Language Requirement Waiver

The Dartmouth College language requirement is described in sub-section III.3. of this catalog section entitled “Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts.” Under certain circumstances, the language requirement may be waived or substituted for a student who has a substantiated disability-related need. Such a waiver or substitution will not be granted in the absence of (1) a verified disability, (2) sufficient information about the petitioner’s disability-related need for a waiver/substitution confirmed by Student Accessibility Services (SAS), and (3) a recommendation supporting a waiver/substitution from SAS. Students who wish to inquire about a disability-related waiver or substitution of the language should contact SAS.

Petitions are submitted to SAS and will be considered only from students with documented disabilities who have not yet completed the language requirement. The Language Requirement Committee (formerly the Language Waiver Committee) generally meets once per term in the fall, winter, and spring to consider petitions, and students are notified about waiver/substitution determinations during the quarter in which they apply. Petitions made over the summer may not receive a response until the following fall term.

Students who have been granted a language waiver/substitution:

Once SAS has granted a language waiver or substitution to a student, the following occurs:

1. The Language Requirement Committee, in consultation with SAS, specifies, which, if any, alternative course the student will need to complete to fulfill the language requirement. If the committee does not specify an alternative course, the student is relieved from the Language Requirement.
2. All grades for elementary non-English language courses will not be incorporated into the student’s cumulative grade point average. This provision is retroactive, so there may be effects on a student’s existing cumulative grade point average. Students’ transcripts will designate those grades and note that they are not incorporated into the grade point average, but the transcript will not contain direct information about the reason.
3. Language courses numbered 1, 2, or 3 and other beginning language courses may not be taken under the Non-Recording Option if they are being used to fulfill the language requirement. However, students granted a waiver or substitution who still wish to enroll in any elementary language courses (those numbered 1, 2, or 3) will be permitted to use the Non-Recording Option in those courses. All the regulations governing use of that option will apply except that students who have received a language waiver or substitution are allowed a total of five (5) uses of the Non-Recording Option, two of which can be applied only to introductory courses in the same language. If the grade matches or surpasses a student’s selection, it will appear on the transcript; any grade of NR will count as one of the five uses of the option allowed, and any grade of E will appear on the transcript. However, no grade assigned in the course will be incorporated into the student’s grade point average.

Please review the SAS language requirement petition page or contact SAS for more information.