Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do I need to take the Spanish placement exam? What is the University's policy concerning placement in lower-division Spanish courses?

  The UCR General Catalog states that students who have taken Spanish in high school but have no college credit in Spanish are required to take the placement exam.

• What is the Spanish placement exam and how does it work?

  The Spanish placement exam is a proficiency-oriented exam designed to place the student in the most appropriate course. The exam does not yield unit credit; it determines whether the foreign language requirement has been met, and if not, it determines in which course a student should enroll.

• When is the Spanish placement exam given? Can I take it after the quarter has started?

  The dates, times, and locations of the Spanish placement exam are announced in the front pages of the Schedule of Classes and in the Hispanic Studies website. You take the placement exam before enrolling in a Spanish class; otherwise, you will not be allowed to enroll.

• When will results be available? What will the results tell me?

  Because the placement exam is fully automated, the results are available immediately after the exam is taken. The results will also be available within a day or two under your name in the Student Information System. The results will indicate the lowest Spanish course in which you may enroll. If you test out of the foreign language requirement, the letters “T.O” or the words “Tested Out” will appear and the number following will indicate the recommended level, should you wish to take Spanish courses beyond the foreign language breadth requirement.

• Why did my friend "test out" and get sent to Spanish 4, while I didn't "test out" and was sent to Spanish 4 to complete the foreign language breadth requirement?

  Different majors in the various colleges have different foreign language breadth requirements, if they have them at all.

• What if I change my major?

  If you change your major, your foreign language requirement may change as well. Consult with your new advisor for more information.

• I've never taken Spanish in high school or anywhere else, but I have Spanish speakers in my family, and I would like to take Spanish courses at UCR. Should I take the placement exam?

  Yes, all students who want to take a Spanish class at UCR must take the exam.

• I took Spanish courses at another university or at a community college. Should I still take the placement exam?

  No. Transfer students coming from other colleges or universities on a quarter system may take the next course following the level where they left off. Transfer students coming from colleges or universities on a semester system have two options: enroll in a course overlapping with the last course they took (and receive one-half, i.e. 2 units, of the total units of credit), or enroll in the following course in the sequence (to receive the total units of credit).

• I took the Advanced Placement (AP) exam in high school. Will this give me credit toward Spanish courses at UCR?

  No, UCR will only allow 8 units of elective credit, not credit for the foreign language requirement.

• I'm not happy with the results of the placement exam. Can I take the placement exam again next quarter?

  No, the Spanish placement exam may be taken ONLY ONCE before taking Spanish courses at UCR. Only the first Spanish placement exam score entered under your name in the Student Information System will be valid.

• I already took Spanish courses here at UCR, but need one or two more to fulfill my foreign language requirement. Can I take the placement exam to see if I get lucky and "test out"?

  No, because only the first Spanish placement exam score entered under your name in the Student Information system will be valid.

• I placed into level seven on the placement exam, what does that mean?

  Students placing into level 7 will be allowed automatically to register into SPN 109A, third-year Spanish, which is a course intended for bi-lingual native speakers of Spanish. If you do not consider yourself a native speaker of Spanish and you placed into level 7, you should speak to the chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies so you can register for Spanish 101A, which a the third-year Spanish course intended for the non-native Spanish Speakers.

• Where can I go for more information concerning Spanish placement exam policy?

  For more information, see Student Affairs personnel in the Department of Hispanic Studies.

• Can I mix my language, for instance, can I take two quarters of Chinese and two quarters of Spanish?

  No. The college requires that four quartersof the same language other than English be taken to meet the breadth requirement.