Department of
Specialized Education Services
American Sign Language Placement Policies
All students who have had prior experience with American Sign Language in high school or elsewhere must have a placement score to enroll in a 100-300 level American Sign Language course. The American Sign Language placement exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students may make an appointment to take the placement exam by calling the Professions in Deafness Program 336-256-1217. The test takes approximately one hour to an hour and a half.
The placement test is a written and performance-based instrument whose purpose is providing an initial general assessment about the student’s receptive and expressive abilities in ASL, basic linguistics of ASL and knowledge of Deaf culture. Students must pass the written portion of the test before he or she is allowed to take the performance portion. Placement test scores will be valid for one year after the test is taken. The test can only be taken twice within a year and with at least a four-month interval between tries. Once a student has started the course sequence in the ASL program, s/he cannot take the placement exam again. Course credits are not awarded to students who take the exam. Students will receive a waiver for the level of courses that h/she successfully passes on the placement exam.
Students who place out of an ASL course level and enter the next level must prove their placement in the course on the second day of classes by providing a paper copy of their placement score for their instructor. The instructor must check every student's proof of placement to assure that they belong in that level of American Sign Language. If the student has taken the UNCG American Sign Language placement exam but has misplaced his/her score, he or she may contact the Professions in Deafness Program for verification of the score.
If students do not have the proper proof of placement, they cannot remain in the course.
Students entering SES 101 American Sign Language I will not need to provide placement exam results since it is the first class in the sequence of ASL courses. The Professions in Deafness Program will notify the Registrar of the placement test results and which courses will be waived. Any other questions regarding student placement should be referred to the appropriate
Language Coordinator:
American Sign Language Placement Coordinator:
Sam Parker 336-256-1217 email: sdparker@uncg.edu