Testing in Less Commonly Studied Language Copy

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning

Placement & Proficiency

Main Links

Measurement & Evaluation Resources

For more info

For questions or information,
please contact:

Placement and Proficiency
Room 247 Armory
(217) 244-4437
Contact Us

Test Media screen

Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages (last updated June 17, 2019)

The purpose of placement testing is to identify which Illinois course is most appropriate for you so that you can pick up your studies where you left off. Placement testing is NOT NECESSARY if you have never studied the language. If you want to begin studying a new language, you can enroll in its elementary-level course.

The purpose of proficiency testing is usually to try to fulfill the General Education language requirement. Most of the language proficiency exams do not award academic credit.

Placement testing and proficiency testing in a less commonly studied language are carried out by the department that offers the language, usually at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester. The department decides the date and time of the test, the manner in which testing is conducted, and the grading scheme. The department also determines how much academic credit, if any, your performance earns. Credit hours are NOT automatically posted to your academic record simply because you took a proficiency exam. Consult with your academic advisor to find out how your academic record will be affected.

Please be aware that a less commonly studied language MIGHT NOT BE OFFERED every semester. Just as course availability depends on instructor availability, placement testing and proficiency testing also depend on the availability of an instructor who is qualified to assess your four language skills - reading, writing, listening, and speaking. If testing is not available when you wish to test, please check with the department that is responsible for the language to see what your options are.

A fee may be charged to defray the cost of administering and grading a proficiency exam. The student is responsible for paying any fees that are charged.

