Data, Mathematical and Computational Sciences (DMC)

All incoming students must complete a DMC self-assessment, which is available online through the New-Student Roadmap. This assessment is purely for advisory purposes and is used only to determine placement into your Data Analytics-Foundational level course (DA-F).

Writing at Goucher

Effective writing is an important part of your Goucher education. Many courses at the College require strong writing capabilities and skills. All new students are required to take four (4) credits of writing at the 100-level. If you would like to be considered for the Honors section of introductory writing, please submit a placement essay base on the prompts provided through the New Student Roadmap welcome process. Log into your Admissions and Financial Aid Portal and click on "Roadmap" along the top row of tabs. 

Foreign Language

Goucher’s Common Graduation Requirements (GCR) include proficiency in a foreign language. Goucher College currently offers the following languages:  Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish. 

All students except native speakers (see below) will satisfy the Foreign Language and Culture (FLC) requirement by taking 10, 8, or 4 credits. All entering students are encouraged to take a language starting their first year. Our placement process:

• Arabic: Contact the program chair, Zahi Khamis, for a placement interview and further information after August 15.
• Chinese: Students with prior learning experience of Chinese-Mandarin and would like to contiue learning the language are required to contact the program chair, Clay Chou, for a placement interview and further information after August 15. Students without experience with Chinese-Mandarin can register directly for CHI 110. 
• French: A link to the placement exam will be added to your New Student Roadmap Step 1 Checklist in the Admissions & Financial Aid Status Portal. Please complete this placement test regardless of whether you have any background or previous study in French.
• Spanish: A link to the placement exam will be added to your New Student Roadmap Step 1 Checklist in the Admissions & Financial Aid Status Portal. Please complete this placement test regardless of whether you have any background or previous study in Spanish.

Students who want to take a language not offered at Goucher will need to wait until their sophomore year. They should meet with director of Modern Languages and Cultures sometime during the first year.

Foreign Language Placement Test Notes:

• No dictionaries or other sources may be used during the test.
• Placement exam results have an expiration date of one year. You will need to retake the placement test after two or more semesters if you have not taken the language course you were placed in unless you have opted to satisfy the language requirement with another language altogether.

Native Speaker

A native speaker is usually a student who has completed high school in another country. Native speakers are typically international students and citizens of another nation, were born abroad, and their family often still resides abroad.

Students who are foreign nationals and/or native speakers and writers of a language other than English may be exempted from the language requirement if they provide evidence of their proficiency. Documents serving as evidence include a high school diploma from a school where English is not the primary language and a note from a high school teacher or college faculty member from the student’s home country attesting to the student’s native proficiency in the language.

Please contact Dr. Mark Ingram, Chair of the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, for more information.

Music Theory

You can take Music 101, Fundamentals of Music Theory, with no prerequisite. This class presumes no prior knowledge of music theory. If you can already read music, consider Music 102, Introduction to Music Composition, offered in odd-numbered fall semesters, which combines basic music theory with student-chosen musical examples for study and creative composition projects. If you’re interested in music ensembles auditions will be held in the first week of classes. For further guidance, or any questions about music at Goucher, contact Dr. Kendall Kennison.

Dance

The Dance placements will take place just prior to the start of the fall semester, during fall orientation. In early August, students who indicate an interest in Dance on the Advising Questionnaire will be emailed with further information about placements. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email Professor Linda Garofolo.

Equestrian

The Equestrian placements will take place just prior to the start of the fall semester, during fall orientation. In early August, students who indicate an interest in Equestrian on the Advising Questionnaire will be emailed with further information about placements. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email Jennifer Smith director of equestrian.

If you have any questions about placement exams, contact the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Curriculum,  AssociateProvost@goucher.edu or 410-337-6460.