School of Foreign Service Oral Proficiency Exam (SFS OPE) for Academic Year 2024-2025 – Policies and Information for Spanish

For general questions concerning the language program for SFS students, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Cristina Sanz.  For questions regarding registration, eligibility, and the exam itself, please write ONE email to BOTH Prof. Anne Thinglum and Prof. Tatevik Gevorgyan (Exam Administrators).
Please note that the following policies are effective immediately starting AY24-25. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Introduction

  1. Every Georgetown student in the following schools and programs –MSFS, MAGES, MGHD, CLAS, and undergraduate students in SFS and in the Business and Global Affairs– should:
  2. Undergraduate students have different options to fulfill the Spanish language requirement:
    • Participation in one of the two summer programs offered through OGE and the Department of Spanish & Portuguese. Students take the exam at the end of the program. The exam follows the same protocol no matter where it is offered -Hilltop, Quito or Barcelona.
    • Completion of at least one semester abroad in a direct matriculation program exempts students from the SFS OPE. Please contact your academic advisor or dean for more information on this option. Minimally, students must have completed the Spanish language sequence through advanced in order to matriculate.
    • Holding a diploma from a high school with instruction solely in Spanish. Please contact SFS Dean Steinhelper for more information.
    • Completion of two Spanish courses above Transatlantic Capstone with a grade of A- or above.
  3. Graduate students: Passing the exam with a minimum grade result (note that grade results requirements vary with program) is a graduation requirement. Students should take the placement test as soon as they join the program and then plan from there. MA/MS programs are typically short, so students must actively work toward proficiency starting in their first semester. The Spanish SFS OPE requires a high level of oral proficiency. Prior experience such as participation in a study abroad program, Spanish majors and minors, etc. are helpful, but they do not guarantee eligibility or ability to pass the exam. If you have any doubts or need help developing a plan towards proficiency, please contact the exam administrators as soon as you join the program.

In fairness to all students, these policies apply to all. No exceptions are made and all requests for exceptions will be denied. Remember: A student can only sit for the exam TWICE.

Steps to follow

  1. Take the Spanish Placement Test to determine your level of Spanish. The cut-off scores on the Spanish Placement Test are non-negotiable, so take the test as soon as you join your program to plan accordingly. Please note that this test can only be taken once, so try your best. Also, as the Placement Test is not proctored, we have mechanisms in place to ensure we correct any mismatch between students’ proficiency and the test outcome.
  2. Register for the course indicated. Students must complete the Spanish SFS OPE eligibility requirements (see below) by successfully completing the sequence of Spanish courses.
    • Students who place out of Transatlantic Capstone (Span 2161) on the Spanish Placement Test are eligible to register for the Spanish SFS OPE, but only after
        • They are interviewed by the exam administrators or
        • They completed the Validation Exam, which is proctored. Students who place above Advanced 2 are strongly encouraged to take SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Visions Capstone.
  3. Follow the sequence of Spanish courses.
      • Students start at the level they were placed into on the Spanish Placement Test.
      • SPAN 1000 Beginning Spanish or SPAN 10001 Introductory Spanish I (or SPAN 1001 Intensive Basic Spanish, which covers SPAN 1000/1001 and SPAN 1002 in one semester)
      • SPAN 1002 Introductory Spanish II
      • SPAN 1521 Intermediate Spanish I (or SPAN 1532 Intensive Intermediate, which covers SPAN 1521 and SPAN 1522 in one semester)
      • SPAN 1522 Intermediate Spanish II
      • *SPAN 2001 Advanced Transatlantic I (or SPAN 2011 Intensive Advanced, which covers Advanced I and II in one semester)
      • SPAN 2002 Advanced Transatlantic II
      • SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Capstone

♦ SPAN 2001 Advanced Transatlantic I and SPAN 2002 Advanced Transatlantic II form a sequence, so, SPAN 2001 is a pre-requisite for SPAN 2002.

    • Requests for self-study (ex: conversation with roommates, language apps) in lieu of courses will be denied.
    • Instructors will ask graduate students to share their Placement Score with them. Undergraduate Deans receive placement scores.
Important notes
      • Regardless of placement, it is strongly recommended that all students sitting the Spanish SFS OPE first complete SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Capstone.
      • All courses above Span 2001 count towards the Spanish minor. Students who wish to consolidate their knowledge of Spanish may take upper-level courses; the Exam Administrators and the Program Director will be happy to advise.
      • Students who self-identify as heritage speakers of Spanish may wish to contact Prof. Ana Levenson for information on SPAN 2203 Advanced Spanish Heritage Speakers I and SPAN 2204 Advanced Spanish Heritage Speakers II. These two courses may be taken in lieu of SPAN 2001 Advanced Transatlantic I and SPAN 2002 Advanced Transatlantic II.

