Placement testing

Purpose of the Placement Test

The Arabic Placement test is conducted for students who have studied Modern Standard Arabic prior to enrolling at Swarthmore College, or for Swarthmore students who begin studying Modern Standard Arabic in the summer and intend to continue their Arabic studies. The test is designed to assess a student’s language level so the department can give guidance regarding which Arabic course a student should register for.

How the Placement Test is Conducted

The Arabic placement test includes both a written placement exam and an oral interview. 

The written test is comprehensive and designed for all levels of Modern Standard Arabic language acquisition. If a student has not studied MSA for a significant amount of time, the written test will be relatively quick, since one would find the later sections very difficult, if not impossible. Therefore the placement test will take longer for students with more advanced skills, since they will be able to complete more of it.

In addition, an oral interview in Arabic is arranged with an Arabic Professor or Instructor, and will follow a similar format to an OPI test, where the questions begin at a very basic and general level then move into greater detail and advanced vocabulary.

Skills Assessed in the Placement Test

Speaking, writing, reading, vocabulary and grammar.

 Who Do I Contact for Placement Testing?

Contact Razan Idris (ridris1@swarthmore.edu) at the Modern Languages and Literatures Department, who will then contact the Arabic Section Head to make arrangements.