Placement
Placement assessments are used to determine starting course placements in mathematics and English. Information regarding placement requirements are sent to all students after they deposit to attend the University. Additionally, more information about requirements and procedures can be found at
Stevenson Placement.
Placement Requirements for Mathematics, English, and Reading
First-time Stevenson University students will need to complete one or more Stevenson University placement assessments prior to registration.
Mathematics Placement
All incoming students are required to take the mathematics placement assessment prior to registering for classes unless they have completed a foundational mathematics course at another college/university equivalent to or higher than Stevenson's foundational MATH 005# course and earned a grade of "C" or better, or completed a college credit-bearing mathematics course at another college/university equivalent to or higher than Stevenson's MATH 135 course and earned a grade of "D" or better.
Results of the placement assessment are valid until the end of the add/drop period of the semester in which the student enrolls in the university. Students are not permitted to take the math placement assessment after enrolling in a math course at SU.
English Placement
All students will take a credit bearing English course (either ENG 150 or ENG 151; honors students will have the option of taking ENG 153: Honors Writing Seminar). English course placement will be determined through the use of a placement assessment designed by the SU English department. Students cannot change their course selection (ENG 150 or ENG 151) after completion of the directed self-placement assessment.
Placement Information in Foundational and Co-Requisite Courses
Foundational and co-requisite courses in mathematics are designed to improve skills in these content areas. Placement in and successful completion of foundational and co-requisite courses are required of students who do not demonstrate proficiency in the basic skill areas on Stevenson placement assessments. Students who are placed into foundational mathematics, MATH 005#, are required to complete them during their first year at Stevenson. This courses does not receive college credit, is not calculated in a student's GPA, and does not count toward the calculation of dean's list. However, they do count toward enrollment status for financial aid and full-time student status.
Co-requisite courses exist for MATH 135, MATH 136, and MATH 137. For MATH 135 and MATH 136, students who place out of foundational mathematics but do not place into their required course instead take MATH 128 and MATH 129, respectively. These courses provide additional support to students who need it, while still allowing them to earn college credit for their work. Students who need additional support in MATH 137 will take MATH 137 and MATH 037#. MATH 037# is a non-credit course like MATH 005# and does not count toward GPA,
and does not count toward the calculation of dean's list. It does count toward enrollment status for financial aid and full-time student status.
Placement for Transfer Students
Transfer students are subject to the same mathematics placement requirements as first-time Stevenson University students Transfer students who are not bringing in credit for ENG-151, will be placed into ENG-150 if their overall transfer GPA is below a 2.0. Placement assessments (if needed) must be taken prior to registration.
Placement in Foreign Language Courses
Stevenson University offers elementary and intermediate level courses in French and Spanish. First-semester foreign language classes (101) are not open to native speakers or students with two or more years of high school study. Placement is required for second-semester classes (102) and intermediate levels (201 and 202). Incoming freshmen who have scored 500+ on the appropriate SAT subject test or who have completed three or more years of high school language within two years will be placed in an intermediate-level class. Placement can also be determined by scores on the Advanced Placement test, by International Baccalaureate achievement levels, or by a test or interview with an instructor. Specific questions regarding foreign language placement should be directed to the chair of the English department. Native speakers may not earn foreign language course credit in their native language.