Step 2: Placement Testing
Be prepared for Orientation
Make sure you are up-to-date with requirements and assignments on the fall accepted student checklist or spring accepted student checklist.
Register for Orientation
Orientation is a required part of your Corsair experience to help prepare you for the transition to UMassD. You will need to use your applicant portal login to register, not your UMassD account login.
Your second step in the orientation experience!
Within two weeks of making your enrollment deposit, you need to take your placement test(s).
We will enroll you in the classes you need for fall, using your placement test(s) as a guide on the best options for you. You’ll review your schedule at Orientation with university staff who can answer any questions you may have.
Your UMassD login is required in order to access the tests. If you haven't already, activate your UMassD login. (You will need to set up multifactor authentication with the Duo mobile app.)
Please read all instructions prior to taking the test(s). Links for the tests can be found after the corresponding instructions.
Algebra
All Charlton College of Business, College of Engineering, College of Nursing & Health Sciences majors and students majoring in math, science, or social science need to complete the Algebra Placement Test.
The Algebra Placement Test has a time limit of 2 hours. You may use a calculator, but no additional sources.
We encourage you to try the practice questions for this placement test prior to taking the test itself. Warming up your math skills prior to the placement test will help you attain your best score.
Algebra placement test topics include solving linear equations and inequalities, graphing linear equations, finding the slope of a line, working with polynomials, solving systems of linear equations, working with rational expressions, factoring, and solving quadratic equations and their applications.
When you have finished the Algebra Placement Test, the end page indicating you have finished will contain the link to the Pre-Calculus Placement Test. You cannot skip over the Algebra Placement Test to take the Pre-Calculus Placement Test.
Calculus
Students with majors that require calculus also need to take the Pre-Calculus Placement Test:
- all engineering majors (including computer science, physics & data science)
- chemistry
- math (BA and BS)
- pre-engineering & pre-science
- anyone interested in attending medical school after college
If your major does not require calculus and you aren't interest in attending medical school, the Pre-Calculus Placement Test is optional. If you are interested in taking a calculus course in the future, we highly recommend taking the Pre-Calculus Placement Test now, rather than waiting.
The Pre-Calculus Placement Test has a time limit of 2 hours. It must be completed in one sitting. You may use a calculator, but no additional sources.
We encourage you to try the practice questions for this placement test prior to taking the test itself. Warming up your math skills prior to the placement test will help you attain your best score.
Pre-calculus placement test topics include basic algebra (percent, negative and fractional exponents, multiplying polynomials, factoring simple polynomials, simplifying rational and radical expressions), equations and functions such as linear, quadratic, and simple rational and polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric.
If you encounter an error, please contact the Academic Resource Center at 508.910.6866.
The following programs need to take the Chemistry Assessment Test:
- arts & sciences undeclared: pre-engineering & pre-science
- biology
- bioengineering
- chemistry
- civil engineering
- engineering undeclared
- medical laboratory science
- mechanical engineering
- nursing
- pre-health track
The Chemistry Assessment Test will help us identify your strengths and weaknesses in math that could affect your success in chemistry. We ask you to complete it to the best of your ability. Based on your score, you may be offered some support strategies in the form of summer programming. Be on the lookout for an email from the Academic Resource Center.
The assessment consists of 20 arithmetic and algebra questions. You will have 40 minutes to complete the test. You may use a calculator and scrap paper.
Students whose majors require the study of a foreign language, as well as anyone interested in taking a foreign language class at UMassD, must complete a language placement exam—unless they have never studied a foreign language previously. Students with no prior language experience will simply begin at the introductory (101) level. Your test must be completed in one sitting.
Majors that require the study of a foreign language:
- Art History
- Communication
- Crime and Justice Studies
- Economics BA
- English
- Health and Society BA
- History
- Liberal Arts
- Mathematics BA
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Portuguese
- Psychology
- Public Administration BA
- Spanish
- Sociology/Anthropology
- Women's and Gender Studies
Note:
- If your major is not listed above but you are interested in studying a foreign language in college, you are encouraged to take a language placement exam at this time.
- If you have never studied a foreign language and are not a native speaker, you do not need to take a language placement exam. You will begin with an introductory (101) level course.
- Available tests: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. If you are a native speaker or previously studied a foreign language for which a test is not available, please discuss options with a professional advisor in the STAR Center.
2024-25 Math course placement guide
College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 AND Pre-calculus score greater than or equal to 47 |
MTH 149 |
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 | MTH 148 |
| Algebra score between 45-69 | MTH 148E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 AND Pre-calculus score greater than or equal to 55 |
MTH 151 |
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 OR Pre-calculus score greater than or equal to 55 |
MTH 150 |
| Algebra score between 45-69 AND Pre-calculus score less than 55 |
MTH 150E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
Students are required to take both Algebra and Calculus Placement Tests.
Placement course will be determined by the Department Chairperson.
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 60 | MTH 146 |
| Algebra score between 45-59 | MTH 146E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 60 OR SAT Math greater than or equal to 550 |
MTH 147 |
| Algebra score between 45-59 AND SAT Math less than 550 OR No SAT |
MTH 147E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 AND SAT Math less than 550 OR No SAT |
MTH 100† |
All other majors in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS): Crime & Justice Studies (CJS), Communication (COM), English (ENL), History (HIS), Health and Society BA (HTL-BA), Liberal Arts (LAR), Philosophy (PHL), Portuguese (POR), Sociology & Anthropology (SOA), Spanish (SPA), Women's and Gender Studies (WGS) will be placed in MTH 140 or MTH 140E.
Charlton College of Business (CCB)
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 60 | MTH 146 |
| Algebra score between 45-59 | MTH 146E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
College of Engineering (COE)
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 AND Pre-calculus score greater than or equal to 55 |
MTH 153 |
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 OR Pre-calculus score greater than or equal to 55 |
MTH 150 |
| Algebra score between 45-69 AND Pre-calculus score less than 55 |
MTH 150E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
College of Nursing & Health Sciences (CNHS)
| Score | Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra score greater than or equal to 70 | MTH 148 |
| Algebra score between 45-69 | MTH 148E* |
| Algebra score less than 45 | MTH 100† |
College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA)
All majors in CVPA will take MTH 140.
*E - Enhanced section - 3 credits course with an extra hour of class time scheduled.
†MTH 100 - Refresher math course that does not earn academic credits (may delay progression in the major).
Notes
Students who score less than 45 on the Algebra Placement exam will be invited to participate in a Math Summer or Winter Bridge program in order to improve their placement and potentially place directly into the class specific for their major.
Students whose majors require calculus (MTH 151 or 153) who score less than 55 on the Pre-Calculus Placement Exam will be offered a Math Summer Bridge program in order to improve their placement and potentially place directly into 151 or 153.
Students who place into "E" sections may also choose to participate in the Math Summer or Winter Bridge program in order to improve their placement and potentially place into the regular (not "E") section of the course.
- MTH 100 Introductory & Intermed. Algebra
- MTH 140 Quantitative Reasoning
- MTH 146 Finite Mathematics
- MTH 147 Fundamentals of Statistics
- MTH 148 College Algebra
- MTH 149 Introductory Calculus
- MTH 150 Pre-calculus
- MTH 151 Calculus I
- MTH 153 Calculus for Appl. Science and Eng. I