Portuguese Language Program Proficiency Exams
Proficiency exams in the four skills (reading, speaking, writing, and listening) are given 3 times during the academic year: in September, at the beginning of the fall semester, in December, during the last week of classes of the fall semester, and during the last week of classes of the spring semester. At the beginning of the spring semester these proficiency exams will be given only to new incoming students.
The Listening and Writing proficiency exams are taken on the same day, usually one after the other. The Reading proficiency exam presents two or more texts dealing with SAIS-related subjects and with questions to be answered in English. The exam takes about two hours.
In the Writing proficiency exam students will be asked to write short messages as well as a 300-400-word long essay about a subject presented during class discussions and dealing with SAIS-related subjects. The exam will take about one hour.
In the Listening proficiency exam students will listen to authentic audio and video segments and will answer general and specific questions related to their content.
In the Speaking proficiency exam the student will discuss topics relative to SAIS-specific subjects, and should be prepared to explain and support his/her ideas to the testers. This exam takes 30 minutes at most.