Placement Examinations

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you begin taking the placement exam, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Please read over these questions before taking the exam. You may want to print out a copy of this page to refer to once you have loaded the exam.
A link to the exam is at the bottom of this page.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST?

students who are continuing in the language they took in high school, as long as they took two or more courses in that language in high school
students who are transferring foreign language credit from another institution may choose to take the placement exam if they feel that they can perform at a higher level than the courses that they are transferring
students whose home language is French, German, or Spanish, and who wish to take courses in that language.

WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST?

students who never took a high school course in the language that they intend to study at the university (this does not apply to Hispanic students enrolling in Spanish for Bilinguals)

students who only took one course of that language in high school (this does not apply to Hispanic students enrolling in Spanish for Bilinguals)

students who are transferring foreign language credit from another institution for that language, unless they feel that they can perform at a higher level than the courses that they are transferring

NOTE 1: Students whose high school foreign language study was in a language other than French, German, Latin, or Spanish (e. g., Italian, Japanese, Russian, etc.) should see the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in Leutze 275.

NOTE 2: Native speakers of languages offered at the intermediate level and for which no placement test exists will take the International Business/Language Proficiency Exam. These students should see the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in Leutze 275 to make the appropriate arrangements.

WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED TO TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST?

You will need a computer with internet capability.

WHAT IS MY STUDENT ID NUMBER?

Your student ID number is a 9-digit number that begins with 85. It is the number on your UNCW ID card. If you are a new student and have been accepted to UNCW and paid your deposit, you can access your student ID number by going to this page: https://appserv02.uncw.edu/dasapps/getid/.

WHEN SHOULD I TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST?

We strongly encourage students who are continuing in the foreign language they studied in high school to fulfill their foreign language requirement as soon as possible. This will maximize their chances of success in university language study.

CAN I RETAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST?

While you can currently retake the placement test as many times as you like, only the highest score is read into the UNCW registration system. The placement test score is valid for 2 years from the date in which it was taken. After 2 years have passed, a student can retake the placement exam and a lower score can be read into the UNCW registration system.

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY SCORE ONCE I TAKE THE EXAM?

Your score and identifying information are automatically entered into UNCW’s registration system daily at 3:30pm. If you take the test after 3:30pm, you will need to wait until after 3:30pm on the following day for your scores to be in our registration system. Additionally, your score will appear on the screen, telling you your raw score, as well as the level of the course you placed into. Please print this page for your own records.

WHICH CLASS IS RIGHT FOR ME?

The placement exam will ensure that you choose the correct language class at UNCW. The exam is challenging and you should not expect to get every answer correct.

Keep in mind that you may not take an introductory class if you have already had two units of that language in high school. For example, a student who has taken two or more units of high school Spanish may not enroll for credit in Spanish 101 and 102, Introductory Spanish. These classes are reserved for true beginners and students whose only language is English and who have had less than one unit of high school Spanish. Most students who have had two units of high school Spanish will place into Spanish 120, Fundamentals of Spanish.

Please note that courses numbered 209 through 212 are taught in English and do not have the placement test as a prerequisite. These courses are not offered for foreign language credit.

WHY SHOULD I TRY TO DO WELL ON THIS EXAM?

you may earn additional credits.

if a student places into a second-year language class (excluding classes numbered 209, 210, 211, and 212) and completes that course with a grade of "C" (2.00) or better, the student will receive three hours credit for the prior course in the sequence, in addition to the credit for the second-year language class. For example, if a student places into French 201 and completes that course with a B+, she or he will also receive three hours of credit for French 102.

for completion of a 300-level course in French, German or Latin, the student will receive 6 credit hours for 201 and 202. For completion of SPN 302, 303, or 315, the student will receive 6 credit hours for the two previous courses in the sequence unless the student already has AP, CLEP, or transfer credit for those courses
supplemental credit may be used to fulfill university basic studies requirements.

HOW CAN I PLACE OUT OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT?

Students with advanced language skills may waive the foreign language requirement by taking a proctored exam. Students interested in this option should see the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in 275 Leutze Hall to make appropriate arrangements.

FOR SPANISH ONLY:

WHICH SPANISH EXAM IS RIGHT FOR ME?

There are two Spanish placement exams. Answer the following questions in order to determine which exam you need to take.

Please answer yes or no:

When I was a child, Spanish was spoken in my home.
I lived in a Spanish-speaking country for two years or longer.
My first language was Spanish
I speak Spanish, or both Spanish and English, with my family and/or friends.
My parents and/or grandparents often speak/spoke to me in Spanish.

If you answered NO to all of the questions above, take Spanish A placement exam. If you answered YES to any of the questions, take Spanish B placement exam.

WHAT ARE THE PLACEMENT TEST SCORE RANGES?

French
Level 1	FRH 102/120	0 - 175
Level 2	FRH 201	176 - 275
Level 3	FRH 202	276 - 349
Level 4	FRH 301, 302, 303 or 308	350 +

German
Level 1	GER 102	0 - 200
Level 2	GER 201	201 - 300
Level 3	GER 202	301 - 390
Level 4	GER 301	391 - 470
Level 5	GER 307	471 +

Latin
Level 1	LAT 101	0 - 14
Level 2	LAT 102	15 - 20
Level 3	LAT 201	21 +

Spanish A
Level 1	SPN 120	below 226
Level 2	SPN 201	226-325
Level 3	SPN 202	326-375
Level 4	SPN 302	376-425
Level 5	SPN 303	426 +

Spanish B (bilinguals only)
Level 1	take Spanish Exam A if score	0-25
Level 2	SPN 215	26-79
Level 3	SPN 315	80-89
Level 4	SPN 303	90-100

NOTE: All instructions appear at the top of the question screen. Click on the language of the placement exam that you want to take.

French German Latin Spanish A Spanish B

Foreign Languages & Literatures