Testing: Placement & Examination for Credit
Placement Testing
The Language Placement Examination (LPE) is administered to every student who has a language requirement for their Major.
The LPE is administered through AVANT’s Placement Assessment program. AVANT’s Placement Assessment is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that quickly and accurately assesses a student’s level of language proficiency in Arabic, Chinese (Traditional and simplified), Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. AVANT provides the advantages of grouping and placing students, 24/7, from any web-based computer. AVANT’s Placement Assessments are quick, convenient, and engage students with real-world content in Reading, Contextualized Grammar, Writing, and Speaking.
The LPE must be taken prior to enrollment/registration, or no later than the first week of class. Exceptions can be made through Study Abroad, Transferred Credits, and/or further placement testing.
All language courses must be taken in proper sequence (e.g. “Language” 001, “Language” 002, “Language” 003, “Language” 004).
Exemptions from foreign language requirement will be made based on proctored placement examination taken on site at Howard University.
The LPE results will determine language course eligibility and placement. Academic Advisers will be available during New Student Orientation to answer questions regarding program requirements.
Students meeting the following criteria are exempt from the Language Placement Exam:
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Score of “3” on the Advance Placement (AP) Target Language exam – eligible to enroll in “Language” 004.
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Score of “4” or “5” on the Advance Placement (AP) Target Language exam – exempt from lower language courses (e.g. 001, 002, 003, 004) and eligible to enroll in Major/Minor sequence courses.
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Score of “5” on the Advance Placement (AP) Target Language exam – eligible to enroll in Major/Minor sequence courses.
The LPE results are valid for one academic years (two semesters).
The department of World Languages and Cultures has the right of final approval of the accuracy of placement (i.e. deciding if the case is too high or too low).
Contact Dr. Mercedes Tibbits, Coordinator of the Spanish Program, for more information: mtibbits@howard.edu
Additional Testing & Placement Resources
If a placement exam is not available in the language in which you have proficiency, speak with the coordinator of the language offered at Howard University for alternative evaluation options. Consult the Languages Offered page to find the language coordinator: