Orientation: Advising & Registration Placement

Prior to attending an Orientation: Advising & Registration session, all new students are expected to complete the placement activities for the following subjects (see below for additional information about each):

• Writing (required for all entering freshmen)
• Mathematics and Statistics 
• Chemistry 
• Second Languages

Required Freshmen Writing Placement:

All entering freshmen are expected to complete a web-based writing placement questionnaire prior to attending their Advising & Registration session. This module includes a short self-paced writing task and a questionnaire. Students are encouraged to take as much time as needed to complete the writing task, and are welcome to do it in more than one sitting. The questionnaire should take students approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Please print the results and bring them to your Orientation: Advising & Registration session.

To begin the writing placement questionnaire, please click here. You will be directed to the questionnaire after logging into your PSU Computing account through the Universal login page.  

NOTE: When completing the questionnaire students will be asked if they fall into the following criteria and if so may not be asked to finish the questionnaire: a. freshmen admitted to the University Honors Program; b. freshmen who completed Senior Inquiry, an equivalent to PSU's Freshmen Inquiry offered in some Portland high schools; or c. freshmen who have earned 30 or more transferable college credits.

Mathematics/Statistics:

 To enroll in certain Mathematics or Statistics courses, students need to either have successful completion (C- or above) of the prerequisite course within the last year, or place at the necessary level on the Mathematics and Statistics Placement Test within the last year. For a list of the affected courses and additional information, please click here.

Chemistry:

Students majoring in the sciences and some engineering fields are required to take CH 221-223. To determine if they are prepared to take these courses they should take the Chemistry placement exam found here.

Second Language:

Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts (one of the degree options, a component of the graduation requirements) must demonstrate a two-year (203-level) proficiency in a foreign language. This differs from the 2nd year language proficiency required for admission to PSU.

Students who have prior background in a second language (including American Sign Language) may find information about placement on the World Languages and Literatures placement website. An online placement exam is available on that website for French, German or Spanish; for placement in other languages taught at Portland State, students need to contact the World Languages and Literatures department at 503-725-3522.