Eligibility

  1. The expectation is that students complete the Transatlantic Visions Capstone before taking the OPE, as this course has been designed to offer intense preparation for the OPE.
      • Students enrolled in SPAN 2002 Advanced Transatlantic II are eligible to sit the Spanish SFS OPE if they fulfill the following two requirements:
          • obtain an A on the course oral exam. If oral exam grades are not yet available at the time of exam registration, students may choose to register and then submit documentation of their oral exam grade when it becomes available prior to the exam. Students should email a screenshot of their oral exam grade on the Canvas gradebook and CC their current instructor.
          • Complete Span 2001 or SPAN 2203 with an A- average and maintain an A- average in SPAN 2002 or SPAN 2203 by the end of the Spanish SFS OPE registration period. Students should email a screenshot of their current grade on Canvas gradebook and a PDF of their transcript with their SPAN 2001 or SPAN 2203 Advanced Spanish Heritage Speakers I grade circled. The current instructor should be CC’ed.
  2. Students who do not achieve placement into SPAN 3000 Gateway must be actively pursuing proficiency every semester until they pass the Spanish SFS OPE, i.e., students need to register for an appropriate Spanish course every semester until they pass the OPE. Students become ineligible for registration if they are not currently enrolled in a Spanish course.
  3. Remember: the SPANISH SFS OPE can only be taken TWICE.

Registering for the Spanish SFS OPE

  1. Eligible students who choose to sit the Spanish SFS OPE should complete the Google Form registration for Round 1 or the Google Form registration for Round 2 during the indicated registration period. Both rounds are administered every semester.
    • Round 1 is for students who fulfill all eligibility criteria but are NOT currently taking SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Capstone. Registration is typically scheduled for the second month of the semester and the exam is typically offered in the third or fourth month of the semester.
    • Round 2 is ONLY for students who are currently completing SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Capstone. Registration takes place typically in the third month of the semester and the exam is offered during the final exam period.
    • Registration petitions are not accepted after the registration period has ended. A student who misses the registration deadline for their round will need to wait until the following semester to sit the exam and will need to register for a Spanish course for the next semester. A student planning to graduate that semester who fulfills all eligibility requirements but does not complete registration may be put on the waitlist, if one exists that semester. Please see below for further information.
    • After the registration period has ended, students who registered will receive an email either confirming or denying their registration, depending on their fulfillment of the eligibility criteria.
    • There are two steps to the registration process, both of which must be completed by the student. Failure to complete these two steps by the deadlines will result in ineligibility.
      1. Step 1: Registration via the Google Form
      2. Step 2: Sign-up for a date and time via SignUpGenius
    • Any ARC-approved accommodations must be sent to both Prof. Anne Thinglum and Prof. Tatevik Gevorgyan at least one week in advance of the individual student’s test date. Students with accommodations are strongly encouraged to meet with Prof. Anne Thinglum and Prof. Tatevik Gevorgyan at least one month before their scheduled exam to ensure all accommodations are in order.
  2. Sit the Spanish SFS OPE.
    • All Spanish SFS OPEs are administered only in person as of Spring 2024. No exams will be given via Zoom.
    • Approximately three days before the SignUpGenius-scheduled Spanish SFS OPE date of each student, students will receive a reminder email with detailed information about the exam.
    • Students should arrive ten minutes before their scheduled start time. Any delay on the part of the student will result in less time for reading the article.
    • No outside materials or technology can be used during the exam.
  3. Avoid cancellations and respect deadlines.
    • Students with two cancellations within seven days of the student’s scheduled exam date will wait until the following semester to complete the OPE. No-shows are treated in the same manner.
      • A student canceling due to a medical emergency must provide valid documentation by a medical professional; however, this is only accepted once. If a waitlist is available that semester, they may be put on a waitlist. The student is NOT guaranteed another opportunity that semester.
      • Canceling due to travel delays, course workload, and the like are not considered exceptional or justified.
    • A waitlist is used some semesters. Students eligible are:
      1. those graduating that semester who fulfill all exam eligibility requirements.
      2. those who canceled due to a medical emergency (see above).
    • A spot on the waitlist does NOT guarantee an opportunity to sit the exam that semester.

