Undergraduate Placement Testing 

Students who are continuing to study a language they started learning prior to DU enrollment must take a placement test to determine their starting course level. French, German, Spanish and Russian use an online adaptive test for placement. Tests in other languages have been developed by DU faculty members to match the learning outcomes of their program. 

Be aware that placement tests do not assess the test takers' overall language skills; they are a tool to evaluate where students belong in the language programs offered at DU. 

Research in second language acquisition shows that to achieve optimal learning, learners must be challenged just one notch above the skills and knowledge they bring in when starting the course. Correct placement, therefore, predicts students' success in their language courses, helps students graduate on time, and saves money. Placement tests are meant to help students be successful in their learning experience, so we encourage you to take advantage of this free tool. 

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Misplacement has an impact on all students in the class. Students who enroll below the level they place into often become disengaged with course content since they are going over concepts they have already studied elsewhere. Disinterested students often stop attending class and doing homework, which can lead to failing classes or earning lower grades than they expect. 

Additionally, students who intentionally enroll in a course below their language abilities also affect their classmates' learning. Their higher skill level may intimidate the students who are correctly enrolled. Students who opt to enroll in classes below their placement level are usually doing so because they lack confidence in their ability to succeed at the correctly placed level. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact the CWLC Director at Virginie.Cassidy@du.edu. She will provide you with support and advising resources. 

Incoming and transfer students enrolling for the first time in the winter, spring, or summer quarters do not have a dedicated day for language testing or advising. Please follow the instructions above to complete your placement tests and get the advising you need to register.

Undergraduate Placement Testing Instructions

Note that except for Spanish, all 1001 language courses are only offered in the fall quarter. Plan your schedule accordingly.  

Be aware that there will be a delay between placement test completion and scores being uploaded by the Registrar. Please email the CWLC at cwlc@du.edu if you are still encountering difficulties registering a week after test completion. 

  • Arabic
    • Enroll in Arabic 1001 if you have never studied Arabic, if you speak Arabic but do not have experience reading or writing in Arabic, or if you have not had formal instruction in Arabic.  
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the Arabic Placement Assessment, located in Canvas learning management system:
      1. Go to the Arabic Placement Assessment
      2. Enter your DU ID and Password and click "Enroll in Course"
      3. Click "Go to the Course"
      4. Read the instructions and take the placement assessment
    • Note that based on their written results, students may be asked to have a conversation in Arabic with the teacher.
    • Students will be contacted with their scores and placement. Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence.
    • If you have any questions regarding the intermediate Arabic courses or the Middle Eastern Studies minor, please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.
  • Chinese
    • Enroll in Chinese 1001 if you have never taken Mandarin Chinese, or if you speak Mandarin Chinese but do not have experience reading or writing in Mandarin Chinese. 
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the Chinese Placement Assessment, located in Canvas learning management system:
      1. Go to the Chinese Placement Assessment
      2. Enter your DU ID and Password and click "Enroll in Course"
      3. Click "Go to the Course"
      4. Read the instructions and take the placement assessment
    • Students will receive an email regarding their scores and placement. Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence.
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with Chinese language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.
  • English

    Students who have completed academic secondary education wholly or in part in a language other than English may take a standardized English test accepted by DU (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE, or DUOLINGO) to determine if they need to take WRIT 1022: English for Academic Purposes to meet the language requirement in the DU Common Curriculum. Alternatively, these students may take a test, offered through the Center for World Languages and Cultures, for placement into another language in order to satisfy that requirement. 

    Students should take WRIT 1022 if their test scores show any of the following: 

    TestAny sub-score below:
    TOEFL18
    IELTS 5.5
    Duolingo English Test (DET) 105 in Literacy, Comprehension or Conversation, or 95 in Production 
    Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) 180 (C1 proficiency) 

    Please note: all score and sub-score requirements for English must be met in a single test. DU does not super score or accept test super scores (such as TOEFL MyBest Score). Test scores are valid for two years from the testing date. 

  • French
    • Enroll in French 1001 if you have never studied French as French 1001 is designed for students with little or no previous experience in French. Students with more than 2 years of high school French must take the placement test and enroll in a higher-level course. 
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the French Placement Test:
      1. Go to the Emmersion placement testing website. The French Placement Test is multiple-choice and includes grammar, reading, and vocabulary items. The adaptive test is designed to give you a number of opportunities to answer questions at different levels of skills. Plan on 15-30 minutes for the test. Since this test it adaptive, it is recommended to take the test two or three times to have the most accurate placement.
      2. Create an account. Please note your password! If you get disconnected or forget to record your placement results, you can return to the site to log in and view your score.
      3. At the end of the test, you will receive instructions regarding your placement. You may retake the test up to 5 times within a 7-day period. The highest score is sent to the Registrar's office to be recorded in your file.
    French Placement Scoring Matrix
    ScoreCourse
    0-2791001
    280-3191002
    320-3591003
    360-3992001
    400-4392002
    440-4792003
    480+2400 or higher 
    • Register for the level into which you placed, pending offering and availability. This chart shows which levels are offered during each quarter.
    • If you place 2400 or higher, please contact Jennifer.Pap@du.edu to determine appropriate course.
    Course rotation
    Fall Quarter 1001, 2001, 2400
    Winter Quarter 1002, 2002, 2400
    Spring Quarter1003, 2003
    • Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence. 
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with French language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.

