UMass Boston

General Education Writing Curriculum Diagram

Welcome to the Guided Writing Placement! This process will help you determine which writing courses you should take in your first year at UMass Boston. UMass Boston offers a variety of pathways to meeting the general education requirements for writing courses, including sections that offer extra support. Take the Guided Writing Placement here. Below are courses that this placement program will assist you with selecting:

First-Year Seminar Requirement
All students who enter UMass Boston with fewer than 30 credits are required to take a First-Year Seminar course. These four-credit seminars focus on critical thinking, writing, and reading. This guided self-placement process will help you decide which path to completion of the first-year seminar requirement is the best “fit” for you.

Composition Requirement
All UMass Boston students are required to take two semesters of composition: English 101 (Composition I) and English 102 (Composition II). A small number of students earn credit for composition courses before they enroll at UMass Boston via exam scores or transfer credits, but the vast majority of first-year students take both English 101 and English 102 at UMass Boston. This guided self-placement process will help you know what steps to take if you have already earned credit for English 101.

Courses for English Language Learners
UMass Boston’s ESL Program offers a range of courses that are led by instructors who have expertise in teaching multilingual students. This guided self-placement process will help you decide if a course taught by a multilingual writing expert would be the best choice for you.

Guided Self-Placement Steps

1. Complete this Guided Writing Placement before attending orientation. This placement program involves a set of questions about your experiences with language, writing, and standardized testing, followed by a brief reading and writing activity. Please answer all questions carefully and honestly, so that you will receive the best guidance on your course placements. You should expect this process to take about 60 minutes to complete.
2. Discuss your placement recommendations with your academic advisor. During the registration portion of new student orientation, you and your academic advisor should discuss the results of this program to select and register for appropriate writing courses. If you have not yet completed the guided writing placement when you meet with your advisor, they will not be able to assist you with registering for all courses. Please complete the placement after your advising session and before registering for your FYS course based on the recommendation you will receive. You may register for ENGL 101 during your session.
3. Register for courses. Using the results of this placement program as a guide, you and your advisor will work together to register for the appropriate courses in your first year.
4. If you have questions about this placement process, please contact the Testing Center at uac.testing@umb.edu. 

The Latin American and Iberian Studies Department recommends that students take the 20 minute online Spanish placement test, called WebCAPE, to help students place into the appropriate Spanish language level.  WebCape cannot be used to fulfill the Elementary Language Proficiency requirement.  See additional information on how to fulfill the Elementary Language Proficiency Requirement.

• Using Google Chrome or Firefox, click on the Webcape Spanish Placement website.
• First-time users will need to create a new account. Enter your First name, Last Name, UMB Student ID number, and UMB student e-mail address.
• Returning users can simply log into your existing TrueNorth account.
• The exam takes about 15 – 30 minutes depending on your skill level
• Immediately after you complete the exam you will receive your score and placement course level.
• You will need this information during the course registration process.
• You may only take this test once. Requests to retake the Spanish placement test should be sent to Margaret Fitzgerald. 
• Students who believe they are misplaced in a course level must contact the Latin American and Iberian Studies Department at 617-287-7550 to discuss placement.

After the completion of the test, students will immediately be given their placement level score.  

Important note for heritage speakers:  Heritage speakers are those who speak and understand a language but have never formally studied the language.  Heritage speakers should not take WebCAPE; instead, they should visit the Latin American and Iberian Studies Department and take a short written test to determine their correct placement. 

The Latin American and Iberian Studies Department offers four levels of language study (Spanish: 101, 102, 201, 202) prior to enrolling in majors levels courses. Your WebCAPE score will place you either in one of these courses, or refer you to a 300-level course. Once you receive your score, you should register for a class at that level. Remember that university policy does not allow taking language courses out of sequence, nor enrolling in two different levels of language instruction simultaneously. If you are planning to study Spanish in the summer, notice that the College of Advancing and Professional Studies equivalents of 101 and 102 are numbered 105 and 106. You cannot get credit for both 101 and 105 or 102 and 106.
For more information about the course offerings please visit Latin American and Iberian Studies Department (Hispanic Studies).  

McCormack Hall, 4th floor, Room 618.  Phone, 617-287-7550

ALEKS is an online, adaptive math assessment, consisting of 25 questions, which is accessible through the WISER System.  You may take the ALEKS Placement Assessment up to three times. You will have 120 minutes (two hours) to complete the assessment. Accessing the Preparation & Learning module is required for retesting: use for at least three hours between the first and second attempt and at least five hours between the second and third attempt.

ALEKS ‘adapts’ to your ability level.  The first questions asked will be drawn from across the curriculum and may be too easy or too difficult.  As the assessment proceeds, your answers will be used to give the system an idea of your knowledge, and it will gradually focus the questioning appropriate to your individual skill level.  By the end of the assessment, you should find the questions generally challenging, but reasonable for your individual level of knowledge.  It is likely that you will be asked questions on material you have not yet learned.  On such questions, it is appropriate to answer, “I don’t know.”  However, on any question that you have familiarity with, it is important to do your best.  “I don’t know” is interpreted by ALEKS to mean that you do not know the topic, which will be reflected in the results.  If you don’t do your best on the assessment, ALEKS will underestimate your ability.

