NDSU English Placement Procedures
In accordance with North Dakota University System Policy 402.1.2 and Procedure 402.1.2, the following criteria are used to determine placement of students who have been offered admission to NDSU into entry-level English courses.
- All students, whether from the United States, Canada or abroad, have the option to take the COMPASS English exam to determine placement or to attempt to place into a higher level English course.
English Placement for U.S. Students, Canadian Students, and U.S. Permanent Residents
- All students are required to successfully earn credit for ENGL 110 and 120 or equivalent as part of the NDSU general education requirements.
- Students who have not taken the ACT or SAT are eligible to enroll in a developmental English course, ASC 087, prior to enrolling in ENGL 110 with 100. ASC 087 will be delivered by North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) on the NDSU campus. Students must register through the collaborative student registration process. Course textbooks for ASC 087 may be purchased through the NDSU bookstore.
- For students who have multiple exam scores, the highest placement may be used.
- Students who are required to begin in ASC 087 must successfully complete the course with a grade of 'S' (satisfactory) before they may enroll in ENGL 110 with 100, or equivalent.
- Students with an ACT sub-test score of 18 or higher (or SAT of 430 or higher) are advised to enroll in ENGL 120. Upon completion of ENGL 120 with a 'C' grade or higher, students will be awarded placement credit (3) for ENGL 110.
- Students with a MELAB score should contact the IELP coordinator for information on English placement.
The table below lists exam scores and corresponding course placement:
English ACT Sub-test Score | Writing SAT | COMPASS English Test Score | Course Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
13 or lower | 350 or lower | 0-40 | ASC 087: College Writing Prep (NDSCS collaborative) |
14-17 | 360-420 | 41-76 | ENGL 110 with ENGL 100: |
18 or higher | 430 | 77-100 | ENGL 120: College Composition II |
English Placement for International Students
- All students are required to successfully earn credit for ENGL 112 and 122 (or 110 and 120 for native English speakers) or equivalent as part of the NDSU general education requirements.
- Students who are required to begin in LANG 109 must successfully complete the course with a 'C' grade or higher before they may enroll in ENGL 112 with 100, or equivalent.
- For students who have multiple exam scores, the highest placement may be used.
- Students with qualifying exam scores are advised to enroll in ENGL 122. Upon completion of ENGL 122 with a 'C' grade or higher, students will be awarded placement credit (3) for ENGL 112.
The table below lists ACT and SAT exam scores and corresponding course placement:
Exam Type | LANG 109: Language Use in Writing for ESL II | ENGL 112 with ENGL 100: | ENGL 122: ESL College Composition II |
|---|---|---|---|
ACT English sub-test | 13 or lower | 14-17 | 18 or higher |
SAT Writing | 350 or lower | 360-420 | 430 |
The table below lists placement exams for International students and corresponding course placement:
Exam Type | LANG 109: Language Use in Writing for ESL II | ENGL 112 with ENGL 100: |
|---|---|---|
IELTS (Overall) | 5.5 or lower | 6.0 or higher |
TOEFL (Composite) | 70 or lower | 71 or higher |
Pearson (Overall) | 49 or lower | 50 or higher |
ELS Center | ELS 109 or lower | ELS 112 Certificate/Completion |
Students with College Transfer Coursework or Credit by Examination Placement
Students with prior college coursework, Advanced Placement (AP) or other credit-by-examination (CLEP, IB, DSST) will follow NDSU’s Credit by Examination guidelines for placement into mathematics and English coursework.
