The purpose of the computerized Chinese Placement Evaluation is to identify the level of your Chinese proficiency and to direct you to the appropriate course for your level.
Anyone who has had previous experience with the Chinese language (Mandarin, or Cantonese or other dialects) through formal classroom study or living with native speakers must take the placement evaluation. If you have never learned the Chinese language in a formal setting or lived with Chinese speakers for a significant period, no placement evaluation is required; just enroll in a Chinese 1 class.
You are urged to take the test at the earliest possible date to increase the likelihood you will be able to enroll in the appropriate course. Keep in mind that some foundation-level Chinese language courses (CHN 1 through CHN 113) are offered only once each year - see chart below. If the class you are placed into is not offered in the current quarter, you must wait to take the course. Because the placement test does not include an oral or written component, your placement is only a close estimate. A supplementary written & oral assessment may be given on the first day or two of class. The instructor will let you know if you need to adjust to a different level of class. As stated in the current GENERAL CATALOG, "The Foreign Language Placement Test determines ... at which point in the language sequence you should enroll." The program coordinator and course instructors have the final say in evaluating placement test results and determining appropriate placement. Students are advised to drop as soon as possible any course they are enrolled in that is determined not to be at the appropriate level.
Students are NOT permitted to take the Placement Exam multiple times to get into the language level of your choice. In addition, students are not allowed to skip or backtrack to levels of your choice.
The Chinese Placement Evaluation consists of a background survey and a multiple-choice exam of listening, reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary. It may take up to 60 minutes, depending on your Chinese competence, to complete both the survey and the exam. You will receive your placement results immediately upon completing the exam, and you can register for a Chinese class as placed. If you have already registered for a Chinese language class at an inappropriate level, you should switch to the class level into which you are placed.
Based on the course you're placed into after the computerized portion of your Chinese placement, please select an available section in the quarter you desire. After selection, please schedule an in-person interview with an instructor by email; please also include a copy of your exam results.
- During academic quarters, please contact the instructor of the section you select
- During breaks (Summer, Winter, and Spring), please email the Lead Language Instructor, Haiqing Yin (hqyin@ucdavis.edu).
Please be aware that your oral proficiency, handwriting ability, and other language skills may be assessed during the interview.
To ensure proper placement, the instructors may move you to a different course based on your in-class performance, even after the course starts.
| If you were placed into 如果你被分到 |
You CAN take 可以选 |
You CANNOT take 不可以选 |
|---|---|---|
| CHN 001 | CHN 001 (or 1A in summer) | CHN 002, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 002 | CHN 002 | CHN 001, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 003 | CHN 003 | CHN 001, 2, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 1BL | CHN 1BL | CHN 001, 2, 3, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 2BL | CHN 2BL | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 3BL | CHN 3BL, 160 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 004 | CHN 004 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 005 | CHN 005 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 6, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150,160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 006 | CHN 006, 160 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5, 111, 112, 113, 120, 150; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 111 | CHN 111, 160 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 112, 113, 120, 150; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 |
| CHN 112 | CHN 112, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5, 6, 111, 113, 120, 150 |
| CHN 113 | CHN 113, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 120, 150 |
| CHN 120 | CHN 120, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 150 |
| CHN 150 | CHN 150, 160; & 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 | CHN 001, 2, 3, 1BL, 2BL, 3BL, 4, 5,6, 111, 112, 113, 120 |
|
And you can ALWAYS take our Literature and Culture classes (offered in English translation) without the requirement of language placement. : CHN 10, 11, 50, 100A, 100B, 101,103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109A - 109I, and 110. For 114, 115, 116 and 140, see the course instructors. Clarification of Prerequisites for CHN 116 A student asked: I was placed into CHN 150, can I still take CHN 116 (Introduction to Classical Chinese III) this Spring? Answer: Yes, students who were placed into CHN 120 and 150 (or have finished CHN 115) can all take CHN 116. CHN 116 is a continuation of CHN 114 and 115 of the Introduction to Classical Chinese course series. CHN 120 and 150 are "Modern Chinese" courses, which are not in the same sequence of CHN 116. For further questions, contact Prof. Chu (czchu@ucdavid.edu) , the instructor of 116 in the Spring. 有同学问：我的中文分班考试分到了 CHN 150, 是不是就不可以上 CHN 116 (Introduction Classical Chinese III)了？ 回答：不是。分班考试分到CHN 120和150（或者学了CHN115）的同学都可以上 CHN 116。 CHN 116 是一门 “古代汉语导论”课程（前面两学季是CHN 114 和 115），学习基础阶段的文言文。CHN 120 和 150是“现代汉语”课程，与 CHN 116不是同一个系列，因此学习了120和150，还可以注册116。 如有问题，可与CHN 116课程老师联系。2021年春季的任课老师是储老师 (czchu@ucdavis.edu)。 |
|---|
| Offered in Fall Quarter | Offered in Winter Quarter | Offered in Spring Quarter |
| CHN 001, 1BL, 002, 003, 004, 111, 120 & usually 150 | CHN 001, 002, 2BL, 003, 005, 112, 120 & usually 150 | CHN 001, 002, 003, 3BL, 113, 120 & usually 150 |
You will need to take a placement exam no later than the first 2-3 days of instruction. To take the Chinese Placement Evaluation, contact the UC Davis Language Center (DLC) at 530-752-1508 or email them at ucdlc@ucdavis.edu to make an appointment for the exam. The assessment will be given at the DLC located in 53 Olson Hall.
Questions?
For more information about the placement evaluation, please read the FAQ page. You can also contact the East Asian Languages and Cultures Advisor, Anna Pendleton at apendleton@ucdavis.edu (Room 211 Sproul Hall) or the Lead Language Instructor, Yin Laoshi (hqyin@ucdavis.edu).