Foreign Language Placement Exam Info

Missouri State University uses the foreign language placement exam to help determine your level of skill in a specific language and your potential to succeed in a specific course.

We recommend that you take the exam before attending your SOAR session.

The exam evaluates your proficiency in the following languages:

  • Chinese
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish

Your placement exam results are good for as long as you remain an undergraduate student at Missouri State.

Full foreign language placement exam details

Who should take the exam?

The foreign language placement exam is not required of any incoming students.

However, we recommend students take the exam if:

  • They studied a language in high school (without receiving dual credit).
  • They were exposed to a language other than English in their homes.

Who should NOT take the exam?

Students should not take the online exam if:

  • They have no prior experience in a language. You can enroll in a 101-level course in your desired language to begin.
  • They have transfer credit (including dual credit) in a language course. You can simply enroll in the next course in the sequence to continue.
  • They are native speakers. Contact the languages, cultures and religions department to arrange for a proficiency assessment with a faculty member.
  • They wish to study a language other than Chinese, French, German, or Spanish. Contact the languages, cultures and religions department to arrange for a proficiency assessment with a faculty member.

Exam format

The computerized exam is offered online and can be taken at any time. It typically takes about 30 minutes to complete, and your results will be available at the conclusion of the test.

The exam uses multiple choice questions to evaluate knowledge of grammar and reading comprehension.

Taking the exam

Follow the steps below to take the foreign language placement exam:

  1. Visit the languages, cultures, and religions department's placement exam page.
  2. Read the tips for the exam, then select the link for the exam.
  3. Create an account. Input your BearPass number in the Student ID field.
  4. Select the Take Test button under the language you wish to test.
  5. Answer the test questions in the allotted time.

Your results will appear at the conclusion of the exam.

If you are unhappy with your scores, you may apply to the head of the languages, cultures and religions department for written permission to take the exam again in a supervised setting.

Foreign language courses at Missouri State

Foreign language requirements are determined by your degree type, major and/or minor. Foreign language courses are not required by the general education program. Reference the Undergraduate Catalog to determine if and what foreign language courses will be required of you.

You aren’t required to take a language course during your first semester. However, you may want to consider taking language courses as soon as possible, as language skills learned in high school tend to decrease over time without study or practice.

Transfer and AP language credit

If your credit transfers to Missouri State as a language course of level 101, 102 and 201, you will not need to take the foreign language placement exam. Any subsequent language courses you wish to take will begin at the next highest course level.

An Advanced Placement score of 3 or higher will give you up to 6 hours of elective credit. Please contact the languages, cultures and religions department head to determine placement.

If your courses are transferred from another college as electives, please contact the languages, cultures and religions department head to determine placement.