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Department of World Languages & Literatures College of Arts & Letters

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Bilingual Proficiency Testing for the Nursing Program

Bilingual Language Proficiency is an opportunity to raise your total admission points for the Sacramento State Nursing Program application. Points are awarded for the following skills in a foreign language at the intermediate skill level based on ACTFL standards:

  1. Speaking Proficiency
  2. Listening Comprehension

Not all languages qualify for evaluation; please refer to the School of Nursing Optional Criteria guide for a current list. Testing is given on an individual basis with an approved evaluator and is conducted in an interview-style format. A list of approved evaluators is available below. It is the sole responsibility of the student to contact an evaluator for a proficiency test appointment. No fee is required through this department. However, evaluators outside the department may elect to charge a fee. Students are encouraged to verify any fees in advance of their evaluation appointment.

Supplemental Nursing Application - Optional Criteria

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Steps to Complete the Bilingual Proficiency Test

1. Download the Bilingual Language Proficiency Testing for Nursing Form and contact an Approved Evaluator. If the evaluator is not included on the WLL/School of Nursing list of recommended and approved evaluators, they must provide a written statement to be printed on company, agency or institutional letterhead briefly describing their qualifications as well as the intermediate-level skills tested and an overall assessment.

2. Completed forms (and written statement if non-Sac State-affiliated evaluator) must be submitted to the Department of World Languages & Literatures. An email will be sent confirming that we have received your form(s). A follow-up email will be sent confirming that we have sent the form(s) to the School of Nursing for final review.

  • Via email wll@csus.edu in a .PDF or . JPEG format.
  • In-person in Mariposa Hall 2051.
  • Please do not mail in completed forms.

3. After completed forms (and written statement if non-Sac State-affiliated evaluator) are submitted to our department, you must upload the documents to your School of Nursing application.

Questions? Please visit the School of Nursing's website at https://www.csus.edu/college/health-human-services/nursing/.

The Test

Testing is performed on an individual basis with an authorized examiner to be conducted in an interview-style format. This test may be re-taken no less than two academic years after a failed result.

Intermediate level: Listening & Speaking Samples:

All of our proficiency tests are based on the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 4th Edition) standards. These standards should be used when evaluating students. Below is an example of the Interpretive Mode: Performance Descriptors samples for listening & speaking at the intermediate range.

Interpretive Mode – Listening

Intermediate Mid Learners can understand the main idea in messages and presentations on various topics related to everyday life and personal interests and studies. They can understand the main idea in conversations that they overhear.

Intermediate Mid Learners can (sample indicators):

  • Understand basic information in ads, announcements, and other simple recordings
  • Understand the main idea of what they are listening to for personal enjoyment
  • Understand messages related to their everyday life

Interpretive Mode – Speaking

Intermediate Mid Learners can successfully handle various uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations.

Intermediate Mid Learners can (sample indicators):

  • Understand simple personal questions related to self, family, home, daily activities, physical & social needs, etc.
  • Respond to direct questions or requests for information and assistance
  • Obtain simple information to satisfy basic needs, such as directions, services, and cost
  • combine and recombine known elements of the language to produce clear sentences and strings of sentences

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Bilingual Proficiency Test: Other Languages

If you wish to test in languages other than Spanish and you cannot find an evaluator on the list of authorized examiners, you may seek an evaluator on your own*.

Please read the registration form carefully for instructions and requirements for testing. Be sure to include a signed letter by your evaluator on their company or institutional letterhead and the required registration form provided on this webpage. Please refer to the School of Nursing's Optional Criteria guide for submission deadlines and a complete list of languages that qualify for points.

Qualifications for Evaluators

  • If the evaluator is located within WLL or is employed elsewhere in the university or by its affiliates, the completed evaluation form is the only document necessary for submission.
    Approved Evaluators -     all evaluators on this list do not require any additional documentation other than the official department form.
  • If the evaluator is not included on the list of recommended and approved evaluators, they must provide a written statement to be printed on company, agency, or institutional letterhead briefly describing their qualifications as well as the intermediate-level skills tested and an overall assessment. The evaluator’s contact information must be accurate and up-to-date. It is recommended that the evaluator has some experience as an instructor of the language to be evaluated and is also in good standing with their community.

    Non-Approved Evaluator Letter Example - if the evaluator is not included on the Approved Evaluators list, they must provide a written statement to be printed on company, agency, or institutional letterhead.

Bilingual Proficiency Test: Spanish

Appointments

Spring 2024 appointments (for Fall 2024 admission) for a Spanish Bilingual Test will be available in February 2024. We do not schedule appointments during the summer or winter. You may contact our office then at wll@csus.edu to schedule an appointment with a Spanish instructor in the Department of World Languages & Literatures.

If you cannot schedule an appointment with one of our faculty, you may seek an evaluator on your own* — please read the qualifications for evaluators criteria.

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Deadlines

  • Spring Admission: October 1st
  • Fall Admission: March 1st

Reapplying?

If you submitted a supplemental nursing application during Fall 2021 or later: your documents are still on file!

If you applied before Fall 2021 — since we have moved to an online platform, you will need to resubmit all optional criteria documentation per instructions on the form.