Course placement for German

Students with 1-2 levels of high school language study do not need to take a placement test. Determine your placement in a first-year course using this table:

If you have had more than three months of foreign study in a formal language-learning program (e.g., an exchange program) or you speak the foreign language at home, your placement may have to be adjusted. See the section on foreign study/foreign language at home below.

Students with 3 or more levels of high school language study should attempt the Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT) to place into a second-year course (1003-1004). 

The EPT is a three-hour online test consisting of three sections: reading, listening, and writing. You do not need to take all 3 sections in one sitting, but you must set aside one hour for each section.

Take the EPT online

If you score a high pass on the EPT, you feel your language skills are very strong, and you are interested in starting your language study at the University of Minnesota in a third-year course (3011W) instead of a second-year course (1003-1004), you should take the Language Proficiency Exam (LPE).

Students who pass the LPE prior to completing any German coursework at the University of Minnesota fulfill the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Second Language Requirement and may register for a third year course. Students who are successful on the LPE normally have perfect or near-perfect scores on the EPT and find the EPT to be easy.

Students who have completed German through the University of Minnesota College in the Schools (CIS) program will continue the course sequence. 

If you completed CIS GER 1003, you should take GER 1004. You do not need a placement test. For information on taking the Language Proficiency Exam (LPE) after GER 1003, learn more about the LPE Screening Test.

Note: Students who pass the LPE after completing GER 1003 fulfill the Second Language Requirement; however if you wish to continue on to advanced classes, you must complete GER 1004. You may not skip from 1003 to 3011W.

If you completed CIS GER 1004 and want to continue on to GER 3011W, you must take the LPE. You may register for GER 3011W prior to completing the LPE, but you should plan to complete all four sections of the exam by the end of the first week of class. Students usually complete some sections of the LPE while enrolled in GER 1004 through the CIS program. You can review your results or contact us with questions.

If you completed GER 1004 with a grade of C- or better, you have fulfilled the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Second Language Requirement. You are not required to complete the LPE if you do not wish to continue studying German.

Students with previous college-level instruction at another college or university should consult their previous transcripts and speak with their adviser to determine which course in the sequence of language courses they completed. Find the most recent language course on this chart to determine the appropriate test for placement.

*Students completing a fourth-semester course at another college or university should consult their adviser to determine if the course fulfills the Second Language Requirement. If the course fulfills the language requirement, then the LPE is needed only if the students want to continue in 3011W.

A semester of language instruction at the University of Minnesota consists of 70 - 75 class hours. If your semester course offered less than 70 hours, adjust your placement procedure to a lower level regardless of the actual number of semesters you completed.

Note: Students are strongly advised against attempting the LPE if they do not have the suggested amount of college-level instruction or its equivalent, or if this instruction is not in the very recent past.

Students who pass the EPT will be placed in a second-year course (GER 1003-1004).

Students who pass the LPE will have fulfilled their Second Language Requirement for the College of Liberal Arts and may register for a third-year language course (3000-level). Students who fail the LPE should contact the CLA Language Testing Program for more information.

If you are interested in taking a second-year course (1003-1004), you must take and pass the Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT).

If you are interested in taking a third-year course (3000-level), you must take and pass the Language Proficiency Exam (LPE).

If you want to start your language study in a first-year course (1001-1002, 1022), you do not need a placement test. See the course descriptions below for information on first-year courses.