Placement Test
Deciding which Spanish course to take
Accurate assessment of your Spanish language skills is essential to ensure that you are placed in a course that matches your current proficiency and learning needs. If you are a true beginner with little to no knowledge of Spanish, you can enroll directly in the beginner course without taking the placement test. However, if you have prior experience with Spanish—whether from study, travel, work, or personal connections—you must complete the Spanish Placement Test. This test ensures you are placed in the most appropriate level, giving you the best chance for success in learning Spanish.
The placement process begins with a language background questionnaire, which gathers information about your previous experience with Spanish. Based on your responses, you may be asked to complete a standardized multiple-choice test, and in some cases, an oral interview. Test results are used to determine your placement, and students found to be in an incorrect course will be required to adjust their registration. Placement decisions, made by the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies, are final and binding. The undergraduate academic advisor will guide you through available course options at your level.
Providing false or misleading information at any stage of the placement process is a violation of Ƶ’s Academic Integrity Policy. Students who misrepresent their abilities may be removed from the course and reported to the Academic Integrity office. According to university policies, no student shall knowingly furnish false information to gain an unearned advantage. Such behavior undermines the fair and productive learning environment we strive to maintain.
If you need help deciding which Spanish course to take, please select the scenario that best describes your situation:
How to register for the Spanish Placement Test
To register for the Spanish Placement Test, log into Brightspace, then go back to the Spanish Placement Test departmental page and click the link . Follow the steps to register for the test. Once you finish registering, you will have access to the Spanish Placement Test course space on Brightspace. In the Content section of the space you will find the Instructions. Read them carefully and you will be ready to take the test.
Placement Policy
The policy of the Department of Spanish and Latin America Studies is to request that any student who has previous knowledge of the Spanish language take the department’s placement test. Please email spanish.advising@dal.ca in order to take the test. It is considered unethical to not disclose previous knowledge of the language, as is stated in Dalhousie’s Undergraduate calendar under the following subheadings: