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Home > Academic Deans > Academic Advising Handbook > Exemption & Placement
Exemption and Placement
Exemption
I. Music Exemption Exams
Music 100 and Music 131 exemption exams will be offered during Orientation. Because the Department of Music believes students enrolled in individual performance studies should have a thorough knowledge of the rudiments of music, successful completion of, or exemption from, Music 100 must occur within the first two semesters of performance study. Students who demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the rudiments of music are exempted from the Music 100 requirement for continued performance studies. (see Orientation Program in September for times and location.)
II. Language Exemption
(The following statement applies to students who enter the College in fall 2008 or later.)
A degree-seeking student at Mount Holyoke is expected to study a language other than English while matriculated at the College. She can satisfy the language requirement in a number of ways. Preferably by the end of the sophomore year she should either:
1. complete a formal two-semester elementary course sequence in a foreign language new to her or for which she has little or inadequate preparation. (The self-instructional and mentored language courses offered through the Five College Center for World Languages cannot be used to meet the Mount Holyoke language requirement.)
2. complete a designated one-semester foreign language course or foreign literature course taught in the foreign language at the intermediate level or above.
International students are not exempted automatically from the language requirement. However, a student whose first language is not English can satisfy the language requirement with:
• documentation that she attended a secondary school for at least one year at which instruction was conducted in a language other than English.
• documentation that she attended a secondary school outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction was English, but she elected a language or literature course taught in her native language.
• an O-level, A-level, or GSCE language result (for students from India, this would be a Grade X or Grade XII) or an official record of a college-level course in her native language.
If a student meets at least one of the criteria listed immediately above and wishes to be exempted from the language requirement, she must contact dean of international students Donna Van Handle (dvanhand@mtholyoke.edu), who will review the student’s records and inform the registrar's office if she determines that the language requirement has been fulfilled.
Placement
I. Language Placement/Diagnostic Exams
Language department faculty will be available at the Academic Fair on Wednesday, September 5 to answer placement questions. Language Placement/Diagnostic exams are designed by some departments for students who intend to continue taking a language that they have studied in the past. These are diagnostic tests that help the language department place students in an appropriate course.
French, Spanish, and German departments have made online language placement exams available to new students during the summer. Most students will have taken the appropriate online language placement exam before arriving at Mount Holyoke. Students who were not able to take the online exam during the summer may still do so upon arrival (see information below).
Students interested in taking a language in their first semester were also asked to submit language questionnaires during the summer that are reviewed by the appropriate departments. Students have preregistered for language courses based on the online exam results (if applicable), information guiding them in the Catalogue, and their current level of proficiency. Students' course selections are reviewed by the appropriate departments during the summer, and any necessary changes based on students' specific training will appear on their course schedules in the fall. This preliminary placement is subject to further change upon review of diagnostic test results, as well as upon consideration of students' scheduling preferences.
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Sanskrit
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit language placement/exemption tests will be arranged during the first week of classes by faculty members from the Asian
Studies Program. Students who have studied these languages prior to coming to Mount Holyoke should select the course level that seems appropriate and plan to
consult with the department chairs at the Asian Studies table during the Academic Fair. It will not be difficult to make changes and receive advice at that time for placement in the correct course levels. The professors below will assist in decisions about placement:
French
Students planning to matriculate in the fall should have taken the online placement exam and filled out the French questionnaire no later than June 15. Students who have not done this should take it as soon as possible after arrival on campus. In order to qualify to take the French exemption exam, students must first take the placement test and receive a score of at least 550. Questions should be addressed to Mary Fanelli, administrative assistant for French, mfanelli@mtholyoke.edu.
German Studies
Students who have not taken the German online placement exam during the summer should take it as soon as possible after they arrive on campus.
Also, students who have not already completed the online German Language Questionnaire should do so immediately. Students will be contacted by the department to schedule a 5-minute oral interview to complete the placement process. Any questions about placement or exemption should be directed to the chair of the Department of German Studies: Karen Remmler, x2719 (from on-campus) or 413-538-2719 (from off-campus).
Greek
Students interested in placement in the appropriate Greek language course should contact Paula Debnar, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Classics and Italian (pdebnar@mtholyoke.edu).
Italian
Students wishing to enroll in an Italian course should contact Prof. Ombretta Frau for placement.
Latin
Students who have not taken the Latin online placement exam during the summer should take it as soon as possible after they arrive on campus. Any questions about placement in Latin courses should be directed to Paula Debnar, associate professor and chair, Department of Classics and Italian (pdebnar@mtholyoke.edu).
Russian
Students interested in studying the Russian language should consult with Professor Stephen Jones, 118 Ciruti in the Department of Russian and Eurasian studies. A 45-minute placement exam is offered to assist students in determining which course they should take, but consultation with Professor Jones about your past experience in studying Russian or any travel in Russia is equally important and will help determine language exemption, if requested.
Spanish
Students who have not taken the online Spanish Placement Test over the summer must take it as soon as possible after they arrive on campus. The password is marylyon. Students should also come to the Spanish Department office immediately to complete a language questionnaire, if they have not submitted one previously. In order to qualify to take the Spanish Exemption Exam, students must first take the Placement Test and receive a qualifying score. Questions should be addressed to Susan Labarre, senior administrative assistant for Spanish.
II. Calculus Placement
All students who indicated an interest in studying calculus at Mount Holyoke were asked to complete an online Mathematics Assessment exam. For questions about calculus placement, contact Margaret Robinson (robinson@mtholyoke.edu, x2394).
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