Language	Department Responsible For Testing
Sub-Saharan African Languages (Swahili and Wolof)	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mary Gathogo PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: gathogo@illinois.edu
ASL	Dept. of Speech and Hearing Science. Ms. Susan Dramin Weiss (by appointment only) PHONE: 217-333-2230 EMAIL: sdramin@illinois.edu
Arabic	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Eman Saadah PHONE: 217-244-4515 EMAIL: esaadah2@illinois.edu
Basque	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL: jihualde@illinois.edu
Bengali	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Bosnian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-244-1063 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take this test will be on Friday, August 23 or on Friday August 30 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room G18 FLB. General information about the Slavic placement tests is available on their website.
Bulgarian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Richard Tempest PHONE: 217-244-4720 EMAIL: rtempest@illinois.edu Placement testing only There is no proficiency test in Bulgarian for the purpose of fulfilling the Gen Ed language requirement.
Catalan	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL: jihualde@illinois.edu
Chinese	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Chilin Shih PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Chinese testing debrice@illinois.edu CHINESE PLACEMENT TESTING IS DONE ONLINE. New freshmen and new transfer students should log in through New Student Placement Testing. Currently enrolled students can self-enroll into the test for Continuing Students. CHINESE PROFICIENCY TESTING IS ADMINISTERED AT THE TESTING CENTER. Please contact Melissa Minarik at least 5 business days before your desired test date to schedule your appointment.
Czech/Slovak	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. David Cooper PHONE: 217-244-4666 EMAIL: dlcoop@illinois.edu
Farsi (Persian)	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Eman Saadah PHONE: 217-244-4515 EMAIL: esaadah2@illinois.edu
German	Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures. Face-to-face proficiency testing is available by appointment only. Face-to-face placement testing is available by appointment only for continuing students. New students take the online German Placement Test. Mr. Charles Webster PHONE: 217-333-1288 EMAIL: cwebste@illinois.edu
Classical Greek	Classics Dept. Dr. Brian Walters PHONE: 217-333-1008 EMAIL: bwaltrs@illinois.edu
Modern Greek	Department of the Classics Dr. Antony Augoustakis PHONE: 217-333-7327 EMAIL: aaugoust@illinois.edu
Gujarati	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Hebrew	The Program in Jewish Culture and Society Ms. Regina Cassidy PHONE: 217-333-7978 EMAIL: rcassidy@illinois.edu Dr. Dara Goldman PHONE: 217-333-0986 EMAIL: degoldma@illinois.edu
Hindi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is no fee for this test.
Italian	Dept. of French and Italian Ms. Laura Callegari Hill PHONE: 217-244-9375 EMAIL: lchill1@illinois.edu Placement tests for Italian are offered face-to-face, not online. An effort will be made to schedule them in combination with the student’s Registration/Advising date. To set up a 30-minute appointment, please contact Laura Hill, Director of the Basic Italian Language Program, at least one week in advance of your desired test date.
Japanese	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Misumi Sadler PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Japanese testing: debrice@illinois.edu The Japanese Placement Test will be offered on August 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Room G18 FLB. You must register in advance.The next opportunity will be in January 2020.
Kannada	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Korean	Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures Dr. Jeeyoung Ahn Ha PHONE: 217-244-2725 EMAIL: Please contact Debbie if you have questions about Korean testing debrice@illinois.edu The Korean Placement Test will be offered on Friday, August 23, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in Room G27 FLB. You must register in advance. The next opportunity will be in January 2020.
Latin	Classics Dept. Proficiency testing only! New students must take the online Latin placement test prior to enrolling in a Latin course. Continuing students must request a face-to-face testing appointment. All Latin proficiency exams are administered on an individual basis. Dr. Ariana Traill PHONE: 217-333-7661 EMAIL: traill@illinois.edu
Malayalam	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Marathi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Native American Languages: Quechua	Upon consent from the Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Mr. Carlos Molina-Vital PHONE: 217-333-3182 EMAIL: crm5@illinois.edu
Polish	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take this test will be on Friday, August 23 or on Friday August 30 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room G20 FLB. General information about the Slavic placement tests is available on their website.
Portuguese	Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese Mrs. Raquel Castro Goebel PHONE: 217-333-3390 EMAIL: rcgoebel@illinois.edu
Punjabi	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Russian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take this test will be on Friday, August 23 or on Friday August 30 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room G18 FLB. General information about the Slavic placement tests is available on their website.
Sanskrit	Dept. of Religion Dr. Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz PHONE: 217-333-0473 EMAIL: jvanbirk@illinois.edu
Scandinavian Languages	Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures Dr. Verena Jessica Hoefig PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: verena@illinois.edu
Serbian/Croatian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take this test will be on Friday, August 23 or on Friday August 30 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room G18 FLB. General information about the Slavic placement tests is available on their website.
Tamil	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Telugu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Turkish	Turkish Studies Dr. Ayse Ozcan PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: aozcan@illinois.edu
Ukrainian	Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu The next opportunity to take this test will be on Friday, August 23 or on Friday August 30 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Room G18 FLB. General information about the Slavic placement tests is available on their website.
Urdu	Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu The next test will be given on Tuesday, September 3 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration is required. There is a fee for this test.
Yiddish	The Program in Jewish Culture and Society Ms. Regina Cassidy PHONE: 217-333-7978 EMAIL: rcassidy@illinois.edu Dr. Dara Goldman PHONE: 217-333-0986 EMAIL: degoldma@illinois.edu

IF YOUR LANGUAGE IS NOT LISTED ABOVE:

You may make arrangements to take an external exam from one of the institutions whose test results we accept for LOTE purposes, if that institution offers your language. Please note that you are responsible for all proctoring and testing fees. You should plan on taking the exam during Fall or Spring semester, as faculty are not usually available during the summer to administer language tests.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign accepts test results from the following institutions:

NYU School of Professional Studies - Download and fill out this registration form: NYU lang-prof-registration_UIUC and register for the 12-point exam (not the 16-point exam) in your language.

University of Pennsylvania Language Center - Contact PNP if you have questions about completing their registration form.

Indiana University - Contact PNP for more information.

Brigham Young University - BYU's FLATS exams assess through the third level of a language. Before registering for a BYU exam, please check with your academic advisor to confirm the language requirement that you need to fulfill. All programs in the Gies College of Business, most programs in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and some programs in the College of Fine & Applied Arts require demonstration of fourth-level proficiency rather than third-level proficiency.

After verifying that the institution offers an exam in the language that you want to test in, your next step is to contact our Testing Center and make arrangements to test under proctored conditions.

For other questions, please contact pnp@illinois.edu or call 217-265-6248 during business hours.

Language

Department Responsible For Testing