Placement Testing
Some of the most common questions new students have are about placement tests. At Ohio University there are a few placement requirements of which you should be made aware. All placement tests must be complete before attending BSO. Placements are not exemptions. Each placement test is designed to identify the course in which a student should begin. A placement does not exempt a student from a required course.
Below you will find a list of which majors need to take which placement tests. There are tests for Chemistry, Language, Computer Science, and Music Theory.
Honors Tutorial College
Honors Tutorial College tutorial degree students can find their placement test information on the HTC website. However, students in the OHIO Honors Program should follow the guidelines below and not those on the HTC website.
Math
Placement in math is based on your ACT/SAT scores and/or high school GPA. Your assigned placement level is based on data about how Ohio University students succeed in our math courses. Your advisor will help you select an appropriate course during your BSO program based on this placement level. More information about the placement levels and frequently asked questions can be found at the link below.
By Program/Major
This list assumes you are not transferring credit to Ohio University for a course in that subject area. If you are transferring in credit, or if you have any questions, please check with an academic advisor about placement. Majors are identified as follows:
- Required - Students must take the test before BSO.
- Encouraged - Your advisors strongly encourage you to take this placement.
- Optional - If you are planning to take a course in this subject area, then you may want to take the placement test before participating in BSO.
- Not on the List - You do not need to take this placement test.
Major | College | Required | Encouraged | Optional |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accounting | College of Business | - | - | - |
Advanced Computing | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | - |
African American Studies | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Anthropology | Honors Tutorial College | - | Language | - |
Anthropology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Applied Nutrition | College of Health Sciences and Professions | Chemistry | - | Language |
Applied Plant Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Chemistry |
Art History | Honors Tutorial College | Language | - | - |
Art History | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Astrophysics | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | - |
Aviation Flight | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Aviation Management | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Baccalaureate Nursing R.N.-to-B.S.N. | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Biological Sciences | Honors Tutorial College | HTC Chemistry | - | Language |
Biological Sciences—Biological Sciences | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Cellular and Molecular Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Environmental Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Human Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Marine, Freshwater, and Environmental Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Prephysical Therapy | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Preprofessional Program | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Biological Sciences—Wildlife and Conservation Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Broadcast Meteorology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Business Administration | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Business Analytics | College of Business | - | - | - |
Business Economics | College of Business | - | - | - |
Business Prelaw | College of Business | - | - | - |
Chemical Engineering | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Chemistry | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry | Honors Tutorial College | HTC Chemistry | - | Language |
Chemistry | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry—Biochemistry | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry—Environmental | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry—Predentistry | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry—Premedicine | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Chemistry—Prepharmacy | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Child and Family Studies | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Civil Engineering | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Classical Civilization | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Classical Languages | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Classics and World Religions | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Communication | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Communication Studies | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Communication Studies | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Communication Studies | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Community and Public Health | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Computer Science | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry, Computer Science | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Criminal Justice | University College | - | - | Language |
Customer Service Leadership | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Dance | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Dance Tutorial | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Music Theory, Language |
Dance—Performance and Choreography | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Early Childhood and Elementary Education | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Earth/Space Science | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Economics | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Economics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Economics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Electrical Engineering | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | Computer Science |
Electrical Engineering with Computer Engineering Track | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry, Computer Science | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Energy Engineering | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Engineering Physics | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Chemistry |
Engineering Technology and Management | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
English | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
English—Creative Writing | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
English—Literature, Culture & Writing | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Entrepreneurship | College of Business | - | - | - |
Environmental and Plant Biology | Honors Tutorial College | HTC Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL3 | - |
Environmental and Plant Biology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Environmental Health Science | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Environmental Science and Sustainability | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Chemistry, Language | - |
Environmental Studies | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Exercise Physiology | College of Health Sciences and Professions | Chemistry | - | Language |
Exploratory (Undecided) Engineering Students | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | Computer Science |
Family and Consumer Sciences Education—Community Leadership | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Family and Consumer Sciences Education—Teaching | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Field Ecology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Chemistry |
Film | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Film Tutorial | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Finance | College of Business | - | - | - |
Forensic Chemistry | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
French Education | Patton College of Education | - | Language | - |
French | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
General Business | College of Business | - | - | - |
General Theater | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Geography | Honors Tutorial College | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL2 | Language |
Geography - Environmental Geography | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Chemistry, Language | - |
Geography - Environmental Prelaw | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Geography - Geographic Information Science | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Geography - Globalization and Development | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Geography - Meteorology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Chemistry, Language | - |
Geography - Urban Planning and Sustainability | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Geography | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Geography | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Geological Sciences | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Chemistry, Language |
Geological Sciences - B.S. | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Chemistry, Language | - |
Geological Sciences - B.A. | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Chemistry |
Geological Sciences—Environmental Water Resources | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Chemistry, Language | - |
Global Studies—Africa | Center for International Studies | - | Language | - |
Global Studies—Asia | Center for International Studies | - | Language | - |
Global Studies—Europe | Center for International Studies | - | Language | - |
