Foreign Language Placement Testing at WVU
Who must take the language placement exam?
• If you are planning to continue with a language you have studied for 2 or more years within 5 years prior to course enrollment, you must take the placement exam (available only in French, German, and Spanish).
• If your previous language study was in Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, or Russian, you must see the appropriate language coordinator for course placement.
• If you are beginning a language never studied before, take 101 or 100 (101 and 102 combined available in French and Spanish).
• If you are a transfer student with previous language credits, see an advisor in the Foreign Language Department (Chitwood 205)
What are the procedures?
• You can take the placement exam only once.
• You cannot take the placement exam if you have already taken a course in the target language at WVU.
• You must take the course you are placed into.
• If you believe that you have been misplaced, talk to your instructor the first week of class. Students may only change their placement with written permission of the language coordinator.
• If you receive an A or B in your first language course, you can apply for free back credit for 101, 102, 203, and/or 204. Applications for back credit are available in Chitwood 205.
• If you do not take the course you are placed into, you cannot apply for free back credit.
How do I take the Foreign Language Placement exam?
Foreign Language Placement exams may be taken in one of two manners:
• An exam may be taken at the L.L.R.C. Laboratory, 134 Eiesland Hall any day classes are in session at WVU. The hours of availability are Monday thru Friday from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm.
• On-line from home, campus, library or lab: Instructions
• Remember to print out and keep a copy of your test results.
To view your placement results at a later time:
• Go to the WebCAPE exam website again.
• Fill out the top of the survey form exactly as you did at the time of your exam.
• Press the Resume button.
• To make a copy of these results use your browser’s File menu to save them to a file, print them, or send them via email.
Correct placement in a language class can help you to…
• graduate earlier and save $$$$$ in tuition money,
• get college credit for what you already know,
• boost your CV with second language certification,
• get a head start on study abroad,
• move quickly into a foreign language major or minor,
• get into a class at your level where you’ll really learn the language,
• and above all, avoid enrolling in a class for which you may not receive credit.