AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium Program

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (AICU Rhode Island) offers a Language Consortium program to students currently enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program at one of Rhode Island’s private institutions of higher education (Brown University, Bryant University, Johnson and Wales University, Providence College, Roger Williams University, and Salve Regina University). This program is intended to enable students at Rhode Island institutions to advance their knowledge in foreign languages and to extend their participation in courses focused on second language acquisition. This program allows our students to enroll at any of the consortium schools (on a “space available” basis) in language courses that are not offered at their home institution.

Information for Providence College Students Taking Courses at a Consortium Institution

Providence College full-time students who wish to register for a course at another institution through the AICU Rhode Island Consortium Program should take the following steps:

1. Consult the Providence College Department of World Languages and Cultures, as well as CyberFriar to confirm that the College is not offering the language course that is preferred.
2. Visit the AICU Language Consortium page for program details.  Next, view the host institution’s website for course offerings in the relevant semester.
3. Courses completed through this program are subject to Providence College’s Transfer Credit Policy.  If the course is already transferable to Providence College, obtain a letter of support from the Advising Dean in the School of Arts & Sciences. If the course is not listed in the Providence College transfer database, please submit the course syllabus to the Office of the Registrar for transfer review. Once it is confirmed that Providence College has articulated the course for transfer, then proceed by seeking approval, as stated above.
4. Equipped with a letter of approval from the Providence College School of Arts & Sciences, independently seek enrollment permission from the host institution by contacting their Registrar’s Office.
5. Upon course completion, send your official transcript to the Providence College Office of the Registrar.

For more information please visit AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium Program.

Information for Consortium Students Taking Courses at Providence College

For Providence College language courses, the first priority for enrollment will be given to Providence College degree-seeking candidates.

Each PC language course carries 3 semester credit hours. Fall and Spring semesters are approximately 15 weeks long (Academic Calendar). The Summer term is not part of the consortium agreement.

In the Fall and Spring semesters, Language Consortium students may enroll in courses either for a letter grade or on a Pass/Fail basis. AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium students should be aware of the grading policy of their Providence College instructor and at their home institution, and should not register for Providence College courses on a Pass/Fail basis if their home institutions will not accept “P” grades for transfer. Upon completion of each course, students may request their Providence College transcript from the Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall 310, and submit it to their home institution for grade and credit transfer. Providence College is not responsible for the student’s home institution’s policies on transfer credit or for providing specific course information to the home college/university.

Which Providence College Courses are available to AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium students?

Only in instances when a course is not offered at a student’s home institution, may he or she seek enrollment in one of the following courses. The exact courses available each semester are subject to change.

ARB 101, ARB 102, ARB 103, ARB 104

CHN 101, CHN 102, CHN 103, CHN 104

FRN 101, FRN 102, FRN 103, FRN 104, FRN 201, FRN 210, FRN 212, FRN 304, FRN 321, FRN 322, FRN 370

GER 101, GER 102, GER 103, GER 104, GER 201, GER 202, GER 212, GER 301, GER 302, GER 303, GER 304, GER 311, GER 370

ITA 101, ITA 102, ITA 103, ITA 104, ITA 201, ITA 210, ITA 212, ITA 303, ITA 304, ITA 318, ITA 321, ITA 322, ITA 370

SPN 101, SPN 102, SPN 103, SPN 104, SPN 201, SPN 210, SPN 212, SPN 310, SPN 321, SPN 322, SPN 370

Language courses at the 400 level might be chosen in consultation with and by the approval of the Chairperson of the Department of World Languages and Cultures.

Students can access course descriptions through the online Course Catalog, and check on language course availability by reviewing course offerings and enrollment on the CyberFriar system.

Academic Policies for Language Consortium Classes

Taking a course for credit means that the student must meet all the course requirements as specified by the instructor. Students are also subject to the same academic policies regarding course prerequisites, grading options, an extension of work, etc. as any other Providence College student.

Enrollment in a course assumes that the student will attend the class and the scheduled exams, including any final exams. Students should be aware of the course and exam schedule and should make arrangements to meet the expectations of the course.

Students requesting additional time to complete a final paper or assignment should discuss this with the instructor. All incomplete coursework must be finished by the mid-semester date of the following semester.

How to Apply

Enrollment as an AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium student must be approved on a semester-by-semester basis. Enrollment does not imply admission to candidacy for a Providence College degree.

Applications for enrollment as an AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium student should be submitted at least one month prior to the start of the term.

Application Process

1. Visit the Providence College, Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall 310, to complete a Special Student Application form (with a specific course number and title indicated).
2. Submit a current official transcript from your home college/university to the Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall 310, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI 02918.
3. Submit a letter to the above address on your college/university’s letterhead from your Dean indicating that the course you are requesting is not available at your home institution and that you are approved to enroll in this course and to transfer the credit.
4. Students seeking enrollment in a course beyond the 101 level will need to have their current level of language proficiency assessed. They should meet with the designated faculty member in the Providence College Department of World Languages and Cultures for an assessment interview and to schedule a time to complete a language placement test. After enrollment has been approved and proficiency has been assessed, the student should contact the Department of World Languages and Cultures at least two weeks before the start of the semester. Please keep in mind that registration in some courses is limited because of space. 
5. AICU Rhode Island Language Consortium students may register after matriculating PC students, approximately 1-2 weeks before the start of the semester, in the Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall 310.

Note: International Students enrolled in a degree program on an F-1/J-1 must be mindful of their lawful nonimmigrant status. Therefore, they must obtain a letter in advance of concurrent enrollment authorization from their International Student Advisor at their U.S. home institution (who issued their I-20/DS 2019) and submit a copy of that letter to the Office of the Registrar at Providence College with the other enrollment materials.