Language Placement
This information is useful for incoming first-year students during summer orientation as well as for all students and their advisors throughout the academic year in determining their course of language study. Registering for the right level course is crucial for your success in studying a foreign language.
Despite the availability of quantitative exams and general guidelines, proper language placement is not an exact science. In some cases, placement might be determined by attending the first days of classes and consulting with your language instructor or the language coordinator immediately. If you believe you fall into this category (the class seems too difficult or too basic for you), please contact the appropriate language coordinator before the end of the first week of the drop/add period. It is important to follow the professional advice of your instructors or the coordinators in this matter.
Given the expense involved, it is also not advisable to purchase language textbooks from non-refundable sources in advance of the new semester unless you are absolutely certain of which course you will be taking.
Our language curriculum is structurally "progressive": that is to say, one course builds upon the previous one in helping you to develop mastery of the various, necessary skills (reading, listening, writing, speaking) in order to reach true mastery of the language. Experience has shown that, frequently enough, if you skip one of the courses in this carefully constructed sequence, it is likely that you will not do well in the course or, just as importantly, will not reach the level of competence necessary to succeed in higher-level courses in literature and culture.
For specific details about the French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish placement tests, refer to the individual language sections below.
Placement Tests
The French Placement test is online and can be taken at any time from anywhere, once you have signed up for it. You will then receive an email with information on how to access the test. Requests will be processed in a timely manner, but please allow for at least 24 hours.
Who should take a placement exam?
- Students who speak and/or have studied French
- Students who scored less than 3 on the AP French Language exam
Who does not need to take a placement exam?
- Students with no previous knowledge of French should enroll in FREN1009 (Elementary French I).
- Students who enroll in Elementary French I, who would like extra practice to fine tune their French skills, may also sign up for FREN1011(Elementary French I Practicum), a one-credit course.
AP French Language Exam Scores
Students who have taken the AP French Language exam should determine their placement based on the following recommendations.
- If you scored 3 on the AP French Language exam, the department recommends: FREN2209 Conversation, Composition, and Reading 1 (CCR 1)
- If you scored a 4 or 5 on the AP French Language exam, please visit the Foreign Languages resource table during course registration on Tuesday of your Orientation Session this summer OR email Prof. Kevin Newmark (kevin.newmark@bc.edu).
French Placement Test: Reading and Listening
ACTFL’s (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) online Proficiency Placement test (APPT) is designed to help you determine the most appropriate course level for your ongoing studies in French.
- The test consists of two sections, reading and listening. Test items are either a genuine reading text or audio passage and multiple-choice questions with one correct answer associated with the text or passage.
- The two sections of the test may last up to 60 minutes.
- It is computer-adaptive, and each communication skill (reading and listening) presents between 10–25 items, depending on the ability of the test taker.
- Please make sure you have headphones for listening or a quiet place to play audio recordings from your computer.
Once you have completed the test, you will be able to view your score and your suggested placement, namely:
For any combinations not listed below, email Andréa Javel at andrea.javel@bc.edu.
| Rating on Reading Test (RPT) | Rating on Listening Test (LPT) | Recommended Course |
|---|---|---|
| Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Novice High (NH) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice High (NH) | Novice Low (NL) - Novice Mid (NM) | Elementary French I, FREN1009 |
| Novice High (NH) | Novice High (NH) | Elementary French II, FREN1010 (offered only in the spring) |
| Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate Low (IL) - Intermediate Mid (IM) | Intermediate French I, FREN1109 |
| Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate High (IH) | Intermediate French II, FREN1110 (offered in the fall and spring) |
| Intermediate High (IH) - Advanced Low (AL) | Intermediate High (IH) Advanced Low (AL) | CCR I, French Conversation, Composition, and Reading FREN2209 |
| Advanced Low (AL) and above | Advanced Low (AL) and above | You may be ready for French courses at the 3000 level, especially if you had more than 4 years of a solid high school program in French and have had some experience studying abroad in France or a Francophone country. |
For further help in determining your placement, see the list of French language advisors below:
- Elementary and Intermediate French: Prof. Andrea Javel.
- French CCR: Prof. Franco Mormando.
- All French courses above CCR: Prof. Kevin Newmark.
If you scored a 4 or 5 on the AP French Language exam, please visit the Foreign Languages resource table during course registration on Tuesday of your Orientation Session this summer OR email Prof. Kevin Newmark (kevin.newmark@bc.edu).
If you studied Italian for more than one year or have a prior knowledge of the language, you can take a placement test which will help you determine the best Italian language course for you at BC. Please contact Italian Language Coordinator, Professor Carmen Merolla at carmen.merolla@bc.edu to take the test, or for any other questions regarding the study of Italian language at BC.
If you have never studies Italian or if you studied it in high school for one year, take ITAL 1003, Elementary Italian I.
If you studied Italian for two to three years in high school or one semester at the college level, take ITAL 1004 Elementary Itallian II (spring semester).
If you studied Italian for three to four years in high school or for two semesters at the college level, take ITAL 1113 Intermediate Italian I.
If you scored a three on the Italian Language AP exam, or studied Italian in high school for four years or three semesters at the college level, take ITAL 1114, Intermediate Italian II (spring semester).
If you scored a four or five on the Italian Language AP exam, or studied more than four years in high school or four semesters at the college level, take ITAL 2213, Italian Conversation, Composition and Reading.
Instructors and students should still confer on the first day of class to confirm accurate placement.
Spanish Placement Test
The test will be offered online and can be taken at any time from anywhere once you have signed up for it (BC login required). Please allow 24 hours for the processing of your Sign-Up Form. The test can be taken only once. You must have your picture ID and your Boston College Agora username and password with you before starting the test.
