Missouri State Math Placement Exam
The Mathematics Placement Exam is designed to help decide what course you are qualified to take within the spectrum of mathematics courses. The exam has two essential parts, the second broken into two subparts for accounting purposes. If you are in one of the STEM fields and intend to take a Calculus course, you must take both parts. The mathematics course that you need take should be decided by reviewing your major program requirements and consulting your advisor. Breakdown of the separate parts is as follows.
Part 1: This exam is timed (30 minutes, 25 questions) and tests your knowledge of skills needed to take one of the following three courses
- MTH 130 Contemporary Math (3 credit hours). This is a General Education mathematics course often taken by Humanities/Liberal Arts majors.
- MTH 134 Algebraic Reasoning & Modeling (3 credit hours). This is a General Education mathematics course taken by business majors, some social science majors, and nursing majors.
- MTH 136 Precalculus I (3 credit hours). This is a General Education mathematics course and the knowledge and skills in this course are essential for the study of Calculus (MTH 261 or MTH 287).
If the exam does not show readiness for one of the above courses, you will be placed in one of our Intermediate Algebra courses (MTH 101 or 103).
Part 2: This exam is timed and consists of two parts. You need not complete both parts, but you will be ineligible for the most advanced courses without completing the full exam.
Part 2A: This exam is timed (30 minutes) and has two parts. The essential purpose is to gauge your skill and knowledge level for taking a precalculus course. The exam will test your readiness to take one of the following courses.
- MTH 137 Precalculus II (3 credit hours). The knowledge and skills in MTH 136 (above) and this second course are the backbone needed to enroll in MTH 261 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I needed by most STEM students.
- MTH 138 Precalculus Mathematics (5 credit hours). This is a one semester course combining the content of MTH 136 and 137.
Part 2B: This exam is timed (15 minutes). The essential purpose is to gauge your skill and knowledge level for taking a Calculus course. The exam will test your readiness to take one of the following courses.
- MTH 261 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (5 credit hours). This course is fundamental to most STEM fields.
- MTH 287 Computational Calculus I (3 credit hours). This is essentially a survey of Calculus appropriate for some STEM fields.
How to Schedule Your Exam
The Math Placement Exam is conducted via Brightspace, and is free of charge to students. Taking the exam is a multiple step process.
Step 1: Click on the Schedule an Exam link on the left side of this page.
Step 2: Read the instructions and click on the Missouri State student link at the bottom of the page. You MUST have a Missouri State username and password to register for and take the exam. NOTE: Greenwood students should use the GUEST option (the second link at the bottom of the page).
Step 3: On the registration form, choose Missouri State Math Placement Exam in the Group field (Item 1).
Step 4: Choose the In-Person or Remote option. IMPORTANT: If you choose the In-Person option, you must report to the Testing Center at Missouri State University on the date and time of your appointment, and take your exam in person. If you choose the Remote option, you can take the exam at any time after you have received an enrollment notification from Brightspace, which is typically the next business day after your registration, or the morning of the day of your appointment
Step 5: Complete the registration form, including selecting an appointment date/time. If you schedule an In-Person exam, you must bring a valid photo ID with you to be seated for your test.
Step 6: Take the exam on Brightspace. Your results will be posted to the Test Scores area of MyMissouriState within 48 hours of completion of the exam. NOTE: you MUST take Part 1 before attempting any section of Part 2, or your scores will not be posted.
Getting Your Results
Math Placement Exam results are processed daily, typically overnight. For example, if you completed the exam on Tuesday, you should see your scores in the Test Scores area of MyMissouriState by the next business day. .
Questions?
Please contact the Testing Center Coordinator, Sue McCrory, by email or telephone at 417-836-6120 if you have any questions.