Placement

Placement is an assessment of a student's level of preparation in a subject. The purpose of placement is to help students enroll in the courses in which they are most likely to be successful.

Unless students already have college credit for an English Composition course, they need to review placement requirements for these courses.

Students will be placed based on their SAT or ACT verbal score, unless they already have college credit for an English composition course.

  • Students with a 640 (or lower) on the verbal portion of the SAT and/or a 28 (or lower) on the verbal portion of the ACT must enroll in ENC 1101.
  • Students with a 650 (or higher) on the verbal portion of the SAT or a 29 (or higher) on the verbal portion of the ACT may enroll in any 1000/2000-level composition course beyond ENC 1101. These students should not enroll in ENC 1101.
  • Students with college credit for English Composition (from AICE, AP, CLEP, IB, or dual enrollment) should consult an advisor to determine which, if any, additional courses are needed to meet degree requirements.

If a student intends to pursue a science or engineering major or intends to go on to a health profession after completing the bachelor’s degree, they should take these algebra, precalculus, and calculus courses. A number of business and technical majors require specific math courses. Students should check the information on their majors and health professions of interest to determine if algebra/precalculus/calculus are required.
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Placement is used for the following MAC courses:

MAC 1105Basic College Algebra3
MAC 1140Precalculus Algebra 13
MAC 1147Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry (a fast-paced review of both areas)4
MAC 2233Survey of Calculus 13
MAC 2311Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (typically recommended for pre-health students)4
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The sequence MAC 1140 and MAC 1114 covers the same material as MAC 1147, but at a slower pace.

The math course(s) a student takes will depend on what their major requires (or if they are pre-health), whether the student has incoming math credit, the math course they took last year, and whether they were able to use a calculator during exams, whether the student wants to strengthen their foundation before moving on to new material, and their ALEKS placement score.

To determine which math course (if any) is required for a major, students should check the requirements for that major. If a student's major requires MAC 2234 or MAC 2312 or higher, they must have credit for the prerequisite course. If a student has credit via exam or dual enrollment, consult with an academic advisor.  General guidelines for using AP scores for placement appear below.

Some graduate programs in the health professions such as pharmacy, optometry, and veterinary medicine may require calculus as a prerequisite to admission. Consult the Pre-Health Prerequisite Course Chart for more information.

  • If a major requires no particular math course, students may take Gen Ed math courses such as MGF 1106 or MGF 1107 without any placement.
  • If a student needs one of the MAC courses listed above and doesn't have incoming credit, they should take the ALEKS placement exam, and then discuss which math course should be taken with an advisor.
  • If a student has incoming math credit, they may use that as placement into MAC courses if the credit appears on their UF transcript or the student provides proof of credit. However, the ALEKS placement is the best predictor of success in UF MAC courses. Even if a student has credit, they are strongly encouraged to take ALEKS. Taking ALEKS will assess a student's current knowledge base and its fit with the UF curriculum. After taking ALEKS, the student should discuss which math course they should take with an advisor.

It can be helpful for students to take a lower course or even retake a course to strengthen their foundation before moving on to a higher class. A student's ALEKS score can help assess their current preparation. Consult with an academic advisor if unsure.

ALEKS

Placement via ALEKS Score

Majors that Require MAC 1105, MAC 1140, MAC 1147, or MAC 2311; or for Pre-Health

ALEKS Score May begin with the course in bold (or a lower course)
0 – 45% MAC 1105; MAC 1140; MAC 1114; MAC 2311
46 – 60% MAC 1140; MAC 1114; MAC 2311
61 – 75% MAC 1147; MAC 2311
76% and Above MAC 2311

Majors that Require MAC 2233

ALEKS Score May begin with the course in bold (or a lower course)
0 – 45% MAC 1105; MAC 1140; MAC 2233
46 – 60% MAC 1140; MAC 2233
61% and Above MAC 2233

