Second language placements assessments help measure a student's knowledge and skills so they can select advanced courses to continue their language learning. The UO does not give credit for language placement exams. Students who have previously studied a language and want to continue their language learning should take a placement assessment to determine which classes will help them advance. Most language departments require a placement if you wish to register for any course above the first year (101).
Students who have earned credit for a language should not need to take a placement test. They should send their official transcript for their coursework, AP, IB, or CLEP programs to the UO’s Office of the Registrar for processing. Once the language credits have been posted to the transcript, students should be eligible to register for the next courses. Students can log into DuckWeb to check if courses have been posted.
Below you will find the language placements that the University Testing Center helps administer. Many language departments administer their placement tests without using the University Testing Center. If the language you are looking for is not listed below, please reach out to the department directly to ask about any placement procedures. Many languages at the UO fall under the School of Global Studies and Languages.
American Sign Language (ASL)
Students may take the Avant STAMP ASL to place into the ASL sequence. For more information about the STAMP and how to register, please see STAMP 4S under Language Proficiency.
Placement into ASL courses is based on the cumulative score received for the STAMP ASL as listed below:
Score | Course |
|---|---|
2 | ASL 102 |
3 | ASL 103 |
4 | ASL 201 |
5 | ASL 202 |
6+ | ASL 203 |
The STAMP ASL may also be used to meet the BA second language requirement with a score of 7+.
To register and pay for a STAMP ASL, please see the STAMP information under Language Proficiency.
Chinese
Students who have a background in Mandarin Chinese, either as native speakers or through prior coursework, must take a placement exam before enrolling in any Chinese classes. The Chinese placement is completed online through Canvas.
The Chinese placement test is a three-part, fifty-five-minute, multiple choice test which consists of listening, grammar and reading comprehension, and an oral interview. The grammar and reading sections are available in simplified (short-form) or traditional (long-form). After students complete the written portion, they will receive information about the oral interview. You will receive your placement results after the oral interview.
To make an appointment for the Chinese placement, please contact the UO Testing Center directly at testing@uoregon.edu or 541-346-3230. During summer term there are limited Zoom appointments available. The Chinese placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
French
The French placement may be taken online at home on a personal computer. If a student prefers to come to the University Testing Center, they may make an appointment to take an in-person test instead. These assessments are not timed, and most students complete the assessment in about thirty minutes.
When you take the French placement assessment, you will create an account and then log in with your newly created account. Please use your UO email address and ID number (95…) when creating your account to ensure your results are processed more efficiently.
Placement results are shown immediately after the assessment and will be emailed and added to the student’s account within five to ten working days. The French placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
German
The German placement may be taken online at home on a personal computer. If a student prefers to come to the University Testing Center, they may make an appointment to take an in-person test instead. These assessments are not timed, and most students complete the assessment in about thirty minutes.
When you take the German placement assessment, you will create an account and then log in with your newly created account. Please use your UO email address and ID number (95…) when creating your account to ensure your results are processed more efficiently.
Placement results are shown immediately after the assessment and will be emailed and added to the student’s account within five to ten working days. The German placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
Japanese
The Japanese placement consists of listening, grammar and reading, writing, and an oral interview. The Japanese placement is taken online through Canvas and has no time limit. It is a rigorous placement and most students take around three hours to complete it.
After completing the written portion, students will receive instructions about the oral interview. Students will receive their placement results during the oral interview directly from the advisor.
To make an appointment for the Japanese placement, please contact the University Testing Center at testing@uoregon.edu or 541-346-3230. During summer term there are limited Zoom appointments available. The Japanese placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
Korean
The Korean placement has three parts: a forty-five-minute multiple-choice test consisting of grammar and reading comprehension, a twenty-minute writing section, and an oral interview with the Korean program faculty. Students must complete the multiple-choice test and writing section before they meet with Korean faculty for an oral interview.
Students will receive their final placement results while meeting with the Korean faculty for their oral interview.
The Korean placement is completed online through Canvas. There are two versions of the Korean placement:
- Level 1 is for students who know how to read and write the Korean alphabet and have engaged in self-study or beginning Korean for less than a year.
- Level 2 is for students who have engaged in self-study or beginning Korean classes for more than a year.
To make an appointment for the Korean placement, please contact the UO Testing Center at testing@uoregon.edu or 541-346-3230. During summer term there are limited Zoom appointments available. The Korean placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
Russian
The Russian placement is completed on a computer and must be taken in person at the University Testing Center. It is a computer adaptive test and takes most students less than thirty minutes to complete. To make an appointment for the Russian placement, please contact the UO Testing Center at testing@uoregon.edu or 541-346-3230.
Placement results are shown immediately after the assessment and will be emailed and added to the student’s account within five to ten working days. The Russian placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
Spanish
The Spanish placement may be taken online at home on a personal computer. If a student prefers to come to the University Testing Center, they may make an appointment to take an in-person test instead. These assessments are not timed, and most students complete the assessment in about thirty minutes.
When you take the Spanish placement assessment, you will create an account and then log in with your newly created account. Please use your UO email address and ID number (95…) when creating your account to ensure your results are processed more efficiently.
Placement results are shown immediately after the assessment and will be emailed and added to the student’s account within five to ten working days. The Spanish placement has a fee of $10 that will be charged to the student account.
Spanish Heritage Program
Students who have learned Spanish in their household, family, or community (primarily outside of the classroom) should instead complete the free Spanish Heritage Language Program Placement Survey. After the assessment, you will receive a recommendation for course placement.