The University Testing Center (UTC) will be closed during Spring Break, March 17th through the 21st, and will reopen at at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 24th.
For questions, please contact us at 214-768-6064 or at universitytestingcenter@smu.edu.
All the best for a wonderful break!
The University Testing Center (UTC) is excited to announce its recognition as a recertified testing center by the National College Testing Association (NCTA), valid through March 2030. The center received original certification in 2020 and is one amongst a growing number in the United States and around the world to have completed the process. The recertification will be in place for five years and can be renewed by demonstrating continued compliance to national standards.
SMU’s UTC is the only certified center in Dallas, and one of three in the greater D/FW area, recognized for dedication to test integrity and adherence to NCTA’s best practices in test administration.
The certification is a rigorous, one-year accreditation process granted to those centers whose test administration policies are compliant with testing industry standards developed by the NCTA. Centers are evaluated using criteria from the NCTA’s Professional Standards and Guidelines that focus on the evaluation of the test facility, test integrity methods, test security, confidentiality practices, staff training, and public relations.
The distinction is not only important for the SMU community, but also to others as UTC expands its service offerings that include professional testing for certification and licensure, proctoring for distance learners attending other universities, credit-by-exam, placement testing, and school admission exams.
The National College Testing Association is a non-profit organization of testing professionals working in post-secondary institutions, in companies with test-related products and services, and in other professional testing venues. NCTA was organized in 2000 and currently has more than 2,200 testing professionals from 650 colleges and universities as well as 50 test companies and organizations offering test-related products and services.
The University Testing Center will end testing at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11th so that UTC staff may attend a Student Academic Engagement and Success division meeting.
We will reopen with standard operating hours on Wednesday, February 12th at 8:00 a.m.
Please visit the UTC website or email universitytestingcenter@smu.edu for questions and requests.
The University Testing Center will be closed for winter break beginning Monday, December 18th and will reopen on Monday, January 13th.
Best wishes for an enjoyable and restful break, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!
As classes will not be in session on Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, the University Testing Center will also be closed. The center will reopen on Monday, December 2nd.
Our best wishes to the entire Mustang family for a wonderful holiday, and we give thanks for your support!
It’s hard to believe this semester is coming to an end! Final exams are around the corner and the UTC will extend its hours to accommodate the schedule.
Testing hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, December 12th through Wednesday, December 18th, including Saturday, December 14th. The testing office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day.
There will be no testing during Reading Days (Tuesday, December 10th and Wednesday, December 11th).
DASS students and student-athletes should schedule their testing appointments as soon as possible in the UTC Portal, as space is limited.
Best of luck on your finals, Mustangs, and congratulations to our December graduates!
The University Testing Center will end testing at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17th so that UTC staff may attend a Student Academic Engagement and Success division meeting.
We will reopen with standard operating hours on Wednesday, September 18th at 8:00 a.m.
Please visit the UTC website or email universitytestingcenter@smu.edu for questions and requests.
As we embark on our third year of operation, the UTC has news to share related to our phased opening, new policies and recertification.
Year three at the UTC means “phase three” of our opening that launched in August 2022. During phase one, the center began providing accommodated testing services previously proctored by Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS). During phase two in Fall 2023, the UTC expanded testing services to student-athletes during their sport’s competition season and migrated to a new test scheduling and test management software, branded as the UTC Portal.
This summer, the UTC expanded its credit-by-exam program with new CLEP tests (College Level Examination Program) available to 2024-2025 enrollees for credit in select SMU courses. We also partnered with Academic Advising in the delivery of non-credit placement tests in Canvas for enrollment in Chemistry, Math and Second Language courses.
This fall, our phase three services will include limited makeup testing for SMU students; revenue-based testing for non-SMU distance learners attending other institutions, professionals seeking certification and licensure; and new credit by exam testing for other institutions.
The UTC has updated policies for student and instructor users of the UTC Portal for test registration and test submission.
Professor exam submissions must be created at least 5 business days before the testing window. Test documents do not have to be uploaded when creating submissions but must be received at least 2 business days before the testing window.
Student test registrations must be done at least 3 business days before the testing window. Students cannot register for testing at the UTC until exam submissions are posted in the portal. For this reason, we encourage professors to create submissions for the entire semester upon finalization of their course syllabus. Test documents do not have to be uploaded for students to register.
User videos and step-by-step instructions for using the UTC Portal are available for both students and professors on the UTC website. UTC staff members are available for one-on-one consultations by appointment virtually or in person during UTC operating hours, 8:00 – 4:00 p.m. weekdays.
Finally, the UTC will apply for a 5-year recertification by the NCTA in recognition of adherence to the organization’s professional standards for exam integrity. The UTC, due for recertification in March 2025, is one of only three institutions in the D/FW metroplex currently certified by the NCTA.
If you have questions or concerns, we are here to help. Please email us at universitytestingcenter@smu.edu.
The University Testing Center is pleased to offer expanded CLEP (College Level Examination Program) testing beginning June 2024.
Testing is available by appointment to any SMU student or community member seeking academic credit. At SMU, course credit is awarded when a score of 60 points or above out of 80 possible points is achieved. Community members may also test at SMU and send scores to other colleges and universities for credit.
SMU gives credit for CLEP subject examinations based on the specified minimum scores below*. American Government, Financial Accounting and History of the U.S. I and II are only available to incoming students under the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog and are not available to continuing students.
|
CLEP Exam |
Score (out of 80) |
Credit Hours |
Course(s) Credited |
Common Curriculum Requirements Satisfied |
| American Government |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Social & Behavioral Science (SBS) |
| American Literature |
60 |
3 |
ENGL 20XX | None |
| English Literature |
60 |
3 |
ENGL 20YY | None |
| Financial Accounting |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
| History of the US I |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Historical Contexts (HC) |
| History of the US II |
60 |
3 |
Generic Credit – TBD | Historical Contexts (HC) |
| Macroeconomics |
60 |
3 |
ECO 1312 | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
| Microeconomics |
60 |
3 |
ECO 1311 | Quantitative Applications (QA) |
*The above credit table is subject to change and applies to the 2024 Undergraduate Catalog.
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After Testing
When testing is complete, students will receive a preliminary score report from UTC staff. Scores will also be available in the My CLEP Student Account portal on the CLEP website. Final, official CLEP score reports will be sent directly from the College Board to the SMU Registrar, where course credit will be awarded with a qualifying score.
For more information, visit the University Testing Center or the College Board FAQs for CLEP.
As part of the renovation of the Scholars’ Den in Clements Hall, room numbers for the University Testing Center (UTC) have changed.
Visitors will still access the UTC at the west end of the Clements Hall basement in suite G15, most directly using the side entrance facing Dallas Hall. Students and professors are to check in at the testing office (now renumbered to room G28) for test administrations and completed test pickup. Students will continue to be assigned to testing labs identified as “Peruna,” “Hilltop,” and “Varsity.”
Room number identification will be updated on the UTC website, the UTC portal for test registration, and in information handouts for both students and professors.
Please contact the UTC at 214-768-6064 or universitytestingcenter@smu.edu with any questions you may have.