Placement Exam
Take Placement ExamsAll students who have studied a language for more than two years less than five years ago must take a departmental placement exam in order to enroll in a course for that language. The department of Modern Languages Literatures and Linguistics offers placement exams for the following languages:
Computerized:
Traditional:
- Japanese
If you have had less than two years of formal language instruction or it has been more than five years since you took a course in the desired language and you would like to receive permission for an introductory language course, please CLICK HERE.
The computerized language exams are adaptive exams created by Brigham Young University under their Webcape project. The number of questions varies depending upon the knowledge of the students. As questions are answered correctly, they become more difficult. As questions are missed, the difficulty level decreases. These exams are all multiple choice and cover basic grammar rules and knowledge of vocabulary. There is currently no audio portion for the exam. Because it is an adaptive exam, the amount of time required to take the exam varies. It generally takes students anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes to complete the exam.
The placement exams allow students to enroll in the class in which they are placed. However, they do not receive credit on their transcript for these courses. Students may fulfill Degree Requirements with the placement exam by placing beyond the first semester of the intermediate level for the language. These results will show up on the students academic record as having fulfilled the requirement, but will not show credit hours.
If a student wishes to receive credit for the language courses, he or she may take the CLEP exam, which is administered through the Independent Study Department. Please call (405) 325-1921 for more information on these exams or to set up an appointment to take a CLEP exam. Additional information is also available on their web site at http://isd.ou.edu.
The exams for Russian and Japanese are written exams. For Russian, there is one exam that covers the various levels. Grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills are tested. A faculty member grades all exams. Scores are sent via e-mail to the student once grading has been completed.The Japanese exams are broken into various levels beginning with JAPN 2113. Dr Fukushima grades each exam conducts an oral interview. Upon the successful completion of one level, students may continue with the following exam.
FAQ
Who should take the placement exam?
Anyone who has studied a language more than two years, less than five years ago must take the placement exam for that language if they wish to take courses in that language.
If I took foreign language courses at another university do I still need to take the placement exam?
If your course is not transferred as an equivalent course you must take the placement exam. For upper division courses, you may consult with a language advisor for course equivalency. In order to check automatic equivalency transfers, visit this web page http://www.ou.edu/admrec/tetables.htm.
How long does the placement exam take?
That depends on how much you know. The exam generally takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes so plan your time accordingly. The number of questions will vary.
Do I get credit hours for taking the exam?
No, in order to get credit hours for the 1000 level courses you must take the CLEP exam. For higher courses, advanced standing exams are offered through the department.
What does the exam cover?
The exams test your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. For the computerized exams, all questions are multiple choice and there is no audio. For the Japanese and Russian exams, writing skills are tested and the Japanese exam includes an oral interview.
How often may I take the exam?
Placement exams may be taken once each year.
How long are my results valid?
Results are valid for one year for placement into a language course. If you fulfill degree requirements, this result is good for your academic career at OU.
Does the lab offer any materials to help prepare for the exam or how can I prepare for the exam?
The lab does not have any specific preparation materials for this exam. There are many website links on the lab web page (http://mllab.ou.edu) that have tips for basic grammar review. You may also want to look at the books used by the first and second year courses. These books will cover the types of grammar exercises in the exam.
If I just want to take the first level course do I still need to take the exam?
If you have taken more than two years of the language less than five years ago, you need to take the exam. This is a departmental regulation. If you have not taken the language, you may sign a waiver available at the lab stating that you have not previously studied this language.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Appointments are not necessary unless you cannot take the exam during a scheduled times. Times are scheduled during each enrollment period and are posted throughout Kaufman Hall.
If I have already taken a language course at OU, can I take the placement test in that language?
No. The placement exam is used as a first time placement tool. Once you have taken classes, you are not eligible to place out of the following courses with the placement exam.
How long does it take for my results to be posted and my enrollment stops to be removed?
Enrollment stops are generally cleared by the following work day during semester enrollment or by that afternoon provided the exam is finished before the cut off time for exams. Scores are posted to student records on a weekly basis.
How many hours can I place out of by taking the placement exam?
The placement test allows you to place out of the 2113 level courses. If you score extremely high you will be advised to take an advanced standing exam which will allow you to test out of additional upper-level courses.
When do I get my results?
Immediately after finishing the exam you will be told your score as well as your placement level. Also offered is an optional e-mail score sheet.