For questions or information, please contact:
Placement & Proficiency (217) 244-4437 pnp@illinois.edu
Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages (last updated August 22, 2017)
Placement testing is NOT NECESSARY if you have never studied the language. 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. If you are not familiar with a language, you don't need to take any placement test. You will simply enroll in the first elementary-level course.
Placement testing and proficiency testing in a less commonly studied language are carried out by the department that offers the language. The department decides the date and time of the test, the manner in which testing is conducted, and the score. The test administrator determines your level of proficiency as well as your course placement, based on your performance. The department also determines how much proficiency credit, if any, your performance earns. Credit hours are NOT automatically posted to your academic record simply because you took a language proficiency exam. Sometimes passing the proficiency exam fulfills your General Education language requirement but does not earn course credit. 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 language skills. Thus, placement and proficiency testing in a particular less commonly studied language might not be offered every semester. If this is the case for you, 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 the department charges.
Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mary Gathogo PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL:gathogo@illinois.edu
Speech and Hearing Science Dept. Ms. Susan Dramin Weiss (by appointment only) PHONE: 217-333-2230 EMAIL: sdramin@illinois.edu
Linguistics Dept. Dr. Eman Saadah PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL:esaadah2@illinois.edu
Dept of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL:jihualde@illinois.edu
Linguistics Dept. Dr. Mithilesh Mishra PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: mkmishra@illinois.edu
Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE: 217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu
Click here for dates and other information related to Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian placement and proficiency testing.
Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Richard Tempest PHONE: 217-244-4720 EMAIL: rtempest@illinois.edu *Placement testing only* There are two courses.
Dept of Spanish and Portuguese Dr. Jose Ignacio Hualde PHONE: 217-244-7161 EMAIL: jihualde@illinois.edu
Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures EMAIL: slclundergradservices@illinois.edu
For information related to EALC placement testing, please email Ms. Debbie Kraybill at debrice@illinois.edu
Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. David Cooper PHONE: 217-244-4666 EMAIL: dlcoop@illinois.edu
Germanic Languages and Literatures Dept. Proficiency testing only! New students must take the online German placement test prior to enrolling in a German course. Continuing students must request a face-to-face testing appointment. All German proficiency exams are administered on an individual basis. Mr. Charles Webster PHONE: 217-244-6609 EMAIL: cwebste@illinois.edu
Classics Dept. Professor Jon Solomon PHONE: 217-333-1008 EMAIL: josolomo@illinois.edu
Modern Greek Studies Dept.. Dr. Stefanos Katsikas PHONE: 217-300-7188 EMAIL: skatsika@illinois.edu
Program in Jewish Culture and Society Dr. Sara Feldman PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: sarafeld@illinois.edu
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 Summer Registration Program. To set up a 30-minute appointment, please contact Laura Hill, Director of the Basic Italian Language Program, at lchill1@illinois.edu at least one week in advance of your desired test date.
There is a fee for this test.
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
Upon consent from the Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Dr. Kasia Szremski PHONE: 217-300-2231 EMAIL: szremski@illinois.edu
Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. George Gasyna PHONE: 217-244-3070 EMAIL:ggasyna@illinois.edu
Professor Gasyna will meet by appointment only, as he will not be holding regular office hours during Fall 2017. His office is Room 3056 FLB. Click here for dates and other information related to Polish placement and proficiency testing.
Dept of Spanish and Portuguese Mrs. Raquel Castro Goebel PHONE: 217-333-3390 EMAIL: rcgoebel@illinois.edu
Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures Dr. Roman Ivashkiv PHONE:217-333-0680 EMAIL: roman904@illinois.edu
Click here for dates and other information related to Russian placement and proficiency testing.
Dept. of Religion Dr. Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz PHONE: 217-333-0473 EMAIL: jvanbirk@illinois.edu
Dept. of Germanic Languages and Literatures Dr. Verena Jessica Hoefig PHONE: --- (Please contact her by email) EMAIL: verena@illinois.edu
Turkish Studies Dr. Ayse Ozcan PHONE: 217-333-3563 EMAIL: aozcan@illinois.edu
Click here for dates and other information related to Ukrainian placement and proficiency testing.
IF YOUR LANGUAGE IS NOT LISTED ABOVE:
If you need to take a placement or proficiency exam and your language is not listed above, you may make arrangements to take the NYU exam or the U-Penn exam, if NYU or UPenn offers your language. You will need to contact the Testing Center and make arrangements for them to proctor you while you take the exam. Please note that you are responsible for all proctoring and testing fees. Strong performance on the 12-point NYU exam or the UPenn exam will fulfill Illinois' General Education LOTE requirement.
For other questions, please contact pnp@illinois.edu or call 217-244-4437.