Incoming Credit

Placement via Incoming Credit

If a student has earned credit with a C or better for:

  • MAC 1105: take MAC 1140 (if needed)
  • MAC 1140: take MAC 1114 or MAC 2233 (if needed, course depends on major requirements)
  • MAC 1147 (or both MAC 1140 and MAC 1114): take MAC 2311 if needed. Credit must be in progress at UF, completed and on the student's UF transcript or the student must provide proof of incoming credit.
  • It may be helpful for students to retake a course to strengthen their foundation before moving on to a higher class. This is especially true if the incoming credit course was taken more than one year ago or if the student earned a grade lower than B.  A student's ALEKS score can help assess their current preparation. Consult with an academic advisor if unsure.


AICE, AP, or IB and other Exam Credit

Students should refer to Exam Credit to see which courses they will earn credit for based on their scores. For courses through MAC 2311, ALEKS is still the best predictor of success in MAC courses at UF, so students are encouraged to take ALEKS and follow the score guidelines. General guidelines for using AP scores for placement appear below.

Transfer Credit

Earning the minimum grades in prerequisite courses does not guarantee success in the next math course. The Department of Mathematics encourages students to take the ALEKS exam even if they have credit for a MAC course. Quite often, a student's skills may need review and placement assessment can provide information and specific areas for additional study.

Please read the complete information about the mathematics placement exam.

AP Scores for Calculus

Placement via AP Scores for Calculus

UF offers two introductory calculus courses: MAC 2233 and MAC 2311 as well as subsequent courses in both sequences. Students should consult the majors section to determine which calculus course(s) may be required for their major.

Calculus AB or BC

AP Exam Score Register in Additional Information
1 or 2 MAC 1105 or MAC 1140 or MAC 1147 Students with a score of 1 or 2 on an AP Calculus exam must take the ALEKS placement exam (https://registrar.ufl.edu/courses/aleks.html) to determine the course for which they are prepared. Then consult the Algebra/Precalculus placement information to determine the correct course.

Calculus AB

AP Exam Score Register in Additional Information
3 MAC 2311 Students will receive credit for MAC 2311. If the student's requirements include MAC 2312 or higher, they should retake MAC 2311.
4 MAC 2312 Students may repeat MAC 2311 or continue on to MAC 2312 (if needed for their requirements). Check with major department to determine if there is major-specific advice regarding repeating.1
5 MAC 2312 If a student needs MAC 2312, they should have appropriate background for that course.1
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Course descriptions

Calculus BC

AP Exam Score Register in Additional Information
3 MAC 2311 Students will receive credit for MAC 2311. If the student's requirements include MAC 2312 or higher, they should retake MAC 2311.1
4 MAC 2312 Students will receive credit for MAC 2312. If the student's requirements include MAC 2313 or higher, they may retake MAC 2312 or go on to MAC 2313 if they are very confident of their background. Check with major department to determine if there is major-specific advice regarding repeating.1
5 MAC 2313 If a student needs MAC 2313, they should have appropriate background for that course. Check with major department to determine if there is major-specific advice regarding repeating.
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Course descriptions

If a student intends to pursue a science or engineering major or intends to go on to a health profession after completing the bachelor’s degree, they should take these general chemistry courses. Students should check the information on their majors of interest to determine if general chemistry is required.

The general chemistry sequence CHM 2045/CHM 2045L and CHM 2046/CHM 2046L meets the preprofessional requirements for many science and engineering majors. CHM 2095/CHM 2095L and CHM 2096/CHM 2046L is an alternate general chemistry sequence specifically for engineering majors.

Placement into CHM 2045 or CHM 2095 requires:

AND

  • Successful completion with a grade of C or better of CHM 1025
    OR
    a 76% on the ALEKS math placement exam.

