Frequently-Asked Questions about Undergraduate Language Placement
You may use these questions together with the freshman language placement charts to help you determine the right Latin and Greek courses for your level of experience. If you have additional questions, please click here to email the departmental undergraduate adviser.
When can I take the departmental Latin (or Greek) placement exam . . .
1. . . . during August orientation, in time to start the fall semester?
Students entering CUA in the fall need to take the Latin placement exam (or Greek placement exam) before the fall semester begins, if at all possible, in order to ensure that they can be placed in time for the start of classes. If you wait until classes have already begun, you may miss one or more meetings of the class you actually belong in while you are waiting for your test results. Specific times are scheduled during freshman orientation days: click here to see the exam times in the Freshman Guide, and then click here to contact the department and sign up for a spot.
2. . . . outside of August orientation?
Outside of August orientation, the Latin placement exam (or Greek placement exam) is administered by personal appointment with the department, and may be scheduled during weekday business hours. (Click here for the department's contact information.) As you are planning for potential test-taking dates, be certain to 1) leave room in your academic schedule for different possible placement outcomes (for example, do not register for other classes that meet at the same times as all sections of LAT 101 and LAT 103); and 2) schedule your exam in time for you to be placed in the proper course. In general, you should allow two business days or one weekend for your test to be graded and the results communicated to you.
Who can take the departmental Latin (or Greek) placement exam?
Any student who wishes to qualify for a higher Latin (or Greek) course than the one into which he or she has already been placed. This includes students who submitted AP or SAT II scores but would like to try again for placement in a higher Latin course.
I will be starting at CUA in the fall. I need to register for my fall classes now, but I will not be taking the Latin placement exam until I arrive on campus in August. What should I do?
Register for the time being for Latin 101. If your score on the departmental Latin placement exam indicates that you should be placed in a higher course, the department will provide electronic permission, and you will electronically "drop" Latin 101 and "add" the new Latin class. (Do not forget to leave at least one of the meeting times for Latin 103 open in your day when you are planning your fall schedule.)
Do not "skip" registering for Latin until you take the placement exam; it is important for you to be registered for the full number of courses required for your program. It is also important for the department to be able to track the number of students who will be studying Latin at any level, in order to ensure that there are courses for them.
But what if the course I actually belong in fills up before I can test into it?
The department plans ahead for such contingencies and will see to it that you can take the course you need at the level into which you have tested. However, the department cannot guarantee that you will have access to a particular section of a given course: you may need to adjust your schedule in order to take a section which has room for you. The department and your own academic adviser will help you make this adjustment smoothly, but it is your responsibility to take the placement exam(s) you need early enough to ensure that you are able to attend the right course from the start of classes onwards.
I have never studied Greek or Latin before, but I would like to take one of these languages to satisfy CUA's language requirement. What course should I enroll in?
Enroll in Greek 101 or Latin 101.
I studied Greek (either koine/Biblical or classical) in high school (or privately), and I want to take more Greek at CUA. What Greek course should I enroll in?
Please contact the departmental undergraduate adviser, who will determine on the basis of an interview and the department's Greek placement exam which Greek course would be appropriate for you.
I took the Advanced Placement (AP) Latin Examination, received a grade of 5, and have requested that my score be sent to CUA. What Latin course should I enroll in?
You are not required to take any further foreign language courses at CUA. If, however, you wish to continue your study of Latin at CUA, you should contact the departmental undergraduate adviser for further information and advice.
I took the Advanced Placement (AP) Latin Examination, received a grade of 4, and have requested that my score be sent to CUA. What Latin course should I enroll in?
Enroll in Latin 103.
I took the SAT II Language Test in Latin and have requested that my score be sent to CUA. What Latin course should I enroll in?
If you received a grade of 700 or above, you are not required to take any further foreign language courses at CUA. If, however, you wish to continue your study of Latin at CUA, please contact the departmental undergraduate adviser for further information and advice. If your SAT II Latin grade was below 700, you should enroll in the course recommended for your score range:
| Latin SAT II under 600: Latin 101 |
|
Latin SAT II 610-690: Latin 103 |
I studied Latin in high school (or privately) for one or more years but am not affected by the guidelines described above. What Latin course should I enroll in?
Enroll in Latin 101. If you believe that your Latin is sufficiently strong that you should be placed in Latin 103, you may take the departmental Latin placement exam and be placed based on your results.
I intend to major in Classics or in Classical Humanities. What Greek and/or Latin courses should I enroll in?
Please contact the departmental undergraduate adviser for further information after you have read through the freshman language placement charts. You will probably need to take more than one course in the department at a time, and it is the responsibility of the undergraduate adviser to assist with your selections.
I intend to major in Classical Civilization. What Greek and/or Latin courses should I enroll in?
If you wish to fulfill CUA's language requirement by completing courses in Greek or Latin, please contact the departmental undergraduate adviser, for further information and guidance after you have read through the freshman language placement charts. If you wish to fulfill CUA's language requirement by completing courses in a modern foreign language (Spanish, French, Italian, German, etc.) please contact the Department of Modern Languages for information about course selection. Students who major in Classical Civilization are strongly encouraged, but are not required, to fulfill CUA's foreign language requirement by completing either Greek or Latin courses.
If you still have questions, already know that you need to contact the adviser, or want to register for the Greek or Latin placement exams, please click here to email the departmental undergraduate adviser.
