Placement

Thank you for your interest in learning Chinese in the department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. To help you to identify your language proficiency and register for a Chinese class that fits your needs, please take an online placement test. Please complete the University of Minnesota Chinese Language Placement Test Form. Email Summer Carreño at carre094@umn.edu once the form has been completed to receive a code to take the placement test. The online test is adaptive, meaning that you don’t need to choose a test level. After the test, you will know your Chinese proficiency level. The four skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, will all be evaluated in the test. Once the test has been completed and reviewed by the director of Chinese language instruction, you will receive information about which Chinese level and class you should enroll in.

All students are required to take a placement test unless they have previously completed Chinese language courses at the University of Minnesota.

If you want to prepare for the test, please take a look at Integrated Chinese. These books are available at the University Bookstore in Coffman Union. You will be tested on listening, speaking, grammar, and reading comprehension.

Course What to Study
Chinese 1012 (Beginning Modern Chinese, second semester) Integrated Chinese, Level 1, Part 1
Chinese 3021 (Intermediate Modern Chinese, first semester) Integrated Chinese, Level 1, Part 2
Chinese 3022 (Intermediate Modern Chinese, second semester) Integrated Chinese, Level 2, Lessons 1–10
Chinese 3031 (Third Year Chinese, first semester) Integrated Chinese, Level 2

Proficiency Exams

Upon completion of the intermediate level, students may choose to take the Chinese Language Proficiency Exam (LPE). Completion of the LPE fulfills the CLA Second Language requirement and is noted on students' transcripts. The LPE examines students in the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The LPE is administered by the CLA Language Testing Program located in Jones Hall; the oral component is taken within the Chinese program.

Chinese LPEs are offered on fixed dates at the start of fall semester and at the end of spring semester. To register for an LPE, visit the Language Testing Program.