Spanish Course Placement

AP Spanish Exam Placement

Effective Catalog Year 2025-2026

AP Score

SPAN Course Placement

UC Merced Course Credit

AP Spanish Language Exam

3

SPAN 003/010

SPAN 002

4

SPAN 004/011

SPAN 003

5

SPAN 050 or UD SPAN with SPAN 004/011 as prerequisite

SPAN 004 or SPAN 011

AP Spanish Literature Exam

3

SPAN 050 or UD SPAN with SPAN 004/011 as prerequisite

SPAN 004 or SPAN 011

4 or 5

Upper Division SPAN with SPAN 004/011, 050 as prerequisite

SPAN 050

Effective Catalog Year 2024-2025 and Prior

AP Score

SPAN Course Placement

 UC Merced Course Credit

AP Spanish Language Exam

3

SPAN 003/010

 Units only, no course credit

4

SPAN 004/011

 Units only, no course credit

5

SPAN 050, 051 or UD SPAN with SPAN 004/011 as prerequisite

 SPAN 004 or SPAN 011

AP Spanish Literature Exam

3

SPAN 003/010

 Units only, no course credit

4 or 5

Upper Division SPAN with SPAN 004/011, 050 or 051 as prerequisite

 SPAN 004 or SPAN 011, SPAN 050 and SPAN 051
 

Heritage Spanish Speakers

For students who are Heritage Speakers, i.e. grew up speaking Spanish, the faculty recommend enrolling in SPAN 010/SPAN 011. Students can also enroll in SPAN 003/SPAN 004 after consulting with their academic advisor or World Languages Coordinator, Virginia Adan-Lifante (vadan-lifante@ucmerced.edu).

 

Heritage speakers should not enroll in SPAN 001 or SPAN 002 without consulting with their academic advisor or World Languages Coordinator, Virginia Adan-Lifante (vadan-lifante@ucmerced.edu).

 

Heritage Speakers Who Have Not Taken College-Level Language Courses

Students who are Heritage Speakres, i.e. grew up speaking Spanish, must complete the SPAN 010/011 series.

May Take With These High School-Level Language Courses
SPAN 010 2 Years or Less Of Regular Spanish Courses
SPAN 011 2 Years of Spanish for Heritage Speakers Courses
Upper Division Contact World Languages Coordinator, Virginia Adan-Lifante, for placement.

 

Non-Heritage Speakers Who Have Not Taken College-Level Language Courses

Students who are Non-Heritage Speakers, i.e. did not grow up speaking Spanish, must complete the SPAN 001-SPAN 004 series.

May Take With These High School-Level Language Courses
SPAN 001 1 to 2 Years
SPAN 002 2 to 3 Years
SPAN 003 3 to 4 Years
SPAN 004 4 Years
Upper Division N/A
 
*any case that is not noted above, please direct question to the World Languages Coordinator, Virginia Adan-Lifante (vadan-lifante@ucmerced.edu), to determine best course placement.
 

Illegal Sequencing

Students cannot complete a lower level SPAN course after having successfully completed a higher level SPAN course. For example, if a student successfully completed SPAN 004, they cannot complete SPAN 003/SPAN 010 or any lower course. However, a student who successfully completes SPAN 003 may enroll in SPAN 004 or SPAN 011