Basic Skills Course Requirement and Course Placement Processes

Each student must satisfy basic skills course requirements for mathematics, reading and writing. Placement into or exemption from the required courses in mathematics will be determined by results of the ACT and/or course placement tests. Students will use a guided self-placement process to determine their basic skills course(s) in writing. Placement into basic skills reading will be determined by high school GPA in conjunction with ACT-Reading according to the procedure described below. Students who have not taken the ACT may request placement based on testing in the Academic Advisement Center approved by the appropriate department chairperson. For transfer students, placement into or exemption from these required courses also may be determined by the results of the Transfer Evaluation Report (TER).

Students should view entry and college-level basic skills as minimum standards and continue to develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics throughout their college careers. Although computer literacy is not a basic skills requirement at Saginaw Valley State University, students are strongly advised to become computer literate.

A student must have completed basic skills requirements, or have appropriate courses in each of the three sequences in progress by the time the SVSU total of registered credits reaches 12, and continue in the appropriate courses each succeeding semester until the requirement is satisfied in full. Failure to meet this requirement will block registration. Authorization to register without meeting this requirement may be given, in extenuating circumstances, only by an advisor in the Academic Advisement Center.

Basic Skills Course Requirements

Math: MATH 081 - Basic Mathematical Skills  and MATH 082 - Beginning Algebra .

Reading: One of the following courses, depending on placement: 1) ENGL 103 - College Reading and Learning ; 2) ENGL 104 - Strategies for Academic Success .

Writing: ENGL 111 - Composition I .

Students may satisfy the basic skills course requirements in one of the following ways:

• Completing these courses with a satisfactory grade (“P” or minimum of “C”):
• Transferring appropriate coursework from another college or university. Equivalent coursework for transfer students is indicated on the Transfer Evaluation Report (TER) provided by the Registrar’s Office upon completion of the review of transcripts from the previous institution(s). Early submission of transcripts from the previous institution(s) is encouraged for appropriate and timely course placement.
• When applicable, meeting the required ACT College Assessment score for a course waiver.
• When applicable, meeting the required SVSU course placement test score for a course waiver.

For more information on course placement, call the Academic Advisement Center, 117 Wickes Hall, at (989) 964-4286.

Math Course Placement

Students will be initially placed into mathematics courses by ACT math sub-score, as detailed below.

A student may request a mathematics placement test. If a sufficient score is made on this test, the student will be placed in a higher course than the minimum placement indicated above. Students may take this placement test no more than 2 times. Placement tests are coordinated by the Department of Mathematical Sciences  and the Math Resource Center, scheduled by the Math Resource Center, and given on specific dates.

Students without ACT Math sub-scores must take the mathematics placement test. These students may take the placement test no more than 2 times. Transfer students who do not transfer appropriate coursework to SVSU, but do submit ACT Math sub-scores, will follow the usual procedure for students with ACT scores as described above.

Reading and Learning Course Placement

Placement into ENGL 103  or  ENGL 104  provides students with the opportunity to prepare for reading and learning from a variety of complex texts, which is essential to academic success in a university setting.

Students are placed according to the following criteria:

Transfer students can fulfill the basic skills reading requirement by transferring appropriate course work. Those who do not transfer appropriate course work are to follow the placement procedures specified above. Students who transfer to SVSU with 25 or more transferable credits are exempted from basic skills reading requirements. Students who do not have an ACT score are required to take the Accuplacer test. 

Transfer students can fulfill the basic skills reading requirement by transferring appropriate course work. 

Writing Course Placement

Writing course placement will be based on a guided self-placement process that considers high school GPA, SVSU admissions status, experience in writing courses, and other factors. The process will be conducted in dialogue with Academic Advisors and/or first-year writing faculty.