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Academic Placement

We use a placement approach that takes into account students’ learning strengths and needs.

Students come to Landmark College with varying abilities in reading, writing, math, and information literacy. In our placement process, we review enrollment materials provided during the admissions process to recommend course options that meet the writing requirements, education requirements, and math requirements.  Our recommendations are based on previous coursework, the admissions essay, achievement scores, and other supplemental information.

We want our students to be successful, and our placement process is designed to meet the needs of students, to meet collegiate standards, and to be sure that students are placed accurately in their foundation courses.

The courses in this foundation—writing, education, and math—serve as prerequisites to all other courses required for degree completion. These courses focus on delivering content while providing explicit instruction in what is often referred to as “the hidden curriculum.” Students are introduced to study strategies, writing process strategies, active and critical reading approaches, self-management techniques, and organization and time management skills. There are options recommended for the writing and education sequence. In addition, students will be assessed for math placement and advised on a pathway to meet the math requirement. Coursework may vary by degree plan.


Learn more about academic placement:

  • There are two options for meeting the first part of the writing requirement sequence.

    Option 1: One Semester

    WRT1011 Composition and Rhetoric 

    This course emphasizes the interconnected nature of writing and reading at the college level. Students develop and refine individualized writing and critical reading processes while working with a variety of rhetorical strategies and structures. Students are asked to express their ideas and integrate material from texts through participating in class discussions, completing informal assignments, and writing academic papers of increasing length and complexity. To meet the writing requirement through this option, students must earn a “C.”

    Option 2: Two-semester Sequence

    WRT1007 Writing Process and Practice: Part 1 

    WRT1008 Writing Process and Practice: Part 2

    WRT1007 is the first-semester pass/fail credit elective course in a two-semester sequence to meet the WRT1011 requirement. This course introduces the core concepts of college reading and writing, and students learn to construct writing that is clear, well-organized, and concise. While engaging in a series of shorter assignments, students will develop their reading and writing processes, applying these processes to a variety of genres and rhetorical structures. Students also strengthen their abilities as college readers by further developing their active and critical reading strategies to comprehend and analyze texts. The following semester, students enroll in WRT1008, where they complete writing that meets the learning outcomes for the requirement. This course is letter-graded. To meet the writing requirement through this option, students must pass WRT1007 and earn a “C” in WRT1008.

  • There are two placement options for meeting the education requirement.

    In order to meet the education requirement, students must take EDU1011 Perspectives in Learning. However, students may be recommended to start with EDU1007 College Learning Strategies.

    Option 1: Direct placement into EDU1011

    EDU1011 Perspectives in Learning 

    This first-semester course is designed to introduce students to theories related to the cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural dimensions of learning. The purpose of the course is to foster self-awareness, critical thinking, strategic learning, and self-advocacy. Metacognition and critical thinking will be prominent themes throughout this course. Students will reflect on learning and teaching processes while applying learning strategies that can be transferred to other courses of study as a proactive approach to self-advocacy. Strategies for active reading, note-taking, test-taking, long-term project planning, and organizing materials will be modeled, practiced, and assessed. Students will be expected to critically read, discuss, and utilize a body of readings for a variety of academic tasks. In addition, students will learn about the laws that protect individuals with disabilities, receive an in-depth orientation to the on-campus services that provide academic and emotional support, and establish short and long-term goals related to promoting effective self-management.

    Option 2: Placement into EDU1007 followed by EDU1011

    EDU1007 College Learning Strategies 

    In this course, students will develop awareness of how they learn through the development of metacognitive learning strategies and approaches to reading, note taking, and executive skills like task management. Strategies are presented and practiced for students to enhance their learning experience. Strategies are explored in the following ways: 1) what they are; 2) how to use them; 3) when to use them; 4) why they are effective; and 5) how to adapt them. This class takes a unique approach towards the learning experience through an emphasis on overall wellness and the practice of stress management and relaxation techniques that can make a difference. Use of technology for learning will be emphasized throughout.

  • Entering Landmark College students take an online math placement assessment through ALEKS, an adaptive learning program. Students transferring math credit from another college/university (or from high school AP coursework) may be eligible for a math placement exemption. These students should contact the Director of Academic Support and Placement to determine if they need to complete the math placement assessment. Students must submit official transcripts and score reports to the Registrar’s Office before it can be determined if they need to complete the math placement assessment in the student onboarding portal.

    Students who take the math placement assessment are assigned a level based on where their performance falls relative to the institution’s cut scores. Each level corresponds to one or more math courses to help guide students toward coursework that most appropriately matches their knowledge and skill level. Math requirements vary by degree plan.

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