The U of M has various chemistry options, and your chosen course should be based on the major you plan to pursue after graduating high school. 

• See the chart below for guidance on taking your first college chemistry course.  In the Google Sheet below,  you might need to scroll down to see all of the chemistry course options. 

• Some courses might require the math placement test. If that's the case for the course you plan to take, review the math placement information below.  

• If you've already completed some college chemistry, see the information below the Google Sheet. 

What if I've completed some college chemistry already?

For the fall semester consider: 

Chem 1062/1066 Chemical Principles 2 (Gen Chem 2)

• • Requires a 4 or 5 on AP chemistry exam, ideally within the last year.

OR

• • Earned equivalent Chem 1061/1065 transfer credit from a different university.

Chem 2301 Organic Chem I (3 crs)

• Requires a 5 on AP chemistry exam, ideally within the last year.

OR

• Earned equivalent Chem 1061/1065 and Chem 1062/1066 transfer credits from a different university.

• Note: if 5 on AP chemistry, it’s recommended to take Chem 1062/1066 first to experience a college chemistry lab.

• Typically, students should have at least one semester at the U of M before taking this course. Consult with your PSEO advisor before taking this course.   

Not all dance classes require an audition, for example, introductory dance courses. However, more advanced coursework will require either an intro course as a prerequisite or an audition. If you are interested in auditioning for dance classes, call the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance at 612-624-4008 for information.

Language Departments

American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, Classical Greek, Dakota, Dutch, French, Finnish, Hebrew (Biblical), Hebrew (Modern), Hindi-Urdu, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Ojibwe, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish 

Language Placement

Beginning language courses do not require a placement test. However, if you are interested in registering for a language at the intermediate or advanced level, you will need to take a language placement test. For details, see the Language Testing Center. To access this site, you must have activated your University email account and have your internet ID and password. 

• Students who have taken the Minnesota Language Proficiency Assessments through high school can have their scores sent to the University. Contact the testing center for more information on transferring those scores.

Which Placement Test Should I Take?

First introductory language course (i.e. SPAN 1001, FREN 1001)

• • No placement test needed.

1-2 years high school language study completed

• • No placement test needed for French, German, or Spanish. Follow course placement procedures.

  • For languages other than French, German, or Spanish: you must contact the appropriate department for placement information for courses other than the first introductory course. Keep in mind that many languages offer the first semester of instruction only in the fall semester, and the second semester in the spring semester.

3+ years high school language study completed

• • Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT) for French, German, Spanish, Somali, Hindi or Urdu.

  • For languages other than the ones listed: you must contact the appropriate department for placement information for courses other than the first introductory course. Keep in mind that many languages offer the first semester of instruction only in the fall semester, and the second semester in the spring semester.

  • The EPT places students into a second-year course (i.e. 1003 or 1004)

  • The EPT consists of three portions: reading, listening, and writing. Each part lasts 50 minutes. All three portions of the EPT are taken online through the Language Testing Center website. You may take the three portions consecutively or at different times. Your complete test results and course placement will be posted on this website within ten business days of completing the written portion of the EPT. 

  • You may take the EPT only once.

5+ years intensive, pre-university language study OR completed fourth-semester college language course (including a College in the Schools [CIS] 1004 course)

• • Language Proficiency Exam (LPE) for Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, and Swedish.

  • For languages other than those listed above, you must contact the appropriate department for placement information. Keep in mind that many languages offer the first semester of instruction only in the fall semester, and the second semester in the spring semester.

  • The LPE places students into a third-year course (3xxx-level)

  • The LPE has four parts: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete the exam, and all portions must be taken on campus. 

  • If you are unsure if you are prepared for the LPE, we suggest you start with the Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT). If you find the EPT extremely easy, then take the LPE or contact the PSEO Office to discuss your situation.

  • 3xxx-level Spanish courses (e.g. SPAN 3015W) are often not open to PSEO students due to limited seats.

The U of M does not use or accept scores from the Accuplacer system found at many of the Twin Cities community colleges. We have our own placement testing system.

To take a math course at the U of M you must have either of the following:

• a U of M math placement exam score, or

• have previous college math credit taken at a college or university (e.g., UMTYMP, or other PSEO math credits). Students with AP math credit should still take the U of M math placement exam; see below.

Students cannot take a math course without meeting one of these requirements. Placement test results are binding, so be sure to take the test seriously and without distractions.

If you have not received college math credit taken at a college or university and plan to take math at the U of M, take the 65 minute math placement exam online from any computer.  You can use a calculator, but you will get a more accurate placement taking the exam without one.

VIEWING RESULTS

Your PSEO advisor will discuss the results with you since you are not able to view them.  The results from the placement exam are binding.  If you feel your placement results do not accurately reflect your knowledge of the material - for instance, you took the test in a rush or ran into tech issues - let your advisor know.

UMTYMP Experience

Students with UMTYMP experience do not have to take a math placement test if they are comfortable taking the course suggested by UMTYMP guidelines. However, a UMTYMP student can take the placement test(s) if they choose. A placement test may be helpful if a student has not taken a UMTYMP course recently, for example, if the last UMTYMP course they took was in middle school.

Additionally, if students have only taken some of the UMTYMP courses, this guide shows how they transfer to the calculus sequence. 

AP Calculus Credit

If you have taken the AP exam for calculus, we will use your score to determine placement into a U of M math course. Please refer to the AP/IB/Transfer Credit page for more AP credit information. However, you will still need to take the math placement exam to confirm your understanding of the math fundamentals, and may be asked to brush up on your trigonometry if necessary. 

Technical Help

Contact fouryear@umn.edu if your computer crashes during a placement test. Explain the computer problems in the e-mail and request that your test be reset. 

PSEO students interested in enrolling in applied music lessons (private one-on-one study) with a faculty member at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus must also apply to the School of Music. 

Please visit the School of Music's website for information on the application and audition process. 

You must be admitted to both the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program and the School of Music. Admission to the School of Music does not guarantee admission to the on-campus PSEO program.

Music Courses

Private Lessons for Majors (e.g. Musa 1305,1306,1307): The School of Music must admit students for these. Please contact the Music Advising Team (below) for information about applying to the School of Music.

Private Lessons for Non-Majors (e.g. Musa 1101,1103,1104): The School of Music does not require students to audition for these classes, but they are only offered on a space available basis. You can contact Music Advising Team (below) to request more information.

Ear-Training/Sight-Singing, Music Major Music History (e.g. Mus 1501,1511,3601W): You must contact the Music Advising Team (below) for permission/auditions after August 1. Spots are available on a space-available basis.

Chamber Ensembles (Mus 3440): PSEO students rarely are admitted to join these. If interested, students should contact the Music Advising Team (below).

Other Ensembles (Non-Chamber) (e.g. Mus 3400, Mus 3420, Mus 3430): Although all large ensembles are open to all students, some still require an audition to join, while others do not. Students can register at any time for courses that don’t require auditions. For details and further information, see the individual ensembles page.

Contact the School of Music

For information about the School of Music application or audition process,  or registration and course permissions, please contact:

The Music Advising Team

School of Music | University of Minnesota Twin Cities

• • 100 Ferguson Hall

  • 612-624-4028

  • undergrad-music@umn.edu