Anyone who is a currently matriculated student at UW who hopes to take a course in BCMS can take a placement test if they do not have a transfer course that may count as a prerequisite instead. Placement tests are intended for students who would like to continue studying a Slavic language at the UW, but do not know which class level they should begin with.

Proficiency tests are intended for students who do not intend to continue taking language classes and are trying to meet the UW’s world language proficiency requirement for graduation by placing out of the third quarter of the 1st year language sequence. In the case of BCMS, the third quarter class for the 1st year sequence would be BCMS 403.

Yes, where applicable. Please consult the Slavic Languages & Literatures department for more details.

Placement assessments for BCMS languages can be arranged on an individual basis, but appointed departmental contacts vary by year; please consult the departmental webpage to confirm the point of contact for language assessments:

Examinations and Tests | Slavic Languages & Literatures

There are no associated costs to taking the placement assessment.

The written portion of the placement assessment primarily covers grammar concepts through reading and writing, while the oral portion covers conversational concepts through speaking and listening.

No. The placement test is intended to establish where you belong based on what you know or remember right now. If students wish to review anyway, they should use whatever text or material they have used in a previous course of the target language.

Note the difference between seeking proficiency validation vs needing a placement test to register for a course. The placement tests are intended for students who wish to go on with the language in which they test.

The proficiency exam is intended for students who have native fluency or a level of proficiency that places them beyond the third quarter of first year (BCMS 403 in the course catalog) and who do not intend to take classes in their target language. If students use a proficiency exam to place out of a 403,  they will be exempt from the FL requirement. The process for assessing proficiency is the same as for placement. The Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian proficiency assessment is taken in Canvas and proctored remotely via proctorio.

To take the assessment, students should email slavoffice@uw.edu with their UW netID and specify the test they'd like to take. The BCMS proficiency assessment also has an oral component. To arrange the oral exam once you've completed the Canvas test, please consult the departmental webpage to confirm the point of contact for language assessments:

Examinations and Tests | Slavic Languages & Literatures

Appointed departmental contacts vary by year - please refer to the departmental webpage to confirm the point of contact for language assessments.

Examinations and Tests | Slavic Languages & Literatures

There are currently no limits to the number of times a student can take placement assessments in BCMS languages. Tests may be taken once every 12 months.

The faculty with whom you tested will be able to tell you which course you will be placed into or whether or not you were able to establish proficiency and thus are exempt from taking a third quarter class like BCMS 403. Scores are valid for up to 12 months from the date the test was originally taken.

No, credit is not assigned for proficiency or placement tests.