of the foreign language reading exam, a sample of which is available in either German or Russian.

We will tell you immediately after the diagnostic what you need to do to prepare for a full-blown foreign language exit exam.

When and how to take the foreign language exit exams

ESIA Students must pass a foreign-language exit exam
during the last two semesters of coursework.

The foreign language exit exams consist of two separate parts:

1. Oral Proficiency Interview, administered by appointment. Contact the appropriate tester:
• German - Prof. Margaret Gonglewski (994-3072; e-mail: margaret@gwu.edu).
• Russian, Ukrainian - Prof. Richard Robin (994-7081; e-mail rrobin@gwu.edu).
2. Reading Proficiency Test. Both the German and Russian reading proficiency test are administered once each semester, usually in mid-October and mid-February. Occasionally, additional exams are scheduled for August.

*Important note: If you are a 2nd-year ESIA graduate student currently enrolled in either the Russian or German reading course (101 or 102), you may take your exit exam for reading as part of the final exam at the end of the semester. See your instructor for details.

What will be tested?

Reading Proficiency Test

The purpose of the Reading Proficiency Test is to determine whether you can read and understand standard German or Russian prose about international affairs without a dictionary. At no point are you required to demonstrate any skill other than the ability to understand what you read in the foreign language.

International Affairs majors taking a foreign language exit exam in Russian or another Slavic language must demonstrate enough proficiency to follow the gist of straightforward articles dealing with issues of general interest pertaining politics, history, current events, socio-economics, and military affairs. (This is the equivalent of the Intermediate High rating on the ACTFL scale.) On the current exam, you reach the Intermediate High rating by scoring 40%.

All other ESIA students (REES students with a Slavic language, International Affairs students with German, etc.) are expected to understand both the main facts and some of the details from straightforward articles dealing with issues of general interest pertaining politics, history, current events, socio-economics, and military affairs (more than just the gist - ACTFL Advanced). On the current exam, you reach the Advanced rating by scoring 50%.

The exams consist of between ten and fifteen short passages in the foreign language taken from German or Russian newspapers and magazines. Each article is followed by a number of comprehension questions in English which require short answers in English (one sentence or less). The exam contains between forty and fifty questions.

You have ninety minutes to complete the exam. A fluent (but non-native) reader of German or Russian can complete the exam in about 35 minutes. You may not use a dictionary.

You can see a sample test in either German or Russian. If you chose Russian, you must have a Cyrillic font set on your computer.

Oral Proficiency Interview

The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is a 20-30 minute face-to-face conversation with a tester, recorded on audiotape. The tester will warm you up with simple questions (where you live, what courses you're taking, your interests, etc.) and then move on to more substantive topics, including coping with everyday situations in which you have to explain something (like replacing a lost library card) simple descriptions, basic descriptions of current events, and so on. To reach the appropriate exit score, you must demonstrate proficiency at the Intermediate High level: the ability to narrate, describe, and explain concrete, factual topics in cogent paragraphs most but not all of the time.

Hints for doing well on the Oral Proficiency Interview

1. Talk a lot! No one ever lost points for talking too much. The more you say, the better off you are.
2. Say what you can, not what you can't. Let's say that the tester asks you to name the most burning issue in the world today. And let's assume that your chief interest is the plight of the snail darter. If you know all about the snail darter in the target language, fine. Talk about snail darters. If not, concentrate on a topic for which you have the words.
3. Don't sweat the grammar. Yes, grammar counts some. But this is not a written exercise. Saying a lot at a good tempo gets you more mileage than stopping to make a mental check of every grammatical ending.
4. Engage the tester in conversation. The OPI is a face-to-face conversation, not an interrogation. Feel free to engage the tester in a give-and-take flow of talk. In the same vein, you do not have to answer questions with which you are personally uncomfortable. Just say so. For example:

Tester: How would you react to the return of religious faith in Russia?
Examinee: I would rather not talk about my own religious beliefs.

5. Don't be afraid to ask for repetition or clarification. Even in your native language, you often stop your conversation partner to ask, "Sorry, what was that?" or "I'm not sure what you mean by 'nuclear plaything'". There's nothing wrong with making the tester explain things that you didn't catch.

What is the best way to prepare for the foreign language exit exams?

Preparation for the Reading Proficiency Test

The German and Slavic Department offer two year-long third-year reading courses to help students prepare for exit exams:

Germ 101-102. Readings in Contemporary German (3-3 credits).
Slav 101-102. Readings in the Russian Press (3-3 credits).

Prerequisites for both courses are the first four semesters of the basic language sequence (in German, Germ 1, 2, 3, 4, or the intensive sequence Germ 5-6; in Russian, Slav 1, 2, 3, 4, or the intensive sequence Slav 5-6).

