Placement tests are used to assess students' skill levels in mathematics, composition, and reading. Course selections in these areas are determined by placement test results.
Students are tested after they have confirmed acceptance of admission to a college. There is no fee for taking the tests. Placement tests are coordinated by the Office of Academic Advising, Armitage Hall, second floor. Contact this office (856-225-6043) or http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/RUCAM/studentaffairs/placement_tests.html for information about scheduled test dates and locations.
Entering students who have received a score of 4 or greater on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in English language and composition or in English literature and composition may receive credit for 50:350:101 English Composition upon verification of their scores. Contact the admissions office (856-225-6104) for further information.
First-Year Students
To assist newly admitted first-year students in their course selections, the Rutgers University Placement Test (RUPT) is taken to measure student skills in reading comprehension, sentence structure, computation, elementary algebra, and precalculus. All full-time and part-time first-year students entering Rutgers must take these tests.
English Placement. The RUPT includes two measures of proficiency in reading: multiple-choice tests of reading comprehension and composition mechanics. Scores on these tests determine whether students may take 50:350:101 English Composition during their first semester at Rutgers-Camden, or if they must first complete 50:350:099 Basic Writing Skills, a noncredit college preparatory course.
Mathematics Placement. The RUPT includes multiple-choice measures of computation, elementary algebra, and precalculus skills. Students whose scores on the RUPT indicate the need for additional mathematics preparation are placed in either 50:640:041 Elementary Algebra or 50:640:042 Intermediate Algebra, noncredit college preparatory courses. Students so placed must enroll in these courses in their first semester, and in successive semesters, until they have successfully completed 50:640:042.
Students enrolling in mathematics courses that grant credit must select appropriate courses as indicated by the results of this test and as required by the academic major.
Transfer Students
Testing requirements depend upon a transfer student's transcript evaluation.
Transfer students who have not received transfer credit for 50:350:101 or 102 (English Composition) must take the English portions of the RUPT. Transfer students who have received transfer credit for 50:350:101 only should enroll immediately in 50:350:102.
Students who have not completed the 50:350:101-102 requirement must enroll in the appropriate required course during their first semester of study, complete the course, and continue consecutively thereafter until they successfully complete this requirement.
Mathematics Placement Testing. Transfer students who have transferred a college-level mathematics course need not take any placement examinations. Appropriate course placement in mathematics is determined by the student's academic advisers, based upon the student's academic records.
Transfer students who have not transferred a college-level mathematics course must take the Transfer Mathematics Placement Test (TMPT), which includes sections on computation, elementary algebra, and precalculus. Students whose scores on the TMPT indicate a need for additional mathematics preparation are placed in either 50:640:041 Elementary Algebra or 50:640:042 Intermediate Algebra, noncredit college-preparatory courses. Students so placed must enroll in these courses in their first semester, and in successive semesters, until they have successfully completed 50:640:042. Students enrolling in mathematics courses that grant credit make their course selections with their advisers on the basis of the TMPT results.
Nonmatriculated Students
Nonmatriculated students must consult with the Office of Academic Advising staff before they register for either English or mathematics department courses. Their previous college work at other institutions and the nature of the course they intend to take determine whether and which placement tests they must take to gain entrance into these classes.
Foreign Language
Credit. Students who achieve a score of 4 or 5 on the ETS Advanced Placement Exam (in French, German, or Spanish; language or literature) may receive 4 elective credits toward their degree and may begin their study of the same foreign language at an accordingly more advanced level.
Placement. Proficiency examinations are given only for subjects taught at Rutgers-Camden. No credits are awarded on the basis of these exams. Rather, their purpose is to see that students are placed in courses that correspond to their abilities.
Elementary foreign language courses may be taken for credit by students based on the number of years completed in the same language in high school and foreign language test placement results.
