Language Testing

Placement

The Placement Exam is done online for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese and is used only for placement into a course at the appropriate level. No credit is given for placement exams. You can access the placement test through NextSteps or the LPPE website.

Proficiency

The Proficiency Exam is an in-person proctored exam, and is used to show proficiency in a language, and can be used to wave your degree's second language requirement. No credit is given for proficiency exams. 

Sign up for exams:

Please contact the coordinators below to set up a proficiency interview online. 

  • Chinese: given at the beginning and the end of a semester by appointment only; contact Hongyi Jia (hjia@arizona.edu) to schedule an appointment
  • Korean: contact Sojung Chun at (sojeongj@arizona.edu) with any questions

 

Japanese Placement/Proficiency test in August 2023 

  1. Students will take the online placement/proficiency test (i.e., grammar, listening, and reading) via NextSteps for freshman or LPPE for other students by 11:59pm on Monday, August 14th. 
  2. On the 15th, instructors will email each student about a Zoom link and a link for a sign-up site for a time slot (e.g., 12:30pm-12:45pm) for his/her/their advanced placement test. 
  3. Students who are placed into JPN 102 or a higher class and students whose proficiency looks higher than JPN 101 will take the advance test (i.e., an oral interview and an essay) via Zoom between 12pm-3pm on the 16th. They should keep these hours open. 
  • Contact Dr. Karatsu (karatsu@arizona.edu) for any questions about Japanese placement/proficiency test. 

Credit-By-Exam

Credit-by-Exam is used to earn course credits in a language through examination. There are additional procedures and fees associated with the credit-by-exam process. Credit by exams are scheduled by appointment only. You can earn credit for 101 (5 credits), 102 (5 credits), 201 (5 credits), 202 (5 credits), 301 (3 credits), and 302 (3 credits) language courses.

Step 1

Step 2

  • After the department has been notified by the Bursar’s Office that the fee has been paid, you can then contact the language faculty members to schedule an appointment for the exam.

Additional Exam Information

What types of exams are given?

Chinese

There are three exams: (1) placement exam, (2) proficiency/competency exam, (3) credit by exam. They serve different purposes, as follows:

  1. Placement exam: For students with some background in Mandarin Chinese, this test helps determine a student’s language level and the appropriate course to enroll in. No course units are given for taking this exam.  

  2. Proficiency/competency exam: This is a testing-out exam. For students who are already proficient in Chinese and want to satisfy the UA foreign language requirement, this is the exam to take. Passing this exam with a 2nd or 4th semester proficiency will satisfy the foreign language requirement depending on the degree. There is no fee for this exam. No course units are given for taking this exam.

  3. *Credit by exam: Students who achieve a passing score on this exam can receive course credit. Credits can be earned as follows: CHN 101 (5 units), CHN 102 (10 units), CHN 201 (15 units), or CHN 202 (20 units). Credit by exam is not available beyond CHN 202. There is a fee for this exam. UA registration policies also apply.

Japanese

  1. Placement exam: For students with some background in Japanese, this test helps determine a student’s language level and the appropriate course to enroll in. No course units are given for taking this exam.  

  2. Proficiency/competency exam: This is a testing-out exam. For students who are already proficient in Japanese and want to satisfy the UA foreign language requirement, this is the exam to take. Passing this exam with a 2nd or 4th semester proficiency will satisfy the foreign language requirement depending on the degree. No course units are given for taking this exam.

  3. Credit by exam will be omitted.

Korean

  1. Placement exam: For students with some background in Korean, this test helps determine a student’s language level and the appropriate course to enroll in.  No course units are given for taking this exam.  

  2. Proficiency/competency exam: This is a testing-out exam. For students who are already proficient in Korean and want to satisfy the UA foreign language requirement, this is the exam to take. Passing this exam with a 2nd or 4th semester proficiency will satisfy the foreign language requirement depending on the degree. No course units are given for taking this exam.

 

What are the exams like?

Chinese

  • Placement exam: This consists of multiple-choice questions, in traditional and simplified characters. The objective of this exam is place the student in an appropriate course. Time allowed: two hours.
  • Proficiency/competency exam: This consists of a translation and a long composition (you will be asked to write on a particular topic). Both traditional and simplified characters will be provided in the test. You can write in either traditional or simplified characters. Time allowed: two hours.
  • Credit by exam: The exam is similar to the final exam of CHN 101, 102, 201, or 202, depending on the level you are testing for. Time allowed: two hours. See below for more information about credit by exam.

Japanese

  • Placement: It consists of listening comprehension questions, multiple-choice grammar questions, and reading comprehension questions in Japanese. Time allowed: two hours.
  • Proficiency: It consists of listening comprehension questions, multiple-choice grammar questions, reading comprehension questions, writing a short essay, and an oral interview in Japanese. Time allowed: two hours.

Korean

  • Placement: the exam consists of grammar, reading comprehension, and listening in Korean. Time allowed: two hours.
  • Proficiency: the exam consists of grammar, reading comprehension, listening, a written essay and oral interview in Korean. Time allowed: two hours.

When are the exams given? How often are they given? How long do they last?

Japanese

The Japanese proficiency exams are offered twice a semester. The first one is offered two days before the first day of school. The second one is offered on the third day of the first week of school. The latter is only for students who have a legitimate time conflict on the first day. Time allowed: Two hours.

Chinese

The Chinese proficiency exam is offered at the beginning of each semester, two days before the first day of school, and at the end of each semester.

Korean

The Korean proficiency exam are offered at the beginning of each semester, before the first day of school.

What should I bring to the exam?

A pencil and your ID.

When and how will I know the results?

Chinese

For both exams, you will be given the results immediately afterwards by the instructor who gives the exam.

Japanese

The results will be emailed to you within a couple of days after the exam by the program director

Korean

The results will be emailed to you within a couple of days after the exam.

 

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Chinese

For questions about the placement and or proficiency exam, contact Hongyi Jia (hjia@arizona.edu).

Japanese

Contact Mariko Karatsu, Ph.D. (karatsu@arizona.edu).

Korean 

Please contact Sojung Chun (sojeongj@arizona.edu).
 

Advising

For questions about the major/minor, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Camp.