Students who successfully complete the third level of foreign language instruction at the high school level or who achieve a passing grade on the NY State Regents at the high school level are exempt from the foreign language requirement. Students who have studied a foreign language or whose native language is not English may be exempted from part or the entire requirement by passing a competency examination administered by the appropriate foreign language department. Students may also be exempt on the basis of scores obtained on other externally administered examinations, or, in the case of American Sign Language, by the Office of Special Services (Kiely 170).

          Please note, however, that study of a foreign language opens the door to exciting opportunities and can be essential for certain kinds of careers, so students may wish to continue foreign language study as part of the Queens College degree even if a language exemption is possible. See the Classical, Middle Eastern, Asian Languages and Cultures, European Languages and Literatures, and the Hispanic Languages and Literatures Departments for further information.