Departmental Proficiency Exams

Placement & Proficiency

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For questions or information,
please contact:

Placement & Proficiency
(217) 244-4437
pnp@illinois.edu

OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Subjects with Departmental Proficiency Exams (last updated March 24, 2020)

Thank you for your patience during the COVID-19 emergency. We will do our best to provide you with the most updated information possible, but please understand that the situation is in flux. Feel free to check this website often, call PNP at 217-265-6248 during business hours, or email us your question.

The Chinese Proficiency Test is usually administered at the Testing Center. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Testing Center has suspended testing activities until further notice.

There are many exams that allow an incoming student to try to earn proficiency credit. In addition to the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams that you can take in high school, you have ample opportunity to demonstrate your proficiency in the sciences and the humanities by taking a departmental proficiency exam once you come to campus. Currently enrolled students are also allowed to take a departmental proficiency exam if they have not already earned credit for a higher-level course in the subject.

Departmental proficiency tests are usually given at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. Usually you are permitted to attempt an exam only once, but there are a couple exams that you are allowed to take twice. Given that different departments have different policies, you should always check with the department first.

Click on a subject below for more specific information.

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Integrative Biology

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Molecular and Cellular Biology

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Chemistry

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. We anticipate that Fall 2020 proficiency testing will take place on two dates between Monday, August 17 and Friday, August 28 but please check back for COVID-19 updates. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Computer Science

All Spring 2020 mid-semester proficiency exams have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This pertains to both the written exams and the computer-based exams.

We anticipate that all students who wish to attempt a CS proficiency exam will be able to sit for CS proficiency exams at the beginning of Fall semester, but please check back for COVID-19 updates. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Economics

Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29. Online exams only. Options are ECON 102 and/or ECON 103. You may choose to take only Micro, only Macro, or Micro on one day and Macro on the other day (one exam per day). Registration is required and will open on Monday, April 6th at 10:00 a.m. For general information and the link to the online registration form, go to the department's webpage.
History

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Languages other than English (LOTE)
- Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended.
- Are you wanting to test in a less commonly studied language? Illinois offers testing to UIUC students in nearly 40 other languages. Most are given at the start of each Fall and Spring semester. For more information about scheduling your testing appointment, contact the instructor who is in charge of your language.
Math

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. Currently there are still plans to offer proficiency tests on Saturday, June 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon but please check back for COVID-19 updates. If testing proceeds, registration will open on Friday, June 5th. Options are MATH 220, 225, 231, 241, 285, 286, and 415. You may take only one exam per test date. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Music

Spring 2020 placement and proficiency testing has ended. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Physics

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Psychology 100

Spring 2020 proficiency testing has ended. We anticipate that Fall 2020 proficiency testing will take place on Thursday, August 27 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Psychology Building but please check back for COVID-19 updates. If testing proceeds, registration will open on or about June 1st. For general information, go to the department's webpage.
Rhetoric

There is no departmental proficiency test for 'Composition I.'

To fulfill the Composition I General Education requirement by earning test-based credit for RHET 105, which is our "Writing and Research" course, you can submit your sufficiently high score on the ACT or SAT, either of the two AP English tests, or any one of seven different IB tests. Email PNP if you have any questions or concerns about your test scores. Learn more about the 'Comp I' requirement and the test scores that can earn credit for RHET 105.

To try to proficiency out of an introductory course not mentioned above, contact the department that offers the course.

SHOULD YOU SIT FOR A DEPARTMENTAL PROFICIENCY EXAM?

Any student who just missed earning proficiency credit from the AP Calculus exam, the IB Math exams, the AP Physics exams, or the IB Physics exams -- and any student who scores well on the Chemistry and/or Physics Placement Exam -- should seriously consider taking the departmental proficiency test. If you believe you know the material well, it is probably worth your while to attempt the proficiency exam. Your academic record is not affected if you fail the exam (most likely, you would simply enroll in the course that you attempted to proficiency). Remember, usually you are allowed only one attempt at any particular test.

If a departmental proficiency exam also offers course placement, you will need to check with the department for your placement results.

IMPORTANT!

Duplicate credit earned through AP, IB, departmental examinations, or any other means will not be granted. This means, for example, that if you already earned MATH 220 credit through the AP Calculus exam, you cannot earn MATH 220 credit again by taking the Math Department's MATH 220 proficiency exam. Credit for a particular course will be awarded only once.