Competency & Placement
Communication, mathematics, and information literacy are important components of our general education program, the Cardinal Core Curriculum. Guided self-placement, high school average, and competency exams help students select the right courses for their ability and academic goals. In many cases, placement or competency exams are not required.
- English College Writing Course Placement
Students must complete ENG101 College Writing II or an equivalent transfer course as a requirement of graduation. It is recommended that students meet this requirement the first year of college. Some students may benefit from taking ENG100 College Writing I first. Students should select the initial course based on the following:
Placement By High School Average
- ENG 100 College Writing I (3–4 cr) — Students with a high school average of less than 85% may register for this course. ENG 101 College Writing II is also required for this two course pathway.
- ENG 101 College Writing II (3 cr) — Students with a high school average of 85% or higher may register for this course.
Placement By Questionnaire
- Students may complete a self-directed determination of writing competency to guide course selection, especially if high school average may not reflect writing ability. Using this placement option gives students the freedom to choose the composition coursework best suited to their needs and interests, regardless of high school average.
Students who choose placement by questionnaire must complete all parts of the activity. This includes a declaration of the level of college writing they feel fits them as the “last step.” Students will not receive feedback on the selection unless they request it. Course selection should be based on the activity outcomes. Log into MYPLATTSBURGH Portal with your Plattsburgh student ID and password then click the button below:
Take the English Placement Questionnaire
Students can consult with English composition faculty regarding this activity at summer orientation sessions or by contacting the first-year composition program’s director, Dr. Tom Friedrich, at [email protected]. Adjustment of students’ course selection is also possible during the first week of the semester.
- Mathematics Competency
Students must demonstrate foundational mathematics competency prior to taking quantitative reasoning courses in the Cardinal Core Curriculum and prior to enrolling in a math course other than MAT101, MAT106, or MAT108. Mathematics competency can be demonstrated by meeting one of the following:
- SAT mathematics score of at least 530
- ACT mathematics score of at least 21
- High school average of 85% or higher
- Transfer credit for any mathematics course also offered by SUNY Plattsburgh
Students with a high school average less than 85% must demonstrate foundational mathematics competency. Math courses should be selected based in educational goals per the Math Pathways Guide. Mathematics competency can be accomplished by meeting one of the following:
- MAT101 Elementary College Mathematics (3 cr.) with a grade of C or better
- MAT106 Quantitative Pathways I (3 cr.) and MAT107 Quantitative Pathways II (3 cr.)
- MAT108 Statistical Pathways I (3 cr.) and MAT109 Statistical Pathways II (3 cr.)
- Mathematics Competency Exam passing score. The Mathematics Competency Exam may be taken by any student who has not previously taken or currently enrolled in MAT101, MAT106, or MAT108. Log into the MYPLATTSBURGH Portal with your Plattsburgh student ID and password, then click the button below:
For additional information, contact the mathematics department, 244B Hawkins Hall, 518-564-4135 or Dr. Sam Northshield, at [email protected].
- Calculus Readiness
Calculus Readiness
Students who are required to take calculus (either MAT221 or 224), or a calculus-based course (CSC217 or CSC221) for their major, must show competency with precalculus concepts prior to taking the course. This can be accomplished by meeting one of the following:
- MAT102 Precalculus This course should be taken by any students who have never taken precalculus in high school.
- Transfer credit for a course equivalent to MAT102 Precalculus
- Calculus Readiness Test passing score
The Calculus Readiness Test is designed for students who have taken a precalculus course in high school. Students who have not taken precalculus should take MAT102 Precalculus instead of taking this test. The test may only be taken once and should not be taken by any student who has previously enrolled in or is currently enrolled in MAT102. If you do not pass the Calculus Readiness Test, you must take MAT102 in order to show readiness. Log into the MyPlattsburgh Portal with your Plattsburgh student ID and password, then click the button below:
TAKE THE CALCULUS READINESS TEST
For additional information, contact the mathematics department, 244B Hawkins Hall, 518-564-4138 or Dr. Sam Northshield, at [email protected].