Global Studies—Latin America | Center for International Studies | - | Language | - |
Global Studies—War and Peace | Center for International Studies | - | Language | - |
Graphic Design | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Health and Physical Education | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Health Services Administration | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences (HSLS) | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | - |
Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences (HSLS) | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
History | Honors Tutorial College | - | Language | - |
History | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
History—Prelaw | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Hospitality Management | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Human Services | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Industrial and Systems Engineering, ECT | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | Chemistry |
Information & Telecommunication Systems | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Information and Telecommunication Systems | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Instrumental Performance | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Instrumental Performance - Contemporary Music and Digital Instruments | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Integrated Healthcare Studies | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Integrated Language Arts | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Integrated Mathematics | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Integrated Science | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Integrated Social Studies | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Interdisciplinary Arts | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Interior Architecture | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
International Business | College of Business | - | Language | - |
Journalism Carr Van Anda Program | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | Language |
Journalism | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Journalism News and Information | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | Language |
Journalism Strategic Communication | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | Language |
Life Science | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Linguistics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Management Information Systems | College of Business | - | - | - |
Marketing | College of Business | - | - | - |
Mathematics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Mathematics | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Mathematics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Mathematics—Actuarial Science | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Mathematics—Applied | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Mathematics—Mathematical Statistics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | Computer Science |
Mechanical Engineering | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Media Arts and Studies | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Media Arts and Studies—Animation | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Media Arts and Studies—Media and Social Change | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Media Arts and Studies—Media Arts Production | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Media Arts and Studies—Music Production and Recording Industry | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Microbiology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Middle Childhood Language Arts and Mathematics | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Middle Childhood Language Arts and Science | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Middle Childhood Language Arts and Social Studies | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Middle Childhood Mathematics and Science | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Middle Childhood Mathematics and Social Studies | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Middle Childhood Science and Social Studies | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Mild to Moderate Educational Needs | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Moderate to Intensive Educational Needs | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Music Composition | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Music Education Major: Choral Emphasis | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Music Education Major: Instrumental Emphasis | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Music | Honors Tutorial College | Music Theory | - | Language |
Music | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Music Therapy | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Nursing | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Nutrition Science | College of Health Sciences and Professions | Chemistry | - | Language |
Organ | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Outdoor Recreation and Education | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Philosophy | Honors Tutorial College | - | Language | - |
Philosophy | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Philosophy—Prelaw | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Philosophy—Pretheology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Physical Activity and Sport Coaching | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Physical Science—Chemistry | Patton College of Education | Chemistry | - | - |
Physical Science—Physics and Chemistry | Patton College of Education | Chemistry | - | - |
Physical Science—Physics | Patton College of Education | Chemistry | - | - |
Physics Astrophysics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Physics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Physics | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | - |
Physics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Physics/Meteorology | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Physics—Applied Physics | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Piano | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Piano Pedagogy | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Playwriting | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Political Science | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Political Science | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Political Science—Prelaw | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Production Design and Technology | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Psychology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Psychology Prephysical Therapy | College of Arts and Sciences | Chemistry | Language | - |
Recreation Management | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Restaurant, Hotel and Tourism | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Retail and Fashion Merchandising | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Social Work | Honors Tutorial College | - | Language, Recommended Math Placement Level of PL2 | - |
Social Work | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Social Work | College of Health Sciences and Professions | - | - | Language |
Sociology | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Sociology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Sociology—Criminology | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Sociology—Prelaw | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Spanish Education | Patton College of Education | Language | - | - |
Spanish | College of Arts and Sciences | Language | - | - |
Specialized Studies | University College | - | - | Language |
Sport and Lifestyle Studies | Patton College of Education | - | - | - |
Sport Management | College of Business | - | - | - |
Stage Management | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Strategic Leadership and Management | College of Business | - | - | - |
Studio Art | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Studio Art | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Studio Art | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Studio Art | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Studio Art - Art Therapy Concentration | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Technical and Applied Studies | University College | - | - | Language |
Technical Operations Management | Russ College of Engineering and Technology | - | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL 2 or Higher | - |
Theater | Honors Tutorial College | - | - | Language |
Theater | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Theater Performance—Acting or Musical Theater Tracks | College of Fine Arts | - | Language | - |
Translational Health—Applied Health | Honors Tutorial College | HTC Chemistry | Recommended Math Placement Level of PL2 | - |
Undecided—Arts and Sciences | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
Undecided—University College | University College | Chemistry (if intending Engineering) | - | Computer Science (if intending Engineering), Language |
Virtual Reality and Game Development | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Visual Communication—Commercial Photography | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Visual Communication—Information Graphics/Publication Design | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Visual Communication—Multimedia | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Visual Communication—Photojournalism | Scripps College of Communication | - | - | - |
Voice | College of Fine Arts | Music Theory | Language | - |
Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |
World Religions | College of Arts and Sciences | - | Language | - |