ALEKS is more than a traditional math test because it offers a built-in, personalized Preparation and Learning module to help you improve your math skills. The Assessment consists of thirty questions covering material from Basic Math through Pre-calculus.  After the initial assessment, you will receive a score, which will be uploaded to WISER and used for placement purposes.  In addition to the score, you will receive a detailed progress report of your math skills in the form of a pie chart, and the opportunity to access a 12-month personalized Preparation and Learning module and retest if necessary. The module will help you to strengthen your skills and possibly help you to receive a higher placement.  It will also better prepare you for success in your upcoming math class.   Your Academic Advisor will have access to your ALEKS score and can help you decide what class to take or whether you should retest.

You may take ALEKS a total of three times; however, you must wait 24 hours before retesting.  You will also be required to spend time in the Preparation & Learning module between each attempt, see below:

-Three hours between the first and second attempt.
-Five hours between the second and third attempt.

The ALEKS math placement exam is required of ALL incoming undergraduate students EXCEPT:

Students who have an SAT or ACT score within two years, as noted in the chart above. 

Liberal arts students receiving math transfer credit who do not intend to take more math courses.

Science students receiving transfer credit for college algebra or pre-calculus with a grade of B or better in the most recent semester, and students transferring in calculus or higher mathematics courses.

Management students receiving transfer credit for college algebra with a grade of B or better in the most recent semester, and students transferring in pre-calculus or higher mathematics courses. 

Bachelor of Arts students and nursing students receiving transfer credit for statistics.

To access the ALEKS Math Assessment: Log into WISER→My Academics→Placement Testing→ALEKS Math Place, Prep, Learn. Make sure the pop-up blocker on your internet browser is disabled or the link will not open.

• The best time to take ALEKS is before your enrollment appointment for the upcoming semester.  Scores are valid for one year. 
• Know when your assessment and Preparation & Learning Module expires.
• Make sure you have two hours of uninterrupted quiet time.  Take the assessment at a time when you feel most alert.
• Calculators are not allowed, but ALEKS will provide an on-screen calculator if you need one to complete a particular problem. 
• Have a pencil and plenty of scratch paper.
• Take the assessment seriously but relax because you can re-test after your initial assessment.  To improve your score, you have 12 months to use the Preparation and Learning module.
• When finished, you will receive the score for your initial assessment. You can register for the course that you placed into, or any lower-level course, but note important sequencing considerations. 
• Students can self-register for courses based on ALEKS and SAT/ACT scores, but should consult an advisor to ensure appropriate course selection based on major/degree requirements. Students must consult an advisor for registration based on high school performance.
• SAT refers to the SAT MSS (Math) score and ACT refers to the Mathematics score; SAT and ACT scores expire two years after they are taken.
• Students currently taking the prerequisite course will be allowed to enroll before they earn a grade but will be dropped from the course at the start of the term if they have not met the minimum grade requirement.  It is the student’s responsibility to adjust their schedule accordingly after grades are posted.
• Students whose prerequisites have expired (see the score report/prerequisite chart) must take the ALEKS placement test.
• Students may take the ALEKS placement exam if they wish to access an online preparation and learning module or if they wish to place higher. 
• Academic performance in high school is used to determine placement into either Math 114QR or Math 115 only. This placement criterion is aligned with guidelines prescribed by the MA Department of Higher Education. Consult with your advisor for registration into Math 114QR or Math 115 based on meeting this criterion.

First Year Students:
First year UMass Boston students are required to fulfill a quantitative reasoning requirement as soon as possible within their first year.  Students who have completed high school in the United States within three years may place into mathematics courses based upon their academic performance in high school and/or qualifying scores on the SAT or ACT if taken within the past two years. Students may register for the desired math course if they have met the course prerequisite or have a valid minimum test score in ALEKS, or SAT/ACT. *For placement based on high school performance, see # 6 below.

Students can self-register for courses based on ALEKS and SAT/ACT scores, but should consult an advisor to ensure appropriate course selection based on major/degree requirements. Students must consult an advisor for registration based on high school performance.

Important Notes:

1. SAT refers to the SAT MSS (Math) score and ACT refers to the Mathematics score; SAT and ACT scores expire two years after they are taken.
2. Students currently taking the prerequisite course will be allowed to enroll before they earn a grade, but will be dropped from the course at the start of the term if they have not met the minimum grade requirement.  It is the student’s responsibility to adjust their schedule accordingly after grades are posted.
3. Students whose prerequisites have expired (see table for timeframes) must take the ALEKS placement test.
4. See the Math Department for Accuplacer equivalents (valid for one year). 
5. Students may take the ALEKS placement exam if they wish to access the online preparation and learning module or if they wish to place higher. 
6. Academic performance in high school is used to determine placement into either Math 114QR or Math 115 only. This placement criterion is aligned with guidelines prescribed by the MA Department of Higher Education. Consult with your advisor for registration into Math 114QR or Math 115 based on meeting this criterion.

