LLRC's Commendation in Advanced Language Studies (CALS)
There are many students on our campus who wish to become proficient in a language other than English but may not have the opportunity to complete a minor. For them, and for everyone who needs evidence of their competence in a foreign language for professional reasons, the LLRC has created a program that issues a Commendation in Advanced Language Studies (CALS). This Commendation is an official recognition of the efforts and the achievements of the students who successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits of upper-division courses in a foreign language, with a grade of B or higher for each course. The languages currently covered by this program are Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. CALS is open to all students at Stony Brook University, regardless of their degree. For example, students who major in science, engineering or business and aspire to work in a global context, can receive an additional professional qualification through this certificate. Even graduate students and the students who major or minor in one of the area studies with a foreign language component can apply and receive this commendation, which demonstrates their high-level of proficiency in a foreign language.
How to apply for the LLRC's CALS
First, successfully complete a minimum 12 upper-division (300+) credits of coursework in one of the following languages at Stony Brook University with a letter grade of B or higher in each course (Credits from tutoring courses such as Directed Reading as well as transfer credits do not count):
- Chinese (CHI)*
- French (FRN)
- German (GER)
- Italian (ITL)
- Japanese (JPN)*
- Korean (KOR)*
- Russian (RUS) *
- Spanish (SPN)
* For Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian, up to two 200+ courses can be counted for satisfying the requirement for the CALS.
After completing the above requirements, fill out the CALS application form online. (Stony Brook University login is required to access this form.) If you are applying for CALS in two languages, please fill out the form for each language separately. To apply, you must be a matriculated student. You cannot apply for CALS after you graduate.
Then, an LLRC's faculty officer will confirm your course history and send you a commendation letter (PDF) by email attachment by the end of the semester. At the same time, your name will be added to the list of successful CALS recipients on the LLRC’s webstite.
If you have any questions about the CALS program, email us at CALS@stonybrook.edu with your SBU ID#. For language specific questions such as course offerings, contact one of the following CALS advisors:
* The CALS Program was initiated as a part of the project "Developing and Strengthening Herritage and Advanced-Level Language Education" funded by the US Education Department's UISFL Grant (2014-2016).
(Last updated on July 24, 2023)
Recipients of the LLRC's Commendation (Legacy Certification) in Advanced Language Studies (CALS) at Stony Brook University
Congratulations! All members of the faculty and staff at the LLRC look forward to seeing the positive impact you will make on our increasingly diverse and multilingual societies with your advanced language skills and rich global perspectives!