     

  • German
    • Enroll in German 1001 if you have never studied German.
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the German Placement Test:
      1. Go to the Emmersion placement testing website. The German Placement Test is multiple-choice and includes grammar, reading, and vocabulary items. The adaptive test is designed to give you a number of opportunities to answer questions at different levels of skills. Plan on 15-30 minutes for the test. Since this test it adaptive, it is recommended to take the test two or three times to have the most accurate placement.
      2. Create an account. Please note your password! If you get disconnected or forget to record your placement results, you can return to the site to log in and view your score.
      3. At the end of the test, you will receive instructions regarding your placement. You may retake the test up to 5 times within a 7-day period. The highest score is sent to the Registrar's office to be recorded in your file. 
    German Placement Scoring Matrix
    ScoreCourse
    0-2791001
    280-3191002
    320-3591003
    360-3992001
    400-4392002
    440-4792005
    480+2100
    • Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence. 
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with German language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.

     

  • Hebrew
    • Enroll in Hebrew 1001 if you have never studied Hebrew, or if your Hebrew knowledge is based on preparation for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration.
    • If your Hebrew knowledge is based on having attended a Jewish Day School until grades 6-8, if you have had any other Hebrew experience, e.g. an Ulpan in Israel, Hebrew studies in a public High School, a gap year in Israel, or if your language at home is Hebrew, please take the placement test and schedule an oral interview with Professor Lev at Michal.Lev@du.edu.
    • If you are a native Israeli studying at DU and have completed your Matriculation exams (בגרות) in Hebrew — please contact the CWLC Director (cwlc@du.edu) to discuss the language requirement at DU.
    • If none of the above applies to you, please take the placement test and contact Professor Lev.
    • Please take these steps to access the Hebrew Placement Evaluation, located in the Canvas learning management system:
      1. Go to the Hebrew Placement Evaluation
      2. Enter your DU ID and Password and click "Enroll in Course"
      3. Click "Go to the Course"
      4. Read the instructions and take the placement assessment
      5. Select Quizzes in the left menu
      6. Click on Hebrew Placement Evaluation 2022-2023
    • Students will receive an email from Professor Lev with their scores and further information regarding advising and course offerings. If you have questions over the summer, please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu.There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.
  • Italian
    • Enroll in Italian 1001 if you have never studied Italian.
    • All other students, please take the Italian Placement Assessment.
    • This test includes listening comprehension, grammar, reading comprehension, and a writing section. You must complete the test in one sitting and will have only one hour to complete it. Before you begin, make sure you have functioning headphones or speakers.
    • Students will receive an email regarding their scores and placement. Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test or the first-year language sequence.
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with Italian language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.

     

  • Japanese
    • Enroll in JAPN 1001 if you have never studied Japanese or if you speak Japanese but do not have experience reading or writing Hiragana and Katakana.
    • If you are a native speaker of Japanese, have completed secondary education in Japan, and have not been assigned to take WRIT 1022 at DU,  you can fulfill your language requirement by taking a 3000-level course taught in Japanese. Contact cwlc@du.edu to confirm this so that your degree audit can be updated with the accurate language course requirement. 
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the Japanese Placement Test:
      1. Go to the Japanese Placement Test
      2. Click “Test Application” (under “Taking the TTBJ for Individuals”) 
      3. Select and take “SPOT90 + Grammar90 + 漢字SPOT50”
      4. Complete the test (Test times: 30-60 minutes)
      5. After you complete the test, download the score report PDF file. The score report will also be sent to your email address.
      6. Send the score report PDF file with your name and DU ID number to CWLC at cwlc@du.edu. 
        There are two scores at the end of your report; please look at the one on the left “日本語力の総合スコア” and register for the class you are placed in. 
      7. Complete the Japanese Placement Survey.
      8. Note your score and the corresponding course level. You will register for the level into which you placed. This chart shows which levels are offered during each quarter. If your level is not offered in the fall quarter, you may be advised to take another course.
    Course rotation
    Fall Quarter 1001, 2001, 2100
    Winter Quarter 1002, 2002, 
    Spring Quarter1003, 2003
    • Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence. 
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with Japanese language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.
    Japanese Placement Scoring Matrix
    ScoreCourse
    0-29JAPN 1001
    30-38JAPN 1002
    39-47JAPN 1003
    48-54JAPN 2001
    55-61JAPN 2002
    62-68JAPN 2003
    69-JAPN 2101 or above/see advisor