The Exam

  1. The Spanish SFS OPE consists of two parts:
    • Reading: Upon arriving, students are directed to the reading room. They will have 20 minutes to read the article. No outside materials or technology may be consulted. Students may write notes on a blank sheet of paper provided by the evaluators during the reading part of the exam, but they cannot consult their notes during the speaking part of the exam.
    • Speaking: After 20 minutes, the student is directed to the exam room for the 20 minutes of the speaking part.
      • The first few minutes of the speaking part are used to enter student information. All students must present a current GU ID card with photo. A state-issued driver’s license is also acceptable. The student will be provided with an abbreviated version of the Georgetown Honor Code in writing and will be asked to read it aloud in English. The exam administrators will also collect the student’s article and handwritten notes and remind them that they are not to share any information about the exam.
      • The remaining time (approximately 17 minutes) consists of questions. After asking for a detailed summary (approximately three minutes) of the article, the exam administrators take turns asking analysis and critical thinking questions related to the article. The examinee should demonstrate the ability to situate the news within a historical perspective and draw parallels with similar issues in other countries, including, but not exclusively, the US. At the end of this section, the examinee should be able to state his/her position on the issue and state the reasons behind that position. For more information on criteria, please consult the exam rubrics.
    • Two exam administrators will be present for each exam; one may be present via Zoom. A third administrator may also be present for training purposes.
    • All exams will be recorded in Zoom.
    • There are two different rubrics used to score the exam: one rubric for undergraduate students link and one rubric for graduate students.
    • The following criteria make up the graduate student rubric:
        1. Comprehension: The examinee understands the examiners’ questions and the content of a newspaper or magazine article on current events and shows ability to 1) summarize a given text in a cohesive and coherent manner without prompting, 2) produce a statement summarizing their own view of the event, and 3) answer follow up questions showing both ability to comprehend and prior knowledge on general encyclopedic points related to the content of the article.
        2. Grammar: The examinee shows the ability to narrate and describe events producing paragraph-length discourse in all major time frames (past, present, and future). Errors in the use of ser/estar, subjunctive and preterit/imperfect contrasts should not interfere with comprehension. The reference point for ‘comprehension’ is the native speaker monolingual not used to exchanges with non-native speakers.
        3. Vocabulary/Professional Vocabulary: The examinee shows command of professional, specialized lexicon when dealing with topics of interest (such as US and international economy, politics, and/or societal issues). Circumlocution and rephrasing are to be expected.
        4. Speech: Speech has to be clear and not lead to confusion. Pronunciation, lexicon, grammar and paragraph structure should be comprehensible for native speakers unaccustomed to interacting with non-native speakers.
      2. Knowledge of Subject Matter: The examinee has to show knowledge of the geography, customs, socioeconomic and sociopolitical structures as well as the history of Latin America and Spain. They also have to be aware of and knowledgeable about the past and present status of the relationship between those countries and the United States as well as current issues of importance in the Spanish-speaking world.

Results and Retakes (Remember: students can only sit the exam twice)

  1. Review the results and take the appropriate steps.
    • Each student’s dean or academic advisor will contact them individually to share the results of the Spanish SFS OPE. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese shares results with the deans/academic advisors three business days after the last day of exams of that round. Students should NOT contact Prof. Anne Thinglum or Prof. Tatevik Gevorgyan for results.
    • Students who pass have thus achieved proficiency.
    • For students who fail the exam:
      • Students must take another Spanish course at Georgetown in order to be eligible to sit the exam again. If the student has not yet taken SPAN 2161 Transatlantic Capstone, then they should register for that course. If they already have, then other options include SPAN 3000 Gateway to Linguistics, and Spanish for Business (the Department regularly offers two levels) courses. Please note that there is limited availability of Spanish courses at GU during the summer.
      • The result obtained on the Spanish SFS OPE is final. No exams are reevaluated or rescored.
      • The Zoom recordings of the exams are used for internal purposes and are not available for student viewing.
      • Upon request, the exam administrators of the exam will provide a student obtaining a failing result with global feedback.
      • It is strongly recommended that students obtaining a failing result contact the exam administrators to discuss an updated plan to proficiency.
      • The Spanish SFS OPE may only be taken twice. After two failing results, a student should discuss other paths to proficiency with their dean/academic advisor. Options include studying abroad in a direct-matriculation program and taking the test in a different language.

Please write ONE email to BOTH Prof. Anne Thinglum and Prof. Tatevik Gevorgyan (exam administrators) with any questions regarding the exam.

Fall 2024 Dates

Registration deadlines – (dates are subject to change):

Round 1 (general, no SPAN 2161 students): Mid-October, exact date TBD

Click here to complete the Registration Form for Round 1.

Round 2 (SPAN 2161 students only): Mid-November, exact date TBD

Click here to complete the Registration Form for Round 2.

Please note that the registration forms will only be available during the registration period for each round.

SFS OPE Administration – (dates are subject to change):

Round 1 (general, no SPAN 2161 students): November, exact dates TBD

Round 2 (SPAN 2161 students only): F24 Finals Week

SFS OPE Mock Exam Practice Sessions

  • F24 sessions are on September 12, September 26, October 10, and October 24 at 9:00 am.
  • S25 sessions are on January 30, February 13, February 27, and March 13 at 9:00 am.
  • Please use this Zoom link. For current Georgetown University students only. Must have a current GU Net ID.

Spanish SFS OPE Info Session

  • Date TBD on Zoom
  • Click here to complete the Google Form to receive the Zoom link. For current Georgetown University students only. Must have a current GU Net ID.