Incoming freshmen with prior knowledge of a foreign language,
who wish to build on that knowledge while at St. John's University
or to satisfy core language requirements, must take a language
placement test.
The purpose of the placement test is to evaluate incoming
students' proficiency in grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening
comprehension, so that they may be placed at the right level of
instruction.
Students with no prior knowledge of the language they wish to
take are naturally exempt from the placement test and may register
for level one. They will need to document this by producing a copy
of their High School transcript on the first day of class.
Placement tests are administered for the following languages:
- French
- German
- Modern Greek
- Italian
- Russian
- Spanish
Administration of Placement Test
Placement tests are administered at the Language Laboratory,
located in St Augustine Hall Room B 48, during office hours.
Appointments are advisable to make sure that students can be
accommodated at busy hours in the lab. In the summertime
–June, July and August- appointments are necessary due to limited
available staff. Please call (718) 990-6293 for an
appointment.
Come during office hours and be ready to show a photo ID . The test
should take approximately 45 minutes and requires no prior
preparation. Results are made available within 48 hours, allowing
students to register without delay. Students who place at an
advanced level will have to consult with the coordinator for that
language in the Dept. of Languages and Literatures for advice
on suitable courses (see Coordinators: under
"Administration").
There are no placement tests at this time for Latin, Arabic, Hindi,
Hebrew or Portuguese. Students interested in building on
their prior knowledge of these languages should contact
Departmental Administration at (718) 990-6314 in order to make an
appointment for evaluation by an appropriate
instructor.
Students interested in Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese and
Korean) should contact the Institute of Asian Studies at St. John's
University.
Staten Island Students
Students at the Staten Island Campus should consult the Dean's
office for placement guidelines.