If a student enrolls in and successfully completes CHM 1025 and MAC 1147 (or MAC 1140 and MAC 1114), they can enroll in CHM 2045 or CHM 2095 the next semester. Students who enroll in CHM 1025 but do not successfully complete with a C or better cannot place into CHM 2045 using an ALEKS score of 76%. Such students will need to repeat CHM 1025 and earn a C or better to go on to CHM 2045.

Students with credit for CHM 2045 via AP and IB scores or dual enrollment (with a minimum grade of C) should discuss their next chemistry course with an advisor. Students who wish to repeat CHM 2045, take CHM 2095 or go on to CHM 2046/CHM 2096 must have successfully completed MAC 1147, MAC 1140 and MAC 1114, or higher or the equivalent as determined by the Mathematics Department.

Students who wish to enroll in CHM 2047, the one-semester General Chemistry, and its corequisite laboratory CHM 2047L, must meet the following conditions:

  • AICE, AP, or IB credit for at least CHM 2045 and laboratory
  • Approval of the Honors Program office or the Department of Chemistry.

College-level foreign language is required by several programs: Liberal Arts and Sciences and the BA programs in the College of the Arts have a proficiency requirement; students in Journalism and Communications may choose between foreign language proficiency or a quantitative option. Construction management majors must complete one semester of Spanish.

French

  • Students with no prior study of French or a maximum of French 1 on their high school transcript may enroll directly in FRE 1130.  No placement exam is required.
  • Students with French 2 on their high school transcript may enroll directly in FRE 1134.  No placement test is required.
  • Students with French 3 or 4 on their high school transcript may enroll directly in FRE 2220, but are encouraged to take the WebCAPE placement test for French.

  • Students who speak French at home may take the WebCAPE placement test for French and/or speak with the undergraduate coordinator about placement.

  • Students who have taken French exams via Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate (IB), should consult the French Placement and Course Equivalency page to determine whether they have received credit for a French course and which course to take next.  

  • Students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in French in order to meet the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), College of Journalism and Communications (JM), or BA in the College of the Arts (FA) degree requirements must do one of the following:
    • Complete the terminal course in the Beginning French sequence (or higher) with a satisfactory grade
    • Earn sufficient scores on an AICE, AP, CLEP, or IB exam.
    • Earn a passing score on the Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)

Spanish

Students with any prior study or knowledge of Spanish who wish to enroll in a Spanish course are required to take the WebCAPE online placement test, which is designed to help them determine the best course based on their background.

  • Students who took a language other than Spanish in high school are not required to take this test. They may enroll in SPN 1130.
  • Students who have taken Spanish exams via Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) are encouraged but not required to take the WebCAPE and should consult the Spanish Placement and Course Equivalency page to determine whether they have received credit for a Spanish course and which course to take next.
  • Students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in Spanish in order to meet the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), College of Journalism and Communications (JM), or BA in the College of the Arts (FA) degree requirements must do one of the following:
    • Complete the terminal course in the Beginning Spanish sequence (or higher) with a satisfactory grade
    • Earn sufficient scores on an AICE, AP, CLEP or IB exam.
    • Earn a passing score on the Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)

Anyone with any prior study or knowledge of Spanish MUST provide a test score to register for a Spanish course.

A passing grade in SPN 1131 or a higher level SPN courses successfully fulfills the foreign language proficiency requirement for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Journalism and Communications and BA programs in the College of the Arts. Students wishing to satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement by examination must do so through the appropriate AP, IB, or AICE Spanish scores. WebCAPE is only a placement exam.

Other Languages

Students with a prior background in languages other than French or Spanish should consult with the department regarding placement. Students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in that language in order to meet the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), College of Journalism and Communications (JM), or BA in the College of the Arts (FA) degree requirements must do one of the following:

  • Complete the terminal course in the Beginning sequence (or higher) of that language with a satisfactory grade
  • Earn sufficient scores on an AICE, AP, CLEP or IB exam.
  • Earn a passing score on the Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (FLPE)
  • Consult the department regarding proficiency for languages not offered by the FLPE.