ESIA students can get graduate credit for these courses if they agree to do extra analytical work. Undergraduates with a three-year language requirement can count the 101-102 sequence as their third year course.

Please note that a passing grade in the 101-102 reading sequences does not waive the reading exam requirement. These are merely preparatory courses. However, if you are a 2nd-year ESIA graduate student, you may request an "exit version" of the final exam for one of the readings courses. The exit version of the final exam serves as a real exit test for reading. If you reach the required score, you pass the exit reading exam. The same test is used to help determine your grade in this course, but the scoring scale is different. You need a much higher score to satisfy the exit requirement than you do to merely pass the course. Keep in mind, if you request an "exit" final exam, that counts as one of your attempts. If you wish to take the exit exam as part of your final, see your instructor at least one month before the date of the final exam.

Preparation for the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

The German and Slavic Department offers a number of courses to help prepare students for the OPI.

  

*This course, available for one credit specializes on international affairs topics. Those who sign up for it should be close to Intermediate High.

CSAS 
GERMAN AND SLAVIC EXIT EXAMS

Most Columbian School graduate students must demonstrate a working proficiency in reading a foreign language. Proficiency in German and the Slavic languages is determined by a foreign language exit exam.

How and where to take the foreign language exit exam

Arrange for your language exit exam early on! In some cases both the German and Russian foreign language exit exams for CSAS graduate students can be administered by appointment. You should contact the person responsible for your language as soon as you enroll in the graduate school. Why the rush? The German and Slavic Department tailors language exams to each individual field of specialization. For example, graduate students in psychology will be expected to read general interests texts in psychology, not history. But creating valid and reliable tests in each specialty is a labor-intensive endeavor. We need three months' lead time for a subject area that has not yet been tested (and there are many of them!).

Making early arrangements for your foreign language exit exam has another advantage: we can talk to you to find out how close you are to passing your exit exam. If you need additional preparation, we can suggest what measures you can take - while you still have plenty of time before you finish your program.

If you are seeking to pass your foreign language exit requirement in German, see Professor Margaret Gonglewski (994-3072; e-mail: margaret@gwu.edu). For Russian, see Professor Richard Robin (994-7081; e-mail rrobin@gwu.edu).

What will be tested?

The purpose of the tests is to determine whether you can read and understand standard German or Russian prose in your specialty. At no point are you required to demonstrate any skill other than the ability to understand what you read in the foreign language.

You are expected to understand the main facts and some of the details from straightforward articles from relatively brief articles in your field. This is the equivalent of the Advanced reading level as measured by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages - ACTFL.) On the current exam, you reach the Advanced rating by scoring 50%.

The exams consist of between eight and fifteen short passages in the foreign language taken from German or Russian newspapers and magazines. Each article is followed by a number of comprehension questions in English which require short answers in English (one sentence or less). The exam contains between thirty and fifty questions.

You have two hours to complete the exam. A fluent (but non-native) reader of German or Russian can complete the exam in about 45 minutes.

Dictionary use (Columbian School graduate students only): Some CSAS programs allow you to test in two foreign languages. If you are doing such a double test, you are allowed the use of a dictionary. But if you are testing in only one foreign language, you may not use a dictionary.

You can see a sample test in either German or Russian. If you chose Russian, you must have a Cyrillic font set on your computer.
 

GETTING TESTED IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Other Slavic languages. As of fall 2003, the German and Slavic Department does not maintain regularly scheduled tests for other Slavic languages. Speaking tests for Bulgarian for ESIA students can be arranged during those semesters when faculty member to test in that language are available. Reading tests are currently available for those languages. No specialized tests are available in these languages for CSAS graduate students. However, qualified CSAS students in closely related fields could probably pass the ESIA reading tests. (A student wishing to take an exit exam in one of these languages should see Richard Robin - 994-7081; e-mail rrobin@gwu.eduat the very beginning of the academic year.) However, because of limited demand, students who do not pass the exit exam in these languages initially may not make second or third attempts in these languages. Alternatively, students may make arrangements to pass the foreign language exit requirement through a test administered by a qualified outside tester.

Tests in the remaining Slavic languages are not available through GW. However, the German and Slavic Department will certify test results in those languages received through qualified outside testers.

Non-Slavic languages of the former USSR. The German and Slavic Department does not test any of the non-Slavic languages of the former Soviet Union, such as those of the Georgian, Armenian, Kazakh, or the languages of the Baltics, to name a few. However, the German and Slavic Department will certify test results in those languages received through qualified outside testers.

Dutch and Scandinavian languages. The German and Slavic Department cannot test any Germanic languages other than German. However, we will certify test results in those languages received through qualified outside testers.

Outside tests for Germanic, Slavic, and xUSSR languages not tested at GW. The German and Slavic Department can certify the results of any properly constituted reading proficiency test according to the proficiency guidelines of the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) or the U.S. government's Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR).
 