     

  • Russian
    • Enroll in Russian 1001 if you have never studied Russian.
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the Russian Placement Test:
      1. Go to the Emmersion placement testing website.
      2. The Russian Placement Test is multiple-choice and includes grammar, reading, and vocabulary items. The adaptive test is designed to give you a number of opportunities to answer questions at different levels of skills. Plan on 15-30 minutes for the test. Since this test it adaptive, it is recommended to take the test two or three times to have the most accurate placement.
      3. Create an account. Please note your password! If you get disconnected or forget to record your placement results, you can return to the site to log in and view your score.
      4. At the end of the test, you will receive instructions regarding advising. You may retake the test up to 5 times within a 7-day period. The highest score is sent to the Registrar's office to be recorded in your file. 
    • Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence. 
    • Please contact the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at LLandC@du.edu with Russian language advising questions over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.
    Russian Placement Scoring Matrix
    ScoreCourse
    0-250RUSS 1001
    251-380RUSS 1002
    381-400RUSS 1003
    401-470RUSS 2001
    471-550RUSS 2002
    551-649RUSS 2110
    650-1000Above RUSS 2110 - contact advisor
  • Spanish
    • Enroll in Spanish 1001 (offered in Fall and Spring Quarters) if you have never studied Spanish as Spanish 1001 is designed for students with little or no previous experience in Spanish. Students with more than 2 years of high school Spanish must take the placement test and enroll in a higher-level course. 
    • If you speak Spanish at home, grew up speaking Spanish, or think you might be a Heritage Speaker, please see the Spanish for Heritage/Bilingual Speakers section below.
    • All other students, please follow these steps to access the Spanish Placement Test:
      1. Go to the Emmersion placement testing website. The Spanish Placement Test is multiple-choice and includes grammar, reading, and vocabulary items. The adaptative test is designed to give you a number of opportunities to answer questions at different levels of skills. Plan on 15-30 minutes for the test. Since this test it adaptive, it is recommended to take the test two or three times to have the most accurate placement.
      2. Create an account. Please note your password! If you get disconnected or forget to record your placement results, you can return to the site to log in and view your score. 
      3. At the end of the test, you will receive instructions regarding advising. You may retake the test up to 5 times within a 7-day period. The highest score is sent to the Registrar's office to be recorded in your file. 
    • Please contact CWLC at cwlc@du.edu for questions about your placement, the test, or the first-year language sequence. 
    • Please contact the Department of Spanish Language, Literary, and Cultural Studies at SLLCS@du.edu with advising questions for the Spanish program. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week.

     

    Spanish Placement Scoring Matrix
    ScoreCourse
    0-279SPAN 1001
    280-319SPAN 1002
    320-339SPAN 1003
    340-389SPAN 2001
    390-439SPAN 2002
    440-479SPAN 2003
    480-1000SPAN 2100
  • Spanish for Heritage/Bilingual Speakers
    • If you speak Spanish at home with parents, siblings or extended family members, and have personal ties to a Spanish-speaking community, please complete the Spanish Heritage Language Assessment before enrolling in Spanish for Heritage Speakers (SPAN 2200 and/or SPAN 2250).
    • If you have significant experience studying abroad or have completed part of your education in a Spanish-speaking country, please contact Professor Lina Reznicek-Parrado at Lina.Reznicek-Parrado@du.edu. For Fall and Winter Quarters 2024-25, please contact Professors Sergio Macias (Sergio.Macias23@du.edu) or Murat Rodríguez-Nacif (Murat.Rodriguez-Nacif@du.edu).
    • Please follow these steps to access the Spanish Heritage Placement Assessment, located in Canvas learning management system:
      1. Go to the Heritage Spanish Placement Assessment
      2. Enter your DU ID and Password and click "Enroll in Course"
      3. Click "Go to the Course"
      4. Read the instructions and take the placement assessment
    • If you place into the Spanish for Heritage/Bilingual Speaker course, you will register for SPAN 2200 during the Fall Quarter and/or SPAN 2250 during the Winter Quarter. Please plan accordingly.
    • Please contact the Department of Spanish Language, Literary, & Cultural Studies at SLLCS@du.edu with advising questions for the Spanish program over the summer. There also will be an opportunity for advising during Discoveries Week. 
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