Academic Programs Catalog

Undergraduate Education

New Student Orientation and Transitions


New Student Orientation and Transitions Process

All new, incoming undergraduate students engage in a comprehensive orientation experience designed to support and guide them as they transition to MSU. Due to MSU’s commitment to student success, as a condition of course enrollment, all new undergraduate incoming students are required to participate in New Student Orientation (NSO).

New undergraduate students admitted for the fall semester participate in virtual and in-person NSO programming throughout May, June, July, and August. All undergraduate first-year, transfer, and international students are required to complete an online NSO experience course through MSU’s Desire2Learn (D2L) online learning platform and are expected to participate in in-person Fall Welcome events before the semester begins. Students who do not participate in NSO will not be able to enroll in classes and may have their admission to the University revoked.

New Student Orientation takes place through a series of five checkpoints, including: 1) completion of online placement assessments and survey tools; 2) completion of an online NSO Experience D2L course; 3) completion of academic advising and course enrollment; 4) engagement in online opportunities such as listening to NSO’s ‘Spartan Orientation Station’ podcast series and attending optional virtual Help Rooms; and 5) participation in MSU’s in-person Fall Welcome program.
Throughout NSO, students build a strong foundation of support and resources. Students are introduced to the MSU community, connected with key campus resources, and prepared academically for the upcoming semester. Students learn about their academic programs and explore majors and become familiar with MSU departments and resources that encompass aspects of the student experience related to academics, safety, financial literacy, and health and well-being. Programming also highlights the diversity of the University, life on and off campus, and involvement at MSU. Throughout the orientation experience, students engage with new and returning MSU students during both the virtual and in-person NSO program elements.

All undergraduate first-year, transfer, and international students who enter in the spring or summer semesters will participate in an NSO experience preceding the first day of classes too. Families and supporters of new students also have a virtual and in-person orientation featuring a virtual webinar series and an in-person welcome program.

For additional information or questions about the New Student Orientation program at MSU, please visit www.orientation.msu.edu, call 1-517-355-8490, or email nso@msu.edu.
 

Academic Placement Tests

Each entering undergraduate student will take one or more placement assessments depending on the nature of the students’ previous academic program and intended academic program at Michigan State University. The results of these assessments will be used by the student and the academic advisor to develop an academic learning plan. Following is a brief explanation of the use of the various placement assessments: 


First-Year Writing

There are two possibilities for placement in first-year writing courses: general (WRA 101) or honors (WRA 195H). Most incoming students should take WRA 101: Writing as Inquiry. Students in the Honors College should take WRA 195H (the honors version of WRA 101). The Directed Self-Placement Exam and WRA 1004/0102 will not be offered in 2024-2025.

Students that have AP English exam credits can waive and receive credit for WRA 101 in some circumstances (see details regarding writing AP credits at https://wrac.msu.edu/placement/). 


Mathematics

All students entering MSU are required to complete the un-proctored Math Placement Services (MPS) Assessment online before participating in New Student Orientation (NSO) Program. Students are urged to take the assessment online, preferably by May 1. The assessment, in addition to practice assessments, can be accessed at www.math.msu.edu/mps. However, a student choosing the option of fulfilling the university math requirement via waiver must complete the assessment in a proctored setting at one of MSU’s Testing Centers to be eligible for the waiver. Questions regarding the math placement assessment can be emailed to mps@math.msu.edu. 
 


Languages Other than English

A student who has prior knowledge of language other than English and wishes to enroll in courses in that language must determine the appropriate course level using one of the following methods:

  1. Complete the appropriate language placement assessment. To find the contact information for the language program coordinator and the information about placement methods for a specific language, see https://languages.msu.edu/. Students should plan to take the placement assessment prior to their New Student Orientation date.
  2. If a student has courses from another U.S. institution or AP or IB (HL) scores to transfer, the language departments will process the transfer. Students should refer to MSU transfer equivalencies guide online (https://languages.msu.edu/transfer-credits) and contact their advisor for placement. Some programs will transfer those credits as general credit units, at which point students still must take the placement assessment; other language programs will transfer them as equivalencies in their sequence and the student can simply enroll in the next course level.
Please note that native speakers are not permitted to take lower-level (100- and 200-level) language courses.  

