Language Placement and Credit by Exam

Do you need to take a foreign language at UW?
•    College of Arts & Sciences major requirement
•    You have an interest in taking language courses
•    You are double majoring in a language
•    You add a language as a minor
•    International Engineering major

How do you know which class to sign up for?
•    NEVER taken foreign language before => sign up for the introductory class level 1010
•    COLLEGE CREDIT or AP in foreign language => consult your Transfer Credit Evaluation on WyoWeb and register for the next semester in the sequence (if desired)
•    HIGH SCHOOL classes => you must be placed

How can you be placed?

1.    WebCAPE Online Placement Exam- Complete from any computer, any time!
This option does not provide you with academic credit, but it can allow you to test out of part or all of the language requirements for your major.  This Placement Exam also ensures that you enroll in the correct level of the language if you are still required to complete further requirements.  For example, if your major requires 4 semesters of a foreign language and you place into Semester 3, then the first two semesters of your requirements will be shown as “met.”  However, this does not mean that you’ve earned 8 hours of academic credit through the exam.  It merely places you into the third semester and completes the first two semesters of the requirements. You can take this exam for Spanish, German, or French. It can only be taken once.

The Placement Exam is offered online for a $10 fee.
-Go to www.aetip.com.
-Click on “Register for CAPE Exam” under “Students” on the left side of the screen.
-Under “Select your organization” be sure to select “University of Wyoming.”
-Enter personal details and credit card information and submit.

You will be placed according to the scores shown here:

2.    Credit by Exam (CBE)- Taken on the UW Campus
Students may receive up to 12 hours of academic credit by examination. The exam also places students in their correct language level.  For example, say your major requires two semesters of a single foreign language and after taking the CBE you learn that you earned credit for the first semester of the language.  This means that you earned 4 credit hours and have been placed into the second semester of the language.  Therefore, after completing that single semester of foreign language at UW, your requirements will be met. Note that you can’t take the CBE if you have any college or AP credit in the language.

The foreign language CBE is offered on campus through the Department of Modern Languages.  The exam can be taken during summer orientation sessions or during established dates/times in the languages department at the beginning of each semester.  Please email modlang@uwyo.edu or call 307-766-4180 for details.  When you are on campus and ready to take this exam, you’ll need to first visit the Office of the Registrar in Knight Hall to obtain an approved application form.  A fee of $80 must then be paid at the Cashier’s Office.  Take the application form, the receipt of fee payment, and a photo ID with you to the languages department to take the exam.  You will receive your test results approximately two weeks after taking the CBE. You can take the CBE for Russian, Spanish, German, and French.

Credit by Exam will be given on the following dates:

August 18 and 19 between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Hoyt Hall 232.

Note that, per University policy, you may not earn credit by examination where you already have college credit at the same level or above. For example, if you already have college credit posted for a second semester course, you may receive credit hours by examination for the third semester, but not for the first and second.

AP & CLEP Placement Exams

Upon application by the student, the University also accepts the "AP" and "CLEP" Placement exams for credit in the Department:

"AP" French, German and Spanish:

Score of 3 = 4 hours beginning language (=1010)
Score of 4 = 8 hours beginning language (=1020)
Score of 5 = 12 hours beginning language (=2030)

"AP" Latin/Classics:

(For UW-Latin 1010/1020 the departmental exam must be taken)
Score of 3 = credit for Latin 2030 (4 hours!) or 2120 [Vergil] (3 hours!)

 "CLEP" in French:

Score of 41 - 49 = 4 hours beginning language (=1010)
Score of 50 - 56 = 8 hours beginning language (=1020)
Score of 57 or above = 12 hours beginning language (=2030)

"CLEP" in German:

Score of 40 - 47 = 4 hours beginning language (=1010)
Score of 48 - 53 = 8 hours beginning language (=1020)
Score of 54 or above = 12 hours beginning language (=2030)

"CLEP" in Spanish:

Score of 41- 49 = 4 hours beginning language (=1010)
Score of 50 - 53 = 8 hours beginning language (=1020)
Score of 54 or above = 12 hours beginning language (=2030)

For Russian, only the Departmental Exam will be accepted.