Placement Process
Students can take a first Spanish course at Bowdoin only after the department has assessed their level and recommended an appropriate class. This recommendation is determined on the basis of the placement exam that all students must take before course registration, any AP score earned in Spanish, and a consultation with the department that takes place at the Hispanic studies open house during first-year orientation or through individual appointments with our placement coordinator, Barbara Sawhill (bsawhill@bowdoin.edu).
If you earned a 5 on the AP Spanish Exam or you have never been exposed to Spanish, you need to complete only the first five questions of the placement test. All other students must complete the online test to determine placement.
Students who received scores of 4 or higher on the AP exam, or 6 or higher on the IB exam, will be awarded one AP/IB credit upon the successful completion of a course, level 2005 or higher, with a grade of B or higher. Credit will not be given if a student places into, or elects to take, a course lower than 2305. Only one AP credit may be earned per person per language. (Please remember that all students, regardless of AP/IB score, should take the placement test).
How to take the placement exam and obtain your course recommendation
- Login to Blackboard at https://blackboard.bowdoin.edu/.
- Click on the Placement Exams and Surveys link.
- Click on Languages from the left-hand menu. Then follow the online directions carefully.
Choosing Courses
During course registration, all students should know which course level was recommended based on their placement exam. This information is available from their academic advisors through the registrar’s electronic system (Polaris).
Students should enroll in the recommended course. Movement between course levels can be allowed during the first weeks of classes only after consultation with the instructors.