Transfer Students
The ALEKS math placement exam is required of ALL incoming undergraduate transfer students EXCEPT:

1. Students who have an SAT or ACT score within two years, as noted in the chart above. 
2. Liberal arts students receiving math transfer credit who do not intend to take more math courses.
3. Science students receiving transfer credit for college algebra or pre-calculus with a grade of B or higher, and students transferring in calculus or higher mathematics courses.
4. Management students receiving transfer credit for college algebra with a grade of B or higher, and students transferring in pre-calculus or higher mathematics courses. 
5. Bachelor of Arts students and nursing students receiving transfer credit for statistics.

Important sequencing considerations: You will lose math transfer credit if you register for a course that is at or below the level you transferred in. For example, if you transfer in Pre-calculus (Math 130), and then take College Algebra (Math 115), you would lose the Math 130 transfer course.

ALEKS Placement, Preparation & Learning Modules (found directly on ALEKS) help students prepare for a retest.     

Subject Tutoring in the Healey Library on an appointment basis, with some drop-in tutoring for select courses are available as a resource.

The Taffee Tanimoto Mathematics Resource Center provides tutoring on an appointment and drop-in basis.  

If you are a Bachelor of Arts (BA) student, you have the opportunity to receive a waiver of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement for your degree, provided that you earn an ALEKS score of 51 or higher which is placement into Math 125: Statistics.  Credit is not awarded, but a waiver notation will be posted on your degree progress report. You will, however, need to test in the UMass Boston Testing Center under proctored conditions, or during the period of remote operations, you may request the test to be proctored via Zoom by a Testing Center staff member. 

Students are eligible for a proctored ALEKS exam if they have first demonstrated math placement through one of the following:

Within one year, achieved a score of 51 or higher on ALEKS not taken at the Testing Center.

Within two years, earned an SAT/ACT score of 550/23 or higher.  The score must be on a student's UMass Boston record.

Additionally, Economics majors may request a proctored ALEKS exam through the Testing Center to meet their pre-calculus requirement. See the Economics Major Information sheet for details.  Please email uac.testing@umb.edu to schedule an appointment.

If you’re satisfied with your score because it places you into your desired course, you will be able to register for that class within 24 hours. To potentially improve your class performance, we recommend that you utilize the Preparation and Learning module that is available for 12 months.

If you’re dissatisfied with your score, you can re-test but you must spend three hours using the Preparation and Learning module before you take the assessment a second time and then five additional hours before you take it a third time.  Once you access the Preparation and Learning module you will have 12 months to use it. 

Please understand UMass Boston’s academic honesty regulations.  For ALEKS to be effective, you must do the exam on your own without notes, books, or help from others.  ALEKS is not a traditional exam.  Instead, it’s a tool to help you place into an appropriate  course in which you have the best chance to succeed.   Any outside assistance might place you in a course for which you would not be prepared, and it could result in a lower GPA and possibly delay your degree progress.   Furthermore, it constitutes a violation of the university’s code of conduct.

The following excerpts from the full code pertain to the academic honesty expectations when taking ALEKS.

It is the expressed policy of UMass Boston that every aspect of academic life, not only formal coursework situations, but all relationships and interactions connected to the educational process shall be conducted in an absolutely and uncompromisingly honest manner.

The following actions are prohibited by the code:

Using any unauthorized material during an examination, such as notes, tests, calculators, cell phones, PDAs, or other electronic or mechanical communication devices. Abuse of cellular devices with photographic capabilities and use of devices for purposes of photographing test questions or other notes and materials.

Obtaining answers to examination questions from another person with or without that person’s knowledge; furnishing answers to examination questions to another student; using or distributing unauthorized copies of or notes from an examination.

Submitting as one’s own an examination taken by another person; or taking an examination in another person’s place.

Violating the academic honesty policy may result in serious academic sanctions including, but not limited to, suspension or expulsion from the university.

• What do I do if my computer crashes?
  Reboot your computer and log back in.  ALEKS will remember where you left off.
• Why doesn’t ALEKS open when I click on it? 
  Check your pop-up blocker settings in your browser.  You may have to temporarily allow pop-ups on this site.
• I accessed the ALEKS website but it won't let me start an assessment
  Your assessment or Preparation & Learning module date may have expired.
•  I am having trouble inputting my answers.  
  Click on the ALEKS 'Help' button.
• I am having technical problems inside ALEKS. What should I do?
  For ALEKS customer support, call 714-245-7191 ext. 201
• Why is ALEKS Math PPL missing from my Quick Links?  
  If you previously applied or attended UMass Dartmouth or UMass Lowell then you may need to select UMass Boston in your WISER User Preferences section.   To fix this problem, start from your Student Center page; under Personal Information, select 'User Preferences'.  Then, select UMass Boston as your default institution.   Click 'save'.   ALEKS Math PPL should appear in the Quick Links.  If not, call the Testing Center at 617-287-5522 for assistance.