 

Tests from U.S. government agencies. If you have documentation relating to your reading proficiency in a Slavic, Germanic, or xUSSR language from a U.S. government agency such as FSI, DLI, CIA, or NSA, you may be able to waive a GW language exam. (In most cases, your proficiency score must be ILR R2 or higher.)

Tests from other organizations. If you wish to be tested in a language that our department does not cover, you may want to inquire about the availability of reading tests at Diplomatic Language Services (DLS) at 1117 N. 19th St. Suite 800, Arlington, Virginia 22209 (703/351-7426), or at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) at 1118 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202 / 429-9292; ask for Dorry Kenyon). CAL does not provide tests for all foreign languages, but what tests they have are rather inexpensive. DLS tests in a wide variety of languages, but their testing services cost more. Finally, check with Language Testing International (LTI), the ACTFL Testing Office. They can arrange Official Oral Proficiency Interviews in nearly 40 languages for either individuals or institutions. Interviews are conducted by telephone and in person. Each recorded interview is evaluated and rated by two certified testers. A certificate is issued that states the interviewee's name, language of interview, and official rating. The fee for an official academic ACTFL OPI is $115. To request and Appointment Form or for scheduling information, contact LTI at (914) 948-5100, fax: (914) 948-0794, or languageti@aol.com.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many times can I take a foreign language exit exam?

For Russian and German you may attempt the foreign language exit exam three times, but never more than once a semester. For the other, less commonly taught languages you will have to make individual arrangements if you do not initially past the exit test.

Does passing German and Russian reading courses (Germ 101-102 and Slav 101-102) guarantee that I'll pass the foreign language exit exam?

Well... yes and no. You have two options for the final exam in the reading courses:

• Take the "regular" final exam. This exam is used to help compute your grade for the course, but it does not serve as an exit exam. You might pass this exam with a A and still fail the "real" exit exam. Compare this to law school. Passing law school courses does not guarantee that you'll pass the bar exam.

• Request an "exit version" of the final exam for one of the readings courses. The exit version of the final exam serves as a real exit test. If you reach the required score, you pass the exit exam. The same test is used to help determine your grade in this course, but the scoring scale is different. You need a much higher score to satisfy the foreign language exit requirement than you do to merely pass the course. Keep in mind, if you request an "exit" final exam, that counts as one of your attempts. If you wish to take the exit exam as part of your final, see your instructor at least one month before the date of the final exam.

Note: This second "exit exam" option is available for all CSAS and 2nd-year ESIA graduate students. If you are an ESIA graduate student but you have not reached your second-year ESIA graduate study, you cannot take an "exit version" of the final exam in a reading course.

No matter which option you choose, the German and Russian 101-102 reading sequence is a good place to start preparing for the reading exams, if you have already had at least two years of basic Russian or German.

Can I use any foreign language to satisfy my foreign language exit requirement?

First and foremost, check with your program advisor to see whether the language that you want to use for your exit requirement qualifies. For example, Macedonian is a Slavic language, but unless your research is concentrated on Macedonian issues, it is unlikely that you would be allowed to use it for a foreign language exit requirement. Second, make sure that a test is available. In the case of Macedonina, the German and Slavic Department does not test Macedonian but others might. If you are intent on using a language that we do not test, check with Language Testing International (LTI), the ACTFL Testing Office. They can arrange Official Oral Proficiency Interviews in nearly 40 languages for either individuals or institutions. Interviews are conducted by telephone and in person. Each recorded interview is evaluated and rated by two certified testers. A certificate is issued that states the interviewee's name, language of interview, and official rating. The fee for an official academic ACTFL OPI is $115. To request and Appointment Form or for scheduling information, contact LTI at (914) 948-5100, fax: (914) 948-0794, or languageti@aol.com.

Is there an oral part to the language exit exam?

Elliott School graduate students who matriculate in fall 1997 or later must pass an oral proficiency interview. The trend towards an oral foreign-language requirement is taking hold in international affairs programs across the country. More and more potential employers are interested in hiring international affairs specialists with "on-the-ground" speaking skills. The German and Slavic Department can administer an Oral Proficiency Interview, whose score is recognized by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This ACTFL score can be translated into the scale used by the U.S. government's Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR). ILR scores are recognized by nearly all government agencies employing people with foreign-language skills. No other graduate students face a foreign language oral exit requirement.

I am a native speaker of German (Russian or Ukrainian, etc.). Do I have to take the exit exam, and can it count as satisfying my requirement?

All GW graduate students with a foreign language tool/FLEX requirement must take a foreign-language tool exam. If, for example, your Ukrainian is truly native, you are sure to ace the Ukrainian tool exam. That indeed completes your foreign language requirement. On the other hand, you still have to worry about satisfying your school's requirement in English.