Placement Guidelines
The Spanish Language Placement Assessment is available online in Canvas.
Please refer to your welcome email sent to your personal email account for your login information. If you did not receive this, please contact the Office of Admission at [email protected] or 978-837-5100.
Guide for Language Placement and New Numbering
Who Must Take the Assessment?
Every student interested in taking Spanish is required to log in to the assessment. Part I of the assessment will pose questions about your Spanish language history to help determine whether you are required to take Part II of the assessment.
If you took Spanish in high school and wish to continue your study of it, you will be prompted to move forward with Part II of the assessment.
If you have not taken Spanish, simply complete Part I of the assessment and follow the instructions to complete the assessment.
If you are interested in taking French or Italian at the introductory level, an assessment is not required.
You will need to designate the language that you wish to study on your Academic Interest Form.
About Your Score
The assessment results will not appear in a traditional fashion (a low grade does not equate to low proficiency, a high grade does not equate to high proficiency). We can then review your results in order for you to take an appropriate course. Not all students take language courses in their first semester. Your scores will be stored in MyMack so that you and your advisor can view them at any time.
For Transfer Students
Please refer to the Transfer Credit Evaluation Sheet sent to you by the Admission Office. This document lists those courses that we have already accepted in transfer as well as any that may still be under review. If transferred credits have already fulfilled your Merrimack language requirement.
Incoming students with questions about the assessment should contact the Academic Success Center at [email protected] or 978-837-5278.
Troubleshooting the Assessment
The placement assessment is administered through Canvas. The tips below will help ensure you have a smooth experience.
- If you do not see the assessment on your dashboard when you log into Canvas, click on “Courses” in the left-hand sidebar, then click “All Courses” at the top of the menu that appears. You will be taken to a list of all of your Canvas courses. The assessment will appear in the list of Canvas courses.
- If the assessment is not on this list, email [email protected] to request to be enrolled in the assessment.
- If you are unable to load the assessment from within the Canvas course, be sure to:
- Switch to “light” mode if your device is set to “dark” mode
- Use a computer rather than mobile device or tablet
- Open the assessment in Google Chrome rather than Safari or another browser
Note: You will not be able to access the assessments until you’ve completed your initial Merrimack.edu account creation. Visit the MackApps page and click “New User Login” at the top to get started.
Language Placement Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll find answers to our most frequently asked questions about the language placement exam below.
Guide for Language Placement and New Numbering
Who needs to take the exam?
Every new student interested in taking Spanish is required to log in to the exam. The first part of the exam is an assessment. This will ask you questions about your Spanish language history in order for us to determine if you are required to take part two of the exam. If you took Spanish in high school and wish to continue your study, you will be prompted to move forward with part two of the exam. If not, simply fill out the part one assessment and follow the instructions.
If you are interested in taking beginning French or Italian, placement testing is not needed.
Example 1: If you have 3 years of Spanish in your high school transcripts, and you wish to register for a Spanish class at Merrimack, then part one of the exam will prompt you to take the Spanish placement exam. That way you can be placed at the level that is appropriate for you.
Example 2: If you never took Spanish classes in high school, please fill out the part one assessment and follow the instructions on the screen. That’s it!
Example 3: If you are a heritage/native speaker in Spanish, French, or Italian, we can advise you on what course to take as well as opportunities to take a CLEP exam to satisfy the requirement.
What is the structure of the exam?
The exam starts with a quick assessment to learn about your Spanish language history and continues with a 40-question, multiple choice test that doesn’t require much of your time. Be careful, though – you can only take it once!
What does the college do with the results?
The results will go to the Registrar’s Office, where they will determine which level of Spanish is appropriate for you.
Is there a foreign language requirement? What is required?
Yes. Students must complete one foreign language course at the introductory level or above, wherever the student places.
How do I satisfy this requirement?
There are four ways you can satisfy the foreign language requirement:
- take one semester of the language you already studied in high school (placed at the appropriate level);
- take one semester of a new language at the introductory level;
- obtain college credits via CLEP (Spanish and French) or FLATS (for languages not taught at Merrimack) exams
- transfer in credits for languages taken through AP exams or at other qualifying institutions
When and where can I take the CLEP test?
You can take the CLEP test at Northern Essex Community College. Information regarding CLEP testing dates and testing facilities is available to students and advisers by contacting the Merrimack College World Languages & Cultures office at 978-837-3468 or on the NECC website.
I studied a language other than French, Italian, or Spanish, so I cannot take the CLEP exam. Is there a CLEP-like test for me?
Yes. Students who are fluent in modern languages not taught at Merrimack may still transfer in up to 12 semester credit hours by taking the Brigham Young University Foreign Language Achievement Test (FLATS). Please contact Kelly Maccario ([email protected]) at the Academic Success Center to inquire about taking the FLATS for languages not taught at Merrimack College.”
I took a foreign language in high school. Do I still have to satisfy this requirement?
Yes, you still need to satisfy the language requirement. The foreign language requirement can be satisfied only by completing one of the 4 steps described above.
See Chart: CLEP & AP Transfer Credits
I took a foreign language in high school. Can I satisfy the requirement by taking the first semester of Intro in that same language?
No. First-semester introductory language classes (Intro I) are open only to absolute beginners who never took that language in high school. If you wish to continue studying the language you took in high school, you’ll have to be placed in a course at the appropriate level. Further information on placement exams can be found on the WLC department website or by contacting the WLC department main office (Sullivan Hall 202, 978-837-3468).
I took AP foreign language in high school. Does it satisfy the Foreign Language requirement?
If you took the AP exam and achieved a score of 3 or above, yes. Be sure to request your official scores be sent to the Admissions Office. Please refer to the chart attached for further information regarding AP transfer credits and course equivalencies.
See Chart: CLEP & AP Transfer Credits
