English 3020 Test-Out (Previously English 302 Test-Out)

Contact Information

Deanna Stumbo
Department of English
stumbo@iastate.edu
515-294-3516

 

NOTE: Effective March 2024, as students begin registering for Fall 2024 semester classes, English 302 will now be listed as English 3020 due to the implementation of the University Workday Student Program.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the English 3020 test-out exam, you must

  • not be currently enrolled in English 3020 when taking the 3020 test-out exam
  • have at least a junior classification
  • have completed English 150 and 250 (English 1500 and 2500 starting fall 2024.)
  • be taking the test-out exam for the first time (university policy prevents repeats)

You May Not Register If You

  • have previously taken or been enrolled in an English 302/3020 class
  • are not officially enrolled at Iowa State University for the semester the 3020 test-out is being offered

The Test

The English 3020 test-out exam consists of three separate parts that will ask you to define and apply various business communication concepts, analyze a specific genre of business communication, and compose in a genre responding to a given business communication scenario. Your responses will be evaluated on their incorporation of specific course concepts and principles as well as the content’s depth, accuracy, organization, style, and grammar.

Accommodation

If you need accommodated testing arrangements, please contact Student Accessibility Services to request a Notification Letter. The completed Notification Letter must be emailed to Deanna Stumbo (stumbo@iastate.edu) by no later than noon on Friday, August 30, 2024.

Test Dates

The Fall 2024 test-out dates are Monday, September 9 – Wednesday, September 11.

The test-out must be taken in three separate 50-minute sessions, and you must complete all three parts of the test.

When you register for the exam, you will be provided with information on booking the three separate 50-minute sessions. While you can take all three parts on the same day, you will need to sign up for each part separately. You will also need to leave the testing center between each session so that the testing center staff can clean and prep between sessions.

PLEASE NOTE: Appointments with the ISU Test Center for Fall 2024 cannot be booked until August 27, 2024. Please put a reminder on your calendar to book your three sessions on or after August 27, 2024.

Registration for the Exam

You must complete and submit the English 302 Test-Out Registration Form – Fall 2024. Upon receipt of your registration form, you will receive an email that will provide you with the information you will need to setup your three separate 50-minute sessions for the exam and study material.

The Fall 2024 registration deadline is noon on Friday, August 30, 2024. A $100 fee will be placed on your university bill. The $100 fee is nonrefundable unless you cancel your registration by sending an email to Deanna Stumbo (stumbo@iastate.edu) by noon on Friday, August 30, 2024.

Studying for the Exam

To prepare for the English 3020 test-out, you should be familiar with the major business communication concepts and principles covered in the course.

To pass the test, you should demonstrate a strong ability to analyze and compose within specific genres and scenarios of business communication. You should also be able to understand and apply core business communication practices, including audience analysis, goodwill, positive emphasis, organization, accessibility, and document design principles.

When you register for the exam, you will receive information on preparation material for the exam.

What to Bring to the Exam

All you need to bring to the exam is your student ID.

Evaluation

Administrators and instructors in the Advanced Communication program compare your performance on the exam to the writing of a good 3020/302 student who has taken the course. All parts of the test must receive a satisfactory rating for you to earn T (test-out) credit. You and your advisor will be notified within six weeks of the exam whether you have earned this T credit. If you receive T credit, it will be posted at the end of the semester in which you took the exam.