Frequently Asked Questions About Placement
(Please use your 'Back' button to return to the Foreign Languages page.)

1. Do I have to take the Placement Exam?
2. How many times can I take the Placement Exam?
3. How long does the Placement Exam take?
4. What do I type in as my "user ID" and/or my "password" for the WebCAPE Placement Exam for French, German, or Spanish?
5. After Login to the Placement Exam, the gold Student Information page asks for an ID#. What if I don't know my MUID?
6. When do I find out the results of the Placement Exam?
7. I didn't get my Placement Exam results. What do I do?
8. What if I don't understand my placement result?
9. I placed into a course that is either too difficult or too easy for me. What should I do?
10. "My high school Foreign Language classes (or teacher) weren't very good and I didn't learn anything". Can I register for French, German, or Spanish 1 if I would like to start over?"
11. I was placed in 9. Is that a higher level than 3 or 4?
12. What is the difference between 3 and 4, and 10?
13. Do I need to call the Department before I register for the course that the Placement Exam indicates?
14. The section of the language course I'd like to take (or that fits in my schedule) is full. What should I do? Is there a waiting list?
15. Do I receive credit for taking the Exam?
16. How can I receive "Special Placement Credit"?
17. If I took the AP test in French, German, or Spanish, should I take the Placement Exam?
18. If I'm bilingual or a heritage speaker of Spanish, do I have to take the Placement Exam?
19. If I'm a native speaker of a language other than English, do I have to the Placement Exam or courses in a foreign language to fulfill the requirement?
20. I placed in 1 but have had 2 years or more of the language in high school; can I just stay in 1?
21. What do I do if I took a language course in high school and received college credits (i.e. CAPP course, etc.)?
    
    Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to take the Placement Exam?
   Answer: Yes, if you have studied French, German, or Spanish in high school and plan to continue, you must take the Placement Exam. There isn't a Placement Exam in Greek, Latin, Japanese, Chinese or Italian, so if you've taken one of these languages in the past, please contact the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures so that your best placement can be determined.



2. How many times can I take the Placement Exam?
   Answer: Only once, unless asked to retake it by the Department Chair or staff.
If you need to resume a test due to an internet interruption, please do not click "Start exam from scratch," click "Resume". To resume, you will need to use the same user ID with which you started.


3. How long does the Placement Exam take?
   Answer: About 20 minutes.



4. What do I type in as my "password" for the WebCAPE Placement Exam, for French, German, or Spanish?
   Answer:        Password = eagles1 (all lower case)



5. After Login to the Placement Exam, the gold Student Information page asks for an ID#. What if I don't know my MUID?
   Answer: If you cannot find your MUID # (an 8 digit number beginning with a 0), you can call the Undergraduate Admissions at: 414-288-7302 or 1-800-222-6544



6. When do I find out the results of the Placement Exam?
   Answer: Immediately following the exam, you will return to the gold "Placement Exam Report" page where your score will be shown.  You are advised to make a printout of the screen showing your score in the event the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures dos not receive your score.  It is also recommended you have a copy of this with you during advising or preview.
   


7. I didn't get my Placement Exam results. What do I do?
   Answer: If you have a printout of your score, keep that on file.  This is proof of your score.  You can also go back to the exam screen, enter your information EXACTLY as you did when you first took the exam, and click Resume.  Your final score will show here.  You may also contact the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures foreign.languages@marquette.edu  (414) 288-7063 to verify your score.
   


8. What if I don't understand my placement result?
   Answer: Contact the Foreign Language & Literatures Department at 414-288-7063
or foreign.languages@marquette.edu



9. I placed into a course that is either too difficult or too easy for me. What should I do?
   Answer: Contact the Foreign Language & Literatures Department at 414-288-7063 or foreign.languages@marquette.edu before registering for a course.
Do NOT register yourself for any course lower than where your placement indicates except with permission from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.  If you do not receive permission and attend the lower class, you may not be eligible for credit.


10. "My high school Foreign Language classes (or teacher) weren't very good and I didn't learn anything". Can I register for French, German, or Spanish 1 if I would like to start over?"
    Answer: If you studied 2 years or more of Spanish and your exam score places you in 1, you cannot take 1, you must register for 9: Intensive Elementary.  This is very important so that you do not encounter scheduling difficulties if it is found you are in 1 and should be in 9. If you have studied French or German, you must first take the placement test to determine whether or not you should indeed be placed in 1.
    


11. I was placed in 9. Is that a higher level than 3 or 4?
    Answer: No, 9 is the equivalent of taking 1 and 2, both elementary levels.  It's a special one semester, intensive, elementary course for students who have had 2 years or more of the language in high school, but who didn't place as high as the 3-4 Intermediate level.



12. What is the difference between 3 and 4, and 10?
    Answer: 10 is a challenging one semester intensive intermediate course. It's recommended especially for students who would like to continue on for a minor or major in the language. The 3 and 4 is the slower paced 2 semester intermediate level.



13. Do I need to call the Department before I register for the course that the Placement Exam indicates?
    Answer: No, unless you have any questions. However, if you have placed in level 1 of Spanish and have studied 2 years or more of that language, you must register for level 9.
    


14. The section of the language course I'd like to take (or that fits in my schedule) is full. What should I do? Is there a waiting list?
    Answer: Please try to rearrange your schedule to that you can register for another section.  There is NO Waiting List.
    


15. Do I receive credit for taking the Exam?
    Answer: No, the Placement Exam is only for placement in the appropriate French, German, or Spanish courses.



16. How can I receive "Special Placement Credit"?
    Answer: You may be eligible to apply for 3 to 6 hours of "special placement credit" dependent upon the level in which you're placed, and the completion of that course with a grade of B or better (plus earn credit for the course in which you're enrolled).  (Check the Department website www.marquette.edu/fola or your Course Catalog for more information.)



17. If I took the AP test in French, German, or Spanish, should I take the Placement Exam?
    Answer: Yes, depending on your AP score and level of placement, you may decide to take the course indicated by the Placement Exam instead of accepting your AP credit.  Consult the Department website www.marquette.edu/fola and click the Foreign Language Requirements tab for recommendations. Students who receive high scores on AP exams are sometimes eligible for placement credit, so you may want to contact the Department once you receive your AP score.
    


18. If I'm bilingual or a native speaker of Spanish, do I have to take the Placement Exam?
    Answer: Yes.  You are required to take the placement exam.  It is recommended that you take SPAN 183, a special language course for heritage speakers.  (Consult with the Department if you have any questions (414) 288-7063 or foreign.languages@marquette.edu).
    


19. If I'm a native speaker of a language other than English, do I have to the Placement Exam or courses in a foreign language to fulfill the requirement?
    Answer: If you are a native speaker of French, German or Spanish, you are required to take the placement exam.  If you are a native speaker of any other language you will have to consult with your College office to get an exemption.



20. If I placed in 1 but have had 2 years or more of the language in high school, can I just stay in 1?

Answer: No, level 1 is for students who have not had exposure to the language in high school. You MUST register for level 9 (still elementary) to avoid having to move the first week of class. If it has been more than one year since you've been enrolled in that language, you should consult with the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (414) 288-7063 or foreign.languages@marquette.edu .                                                   



21. What do I do if I took a language course in high school and received college credit (i.e. CAPP course, etc.)?
    Answer: Have your transcript sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. You do not need to take the Placement Exam. Your transcript will be evaluated and transfer credit will be determined. Consult with the Department to determine the appropriate course for which to register.