Note: the Department of Mathematics also determines appropriate placement via CLEP exams, Cambridge International AS- and A-Level tests, and satisfactory completion of CMAT calculus courses at another college or university.  Please contact Lisa Crespo (lcrespo@uno.edu) or Jairo Santanilla (jsantani@uno.edu) for more information on these options.

For those who already have ability in a language prior to registering for a UNO foreign language course, the Department offers the placement test in French, German, and Spanish.

The placement test result is not a grade, nor does it grant the student any credit.  Instead, the result is expressed as the number of the course into which the student is qualified to enroll.  Upon completion of the assigned course with a grade of C or better, the student may apply for by-pass credit for courses preceding the one completed.

The test is scheduled several times a year, especially around registration time and there is no charge for this test.  Information on dates and how to register can be found at:

https://www.uno.edu/academics/colaehd/la/forl/placement-test

In addition to ACT and SAT scores, the Department of English provides an Advanced Standing Assessment (ASA) for ENGL 1157 and ENGL 1158.   Students wishing to take an ASA for either ENGL 1157 or ENGL 1158 should contact the First-Year Writing Program (fwp@uno.edu). 

ENGL 1157

Advanced Standing Assessment (ASA)

Most students eligible for 1157 advanced standing credit earn it through ACT or SAT scores. These students need only to request the credit through their advisor. Students who take the Accuplacer exam, students with Scholastic Amnesty, and transfer students with fewer than 24 credit hours may choose to take the 1157 Advanced Standing Assessment. 

There are two options for 1157 ASA. In either option, students must demonstrate that they are able to produce organized essays that logically communicate a central idea through narrative description. 

Option One: Students take a 40-minute Advanced Standing Examination (essay exam). Upon arrival to the scheduled exam, students will respond to a prompt in essay form using personal examples to illustrate their central point.  

Option Two: Students submit a portfolio of two to three essays (approximately 3000 words total) along with a cover letter essay, written in-person, in which students introduce the contents of their portfolios. Portfolios should demonstrate the student’s ability to compose detailed, organized essays that focus on a central point. 

Directed Self-Placement (DSP)

Limited only to students who qualify for the Privateer Pathways Program in English (for more information, please contact Reggie Poche at rjpoche3@uno.edu).

Students reflect on their abilities and experiences as writers and readers and consider how their respective skills align with the outcomes of the First-Year Writing Program.  Students' responses to the survey questions are tabulated, and their self-derived scores determine whether or not they will enroll in the Privateer Pathways program.  The assessment is "directed" in that faculty in the First-Year Writing Program design the survey in such a way that students reflect on their preparedness for college-level writing.  Student self-place in that their responses to the survey dictate their ultimate placement.

Note: Directed self-placement is not an assessment by which students can earn credit for a first-year writing course or place above ENGL 1157.  The assessment is only used to differentiate between those students who need the co-requisite for ENGL 1157 and those who do not.

ENGL 1158

Advanced Standing Assessment (ASA)

To try for 1158 advanced standing credit, students should already have 1157 credit. All students who try for 1158 credit must do so through Advanced Standing Assessment. There are two options for ASA. In either option, students must demonstrate that they are able to produce logically organized, academic essays that incorporate library and non-library research in MLA format. 

Option One: Students take a two-hour Advanced Standing Examination (essay exam). Once a date for the exam has been scheduled, the First-Year Writing Program will provide students with reading materials – scholarly articles, essays, etc. – in advance of the exam. Students have up to two weeks to read the material and take the exam. During the exam they will write an essay in response to a prompt. This essay should be organized, logical, have a clear central point, and integrate the provided secondary research materials. Failure to complete the exam within the two-week window will forfeit the opportunity to place out of the course.

Option Two: Students submit a portfolio of up to three essays they have previously written along with a brief cover letter essay, written in-person, in which students introduce the contents of their portfolios. Portfolios should demonstrate the student’s ability to compose sustained, logical research essays that demonstrate argumentative or persuasive writing. 

Results for portfolios and exams will be available within two weeks of submission. If the attempt is successful, a request will be sent to the Registrar and Bursar. Students who need to earn credit by assessment before they enroll should allow up to six weeks for credit to post.