Testing Services

A wide range of standardized tests and other special examinations are available to UWA students. Many of these can be taken on the campus, and arrangements can be made through campus offices for those which are offered only at other locations. Tests include a number which are given on specific scheduled dates and others which may be taken as needed. Tests of a general nature are usually coordinated through the Registrar’s Office or the Counseling Office. Tests specifically related to the programs in professional teacher education, however, are coordinated through the College of Education and the School of Graduate Studies, and those required in the nursing program are administered by the School of Nursing. (The Examination for Registered Nurse Licensure, of course, is administered by the State Board of Nursing in Montgomery after graduation.)

General Tests Offered on a Regular Basis

The following tests of a general nature are offered on regularly scheduled dates (specific information available from the Registrar’s Office):

1. General Education Development Test (GED)
   Primarily for mature individuals who do not have high school diplomas; designed to assess general knowledge in high school subject areas as a basis for enrollment in post-secondary programs; offered eight times a year on The University of West Alabama campus.
2. American College Testing Program (ACT)
   A college admissions test; offered on campus on four national testing dates and at other times (residual testing dates) as needed by UWA; required of all UWA freshmen before admission, for diagnostic and placement purposes (the Scholastic Aptitude Test may be substituted).

Tests for Counseling and Career Decision-Making

Tests designed for special purposes are available through the Counseling and Career Services Offices for counseling and career development purposes. Most of these may be taken on demand, but a student will generally need an appointment for interpretation of the results. Such tests include the following types:

1. Personality (Please Understand Me), used in career planning and in analysis of interpersonal conflicts.
2. Career Decision-Making
   The System of Interactive Guidance and Information 3 (SIGI 3), combines computer capabilities with thoroughly researched data bases of occupations, skills, interests, values, and educational programs; updated yearly, using professional information-gathering techniques providing critical data about salaries and preparation for educational requirements. The Strong Interest Inventory is also available for students seeking career counseling services.

In addition, students with particular problems or needs may be referred by the Counseling Office to a testing center which provides a more extensive testing program. In such a case, the student is responsible for any charges set by the other institution.

Tests Related to Professional Programs in Teacher Education

Certain tests related to professional programs in teacher education are coordinated through the College of Education and the School of Graduate Studies, and information on testing dates and locations may be obtained from the Office of the Dean of the College of Education. These include the following:

1. Applicants for initial certification must earn a passing score on the Alabama Prospective Teacher Test approved by the Alabama State Board of Education.
2. The University of West Alabama undergraduate comprehensive examinations - cover the content of the teaching field(s) and professional education; given at midterm of fall and spring semesters.
3. The Graduate Record Examination - an aptitude test and subject area tests, the aptitude test being one of two options in the School of Graduate Studies (see 4); should be taken before beginning graduate study; not offered on campus.
4. The Miller Analogies Test - one of the two options in the School of Graduate Studies (see 3); offered on the campus on specified dates; should be taken before beginning graduate study.
5. The University of West Alabama test for graduate students - offered on campus on specified dates and required of all graduate students: the Comprehensive Examination (offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters and required just prior to receipt of a master’s degree).

Tests Related to the Nursing Program

Certain achievement tests in nursing are required of students at various points in the program. A passing score on a nationally standardized exit examination is required to be approved to apply for the registered nurse licensure examination. Information on these tests, as well as on the RN licensure examination, is available from the Division of Nursing.