Language Placement

Placement Tests

All students who have no prior experience in Japanese or Chinese will begin with JAPN 101 and CHIN 101 respectively. Any student who wishes to begin at a higher level will need to take a placement test. This included students who studied Japanese or Chinese in high school, on their own, or have taken summer classes in the US or abroad. Even students who have received AP credit will need to take the placement test so that professors can know what level they should be in.

Even if a student is placed in a higher level class, all East Asian Studies majors are required to take at least two semesters of language at Oberlin College in order to graduate.

Japanese

Incoming freshman will be able to take the placement test at orientation. Students must take the placement test before registering for classes. Test will be available online through blackboard. After taking the test, students should contact Sachiko Kondo, skondo@oberlin.edu, or Ann Sherif, asherif@oberlin.edu, for an oral interview. Following completion of the test and the interview, each student will be placed at the appropriate level.

Students who have previously taken language classes at Oberlin and complete a summer program are welcome to take the placement test again to see if they can move up a level, preferably before the registration period ends. Student must also turn in the syllabus and final grade for the summer program as well as the contact information of the primary teacher for the program so Oberlin faculty may contact them.

Chinese

Incoming first-year students will be able to take the placement test at orientation. Students must take the placement test before registering for classes. On the day following open house, students should report to Professor Li Kai’s office, room G06 on the ground floor of Peters Hall, at 10 a.m. Students will then be paired with a member of the Chinese language staff and will be given their oral interview. Following completion of the test and the interview, each student will be placed at the appropriate level.

Students who have previously taken language classes at Oberlin and complete a summer program are welcome to take the placement test again to see if they can move up a level, preferably before the registration period ends.