Meeting the Language Requirement

Students whose degree program requires a specific language skill level in a language other than English can fulfill the requirement in one of three ways:
  1. Successfully complete the course-level required by their degree program or a course above that level.
  2. Transfer credits from elsewhere at the course level or above required by their degree program. Note that all transfer credits will be reviewed by the language programs. Some language programs transfer credits as general credit units, in which case steps 1 or 3 would also be necessary.
  3. Take a language placement assessment approved by that language program in a proctored environment. The student must receive a score that would place them in the course level above the course level they need to fulfill their language requirement. Students must contact the language program coordinator for the language to schedule the proctored assessment. See https://languages.msu.edu/.
Some assessments will be proctored by the MSU Testing Center others by the appropriate faculty from the languages. The language department advisor will note in the Electronic Student Academic Folder which language level the student has achieved. 

Please note that:
  • a four-semester language requirement typically means that a student must demonstrate fourth semester (e.g., GRM 202) language skills and not necessarily that they have to take four semesters of a language;
  • some degree programs or certifications have specific language proficiency requirement rather than seat-time requirements (i.e., those students must prove their language proficiency with an appropriate proficiency test and successfully completing a course will not be sufficient to fulfill those requirements).
Students with additional questions about a language or language options should reach out to the language program coordinator of that language. See https://languages.msu.edu/.


 

Remedial-Developmental-Preparatory Courses

The policy governing remedial–developmental–preparatory types of courses was established to protect the academic standards of Michigan State University undergraduate degrees while at the same time reinforcing the university's commitment to assist students in remedying their academic deficiencies in fundamental skill areas. The policy serves to motivate students to overcome their deficiencies while ensuring that all students complete a minimum of 120 credits of college level work as a condition of graduation.

Remedial-developmental-preparatory course numbers are four digits, rather than the three digits used for all other courses. The fourth or last digit identifies the type of remedial-developmental-preparatory course. 

There are five types of remedial-developmental-preparatory courses.

Type 1:
Single courses designed to remedy deficiencies identified by Michigan State University placement test scores. The removal of any such deficiencies, either by one retest or by passing the course, is required as a condition for graduation.

Credits earned are included in all university computations except the total number required for graduation.

Type 2:
Course sequences designed to remedy deficiencies identified by Michigan State University placement test scores. The removal of any such deficiencies, either by one retest or by passing the courses, is required as a condition for graduation. More than the usual number of contact hours may be required.

Credits earned are included in all university computations except the total number required for graduation.

Type 3:
Courses designed to remedy deficiencies identified by Michigan State University placement test scores. The removal of such deficiencies, either by one retest or by passing the course, is required only as a condition for entry into some degree programs and is required as a condition for graduation only for students in those programs.  More than the usual number of contact hours may be required.

Credits earned are included in all university computations and are included in the total number required for graduation.

Type 4:
Courses that students place into because of inadequate scores on Michigan State University placement tests that identify relevant skill deficiencies, although they do not measure knowledge in the course material. The removal of skill deficiencies is not part of the course objectives. It is expected that students will be enrolled concurrently in Type I and/or Type II and/or Type III courses for purposes of remedying those deficiencies. More than the usual number of contact hours may be required. 

Credits earned are included in all university computations and are included in the total number required for graduation.

Type 5:
Courses that may be required by departments or colleges for some students. The course may be designed either to prepare the student to handle the subject matter of a required entry level college course, or to improve his or her study skills or ability to make productive use of university offerings in general. More than the usual number of contact hours may be required.

Credits earned are included in all University computations except the total required for graduation.

Remedial–developmental–preparatory courses may not carry numbers above the 100 level and may not be offered under variable content numbers.

The removal of academic deficiencies, which would preclude graduation from Michigan State University, should have the highest priority in student program planning. Drops from Type I and Type II courses should not normally be processed except to facilitate transfer between sections. If a course overload requires that a student drop one or more courses in a specific semester, courses in the regular program of studies shall be dropped in preference to those designed to remove deficiencies.

The University Committee on Curriculum controls the number of  remedial-developmental–preparatory courses and assures conformity of such courses with existing policy. Upon recommendation by the University Committee on Curriculum, the Faculty Senate approves remedial–developmental–preparatory courses by type.