Special Testing Accommodations
If special testing accommodations are necessary, DO NOT take the Placement Test online until you receive the accommodations approval letter. Make sure to submit your request for accommodations as early as possible by registering with either the Disability Services Office or the Connors Family Learning Center, so that they will be able to issue you a letter of accommodation. You must receive the accommodations approval letter before taking the test. You will need to contact the test administrator (silvana.falconi@bc.edu) and attach the letter in order to be able to take the test with special accommodations (e.g. extra time).
Who needs to take the Spanish Placement Test?
- Attention: If you have never studied Spanish, you DO NOT need to take the Spanish Placement Test. Register for SPAN1015 Elementary Spanish I. ONLY students who have never studied Spanish or who place into the course may enroll in Elementary Spanish I.
- If you have studied Spanish but have not taken the Spanish Language and Culture AP Exam, take the Placement Test.
- If you have taken the AP Exam and have not yet received the score, take the Spanish Placement Test and register for the course recommended when you complete the test. When you receive the AP score, you should do the necessary placement adjustment according to the information provided in the table below.
- If you scored a 3 or above on the Spanish Language and Culture AP Exam, or 6/7 on the IB Language Exam (higher level), you have fulfilled the language requirement; however, you are encouraged to continue in the Spanish program at the appropriate higher level.
- Transfer Students: If you have taken Elementary or Intermediate Spanish at a 4-year institution of higher education, sign up for the next course in sequence without taking the placement test but you must provide proof of past academic performance in the Spanish courses.. However, if you did not take Spanish at a 4-year institution of higher education, but did take Spanish in high school, you should take the Spanish Placement Test. Transfer students coming from 2-year institutions should take the placement test.
- Heritage Speakers: If you grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and/or lived in a Spanish-speaking country for a substantial amount of time, you may qualify for language proficiency certification as a “heritage speaker.” However, oral command of the language is not sufficient for this certification, especially if none of your schooling took place in Spanish; you must show proficiency in all four linguistic skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Unless you have done significant classroom study of the language in a Spanish-speaking country, the first step for certification is to take the Spanish placement exam. If you do have this academic background in the language, contact Prof. Yohana Gil Berrio (gilberiyo@bc.edu) to obtain certification.
- Students in the Carroll School of Management, Connell School of Nursing, and the Lynch School of Education and Human Development do not have a language requirement, but we encourage you to continue studying Spanish. You are welcome to take the Spanish Placement Test if appropriate or join the curriculum at a higher level if so qualified.
Score Placement Information
| Cut-Offs | Course Placement |
|---|---|
| 0–15 | SPAN1015 Elementary Spanish I |
| 15.5–26 | SPAN1016 Elementary Spanish II |
| 26.5–35 | SPAN1115 Intermediate Spanish I |
| 35.5–44 | SPAN1116 Intermediate Spanish II |
| 44.5 and above | During the summer registration sessions, incoming first-year students should discuss placement with a faculty member at the "Language Table;" all other students should contact Prof. Yohana Gil Berrio. |
Guidelines for Spanish Placement
| IB Language Exam in Spanish | AP Exam Scores in Spanish | Language Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 6/7 higher level | 3 or above | Language requirement fulfilled. Go to chart below |
| IB Language Exam in Spanish | AP Exam Scores in Spanish | Course / Test to be taken / Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Never studied Spanish | Never studied Spanish | Take SPAN1015 Elementary Spanish I |
| Did not take | Did not take | Take the Spanish Placement Test |
| 3 | Take the Placement Test if you wish to continue further studies in Spanish | |
| 6/7 higher level | 4 | SPAN2215 Conversation, Composition and Reading I |
| 5 | SPAN2216 Conversation, Composition and Reading II | |
| Native or heritage speaker | Native or heritage speaker | Consult the Department (rll@bc.edu) |
Spanish Placement Test FAQ
No. Preparation is not necessary for the Spanish Placement Test.
You can take it only once.
You will be allowed a maximum of 50 minutes to complete the test.
No. However, you should take the test seriously and answer each question to the best of your ability in order to obtain an accurate placement. If you do not know the answer to a question, it is best to simply leave it blank.
You are allowed to submit the test even though you may not have answered all the questions.
During the test, you cannot solicit outside help of any kind, including that of personal notes, print/electronic resources, or any person.
You can take the test any time from anywhere once you have submitted the Spanish Placement Test Sign-Up Form (BC email login required). Please allow 24 hours for the processing of your form.
Yes, you need to sign up online by completing the Spanish Placement Test Sign-Up Form (BC login required). Please allow 24 hours for the processing of your form.
Bring your picture ID and your Boston College Agora username and password. You won’t be able to take the test if you do not have this information.
If special testing accommodations are necessary, DO NOT take the Placement Test online until you receive the accommodations approval letter. Make sure to submit your request for accommodations as early as possible by registering with either the Disability Services Office or the Connors Family Learning Center, so that they will be able to issue you a letter of accommodation. You must receive the accommodations approval letter before taking the test. You will need to contact the test administrator (silvana.falconi@bc.edu) and attach the letter in order to be able to take the test with special accommodations (e.g. extra time). The test can be taken only once.
After submitting the test in Canvas, click the “next” button in the lower right of the screen to immediately access your Placement Test score. If at a later time, you wish to consult your test score again, you may access the score in Canvas by clicking on “Course Placement Information and Final Scores”.
For advising on placement in:
- Elementary and Intermediate Spanish, e-mail Professor Silvana Falconi
- Spanish CCR, e-mail Professor Yohana Gil Berrio
There is no placement test in Portuguese; students should contact the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at rll@bc.edu for more information.