- Modern Language Course Placement
Successful completion of language courses requires accurate placement based on language proficiency. Students who wish to take a language course in French or Spanish or pursue a major or minor in language will be placed into course levels as follows:
- Students who have completed up to two years of a modern language in high school may take language courses at the 111-level.
- Students who have completed three consecutive years of a modern language in high school or achieved 85 or better on the Regents Exam should take language courses at the second semester, 112-level.
- Students who have completed four consecutive years of a modern language in high school and achieved 85 or better on the Regents Exam should enroll in courses at the 213- or 251-level.
- Students with confirmed transfer credit will be placed in the next appropriate college-level course.
- Modern language courses at the 111-, 112-, 213- and 214-levels will be applied to the Human Communities category of the Cardinal Core Curriculum.
Placement by Exam
Students who wish to be placed above the level indicated by their high school record or college record, or who are fluent speakers of the language being pursued, should take intermediate college level language courses (200-level and above) as determined by his or her performance on the WebCAPE Placement Exam. Students must contact Dr. Marie Cusson chair of the department of Modern Languages and Cultures at [email protected] to arrange an interview with a faculty member prior to taking this exam. Students do not receive credit for this placement exam.
WebCAPE Placement Exam Instruction
After completing a personal interview in the target language with a faculty member:- Go to: http://bit.ly/2p88Thx
- Create an account on WebCAPE:
- Enter your name, campus email (your plattsburgh.edu email address) and Plattsburgh Banner I.D. number. (This is a 9-digit number that you should have received from the Registrar’s Office.)
- Choose a password for this account. Tips for creating secure passwords.
- Click “Create Account” to access the exam.
- The first screen is a practice item. After that, you will begin the exam.
- Your placement score will be displayed at the end of the exam. Be sure to click on “Finished” to send a copy of this information to Plattsburgh.
- If you receive an error indicating “too many connections,” please refresh the page and continue working. If necessary, you can log into the exam again and follow the directions near the button labeled ‘Resume’ on the identity/survey page.
- Please note: There is a 24-hour delay for this score to show up in the SUNY Plattsburgh system. Therefore, we recommend taking the exam at least a few days prior to orientation. Your results will appear on your Degree Works record for advisement purposes.
ONLINE MODERN LANGUAGE PLACEMENT EXAMINATION
For additional information, contact the Department of Modern Languages, 318 Champlain Valley Hall, or Dr. Marie Cusson, at [email protected].
- Information Literacy Competency
The exam will be available online from January 23 through February 1, 2023, and again during advising from April 10 through April 28.
- The exam is offered as an alternative way to meet the LIB190 course requirement, which is a pre/co-req for the ENG101 course.
- By passing the exam, you meet the Information Literacy General Education/Cardinal Core requirement, but do not receive the credit hour.
- Students who have a grade of E or W for the LIB course can meet the requirement by passing the exam, but the exam does not remove or replace the letter grade.
- Students can take the exam more than once, but only once in any academic year (August – May).
The exam is 47 questions and you have one hour to complete the exam (unless you are eligible for extended time).
If you would like to review information literacy basics before you take the exam, we recommend:
The Information Literacy User’s Guide: An Open Online Textbook.Extended Time Testing
If you are eligible for extended time, after you self-enroll, stop and fill out the Extended Time Testing Verification Form for the Information Literacy Competency Exam
The Accessibility Resources Office (ARO) will confirm your eligibility and the amount of extra time you are eligible for. You will then receive a conformation email that your exam time has been adjusted and you can then start the exam. (Note: expect your confirmation email within 24 hours, not counting the weekend).At the applicable time students will be able to self-enroll by going to this site: Information Literacy Exam on Moodle
Questions? Contact Michelle Toth, [email protected]