Placement Exams
Placement tests are offered each year (in late August) to assist Columbia students who enter with prior knowledge of Greek or Latin in finding an appropriate course; Barnard students should see the Barnard classicists for placement advice. The purpose of these tests is not to constrain students to work at a specific level, and those who feel that they have been placed too low may always attempt a more advanced course; at the same time students are reminded that it is not necessarily in their best interests to attempt a class which is too advanced for them. Students who enter with scores of 5 on the Latin AP examination have fulfilled the Columbia language requirement and may register for courses at the 3000 level without taking the placement tests, though they may want to consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies about suitable courses. Students with an A* grade on the A Level Examination may also register for courses at the 3000level. All other students with prior knowledge should see the Director of Undergraduate Studies for placement.
Fall 2026
The Department of Classics is offering Fall 2026 placement exams in Greek and Latin to assist CC, GS, and SEAS students who enter with prior knowledge of Greek or Latin in finding an appropriate course level. Though prior registration is not required, it is highly recommended. [Click here to register.]
This is a sight exam; no dictionaries or grammatical aids may be used. Each exam has a duration of one hour.
Date: September 2nd
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Hamilton 618
Please contact Professor Nikolas P. Kakkoufa with any accommodation requests. Barnard students should contact Professor Nancy Worman.
For information on the Modern Greek placement exam, see here.