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Home Department of World Languages and Literatures Student Resources Placement Testing

Language Placement and Credit

Placement Exam

Students with a previous background in a given language should take the placement exam in that language, when available, in order to determine in what course they should enroll. No credit is awarded on the basis of the placement exam; it is merely an indicator of what course would be most appropriate based on the student's results on the exam.  Online placement exams are available in French, German, Russian, and Spanish.  Please contact the Undergraduate Coordinator, Dr. Will Thompson, if you want to take the placement exam in one of these languages.

For other languages offered in the department, please contact the following individuals:

Retroactive Credit

If a student places into 2010, 2020, or the 3000 level, and subsequently takes the appropriate course and passes with a grade of C or better, the student may then request the paperwork to apply for retroactive credit. The cost is $60 per course.

  • If the course taken is 2010, then the student can apply for up to six hours (1010 and 1020).
  • If the course taken is 2020, then the student can apply for up to nine hours (1010, 1020, 2010).
  • If the course taken is upper-division, the student can apply for up to twelve hours (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020).

For more information, please contact Dr. Will Thompson at wjthmpsn@memphis.edu.

Credit By Examination

Students wishing to obtain permission for Credit by Examination through the Department of World Languages and Literatures in a language taught in the department must consult the language section head, who will determine whether the proposed Credit by Examination is feasible. Other faculty are not authorized to give these examinations without the approval of the section head. If approval is granted, the student will submit a request for approval: https://www.memphis.edu/registrar/register/credit-by-exam.php. 

If the language is not taught in the department, students should consult with the department chair to determine credit by examination is an option for that language.  The department is a testing center for the Brigham Young University FLATS (http://flats.byu.edu) which offers online examinations in more than 40 languages not offered at the university.  The department can also proctor exams offered by New York University: https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/proficiency-testing.html.

Language Credit for Secondary-Level Study in Another Language

Students who have completed the equivalent of high school at a school where English was not the primary language of instruction, and who present documentation confirming these studies, may receive credit for 2010 and 2020 in that language. Students must come to the main office of the Department of World Languages and Literatures to initiate the process. Students must have successfully completed, with a grade of C or better, ENGL 1010 and 1020 before applying for this credit.  For more information, please contact Dr. Will Thompson, wjthmpsn@memphis.edu.

CLEP

The University of Memphis accepts credit awarded through the CLEP program. More information can be found at: https://www.memphis.edu/testing/services/clep.php. Please note that the Department of World Languages and Literatures does not administer the CLEP exam and has no role in the awarding of credit for the CLEP exam; this is done through the university's Testing Center.

Advanced Placement

The University of Memphis awards credit for scores of 3 or better on the Advanced Placement exams in French, German, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish. The table indicating what credit is awarded at the University of Memphis can be found at https://www.memphis.edu/admissions/pdfs/ap_table.pdf.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The University of Memphis awards credit for scores obtained through the International Baccalaureate program in French, German, Greek, Latin, and Spanish. The table indicating what credit is awarded at the University of Memphis can be found at: https://www.memphis.edu/admissions/pdfs/ib_table.pdf.