All students are expected to fulfill Goucher's requirements for graduation, which include writing proficiency and specified courses in mathematics, science, foreign language, and general liberal arts. The curriculum represents Goucher's definition of a sound liberal arts education, and all students are expected to make a good-faith effort (GFE) to complete the requirements. Students who cannot complete the foreign language requirement are offered one of two pathways to substitute this requirement with culture courses as an alternative. The student’s current foreign language faculty member submits the GFE form after the student demonstrates a "good faith effort" by adhering to the following:

• Attends class on a regular basis.
• Completes all assignments.
• Attends weekly supplemental instruction.
• Attends weekly homework helpers.
• Attends weekly office hours.

The student is expected to make these efforts for at least half of the course (seven weeks) and/or to have taken at least two major tests for a GFE to be established.

This form will be received by the Office of Accessibility (OAS) and processed as a foreign language substitution accommodation and communicated with the registrar’s office by OAS. Students are not required to have a documented disability for a GFE approval. 

Note: All students with a foreign language substitution must finish their Goucher Commons Requirements (GCR) language credits via an approved culture course path. For more information, see Culture Courses.