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!
Tag: testing center
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!
As of 5:00p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, testing has returned to normal operations following a two-day power outage in Clements Hall.
Test takers with scheduled testing appointments should plan to test at the University Testing Center. They are also encouraged to confirm testing appointment dates and times in the UTC Portal.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the University Testing Center staff at universitytestingcenter@smu.edu.
Join us for a research talk on the Characteristics of U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities conducted by division members.
Division of Student Academic Engagement and Success employees Brittaney Wilson (Office of General Education), Jay Guillory (Office of Student Success and Retention), Melina Padron (Office of General Education), and Dr. Dustin Grabsch (Undergraduate Education and Academic Success) conducted the original, empirical research to benefit SMU’s University Testing Center.
Research Talk: U.S. College and University Testing Centers and Patterns of Testing Irregularities
Texana Room, Fondren Library
Monday, October 7 from 2:30 – 4:00pm
RSVPs encouraged. Walk-ins welcome.
We will share implications for practice and researcher reflections. We will also outline opportunities and discuss how these results and findings will be used at SMU.
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.
Phased Opening Recap
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.
New UTC Portal Deadlines for Students and Faculty
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.
Testing Center Recertification by the National College Testing Association (NCTA)
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.
Sign-Up
- All tests are administered on campus, in person. Remote CLEP administrations are not conducted at the UTC.
- Students must register and pay for a CLEP test on the College Board website, indicating SMU as the testing site and score recipient.
- Testing seats are reserved using the UTC Portal. The CLEP test administration fee charged by the testing center is waived for current SMU students, with a modest charge for community members.
- Students must bring their College Board CLEP Registration Form and SMU ID card to their testing appointment at the UTC.
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.
The University Testing Center (UTC) is excited to announce a new proctoring software that allows Canvas tests to be administered with the Respondus LockDown Browser (LDB).
The new software, NetSupport School, replaces a previous program, iTalc, that could not facilitate real-time surveillance of students taking Canvas tests with the Respondus LockDown Browser on UTC computers.
With NetSupport School, professors will no longer have to create non-LDB versions of Canvas tests administered at the UTC — classroom test versions with LDB can now be used without issue. And, on test day, students will not have to search for a “UTC version” of a Canvas test different from what is given in the classroom.
With its expanded features, NetSupport School streamlines the student and faculty testing experience while enhancing the UTC’s commitment to test integrity and security.
Various academic departments and professors utilizing the testing center suggested this feature and service enhancement, and we are excited to offer this new ability.
For more information, please contact the UTC at 214-768-6064 or universitytestingcenter@smu.edu.
Good luck on finals, Mustangs, and congratulations to those graduating!
The University Testing Center will be open for the following hours during the summer.
- Operations: 8am to 4pm Monday through Friday
- Testing: 8:30am-3:30pm Monday through Friday
The University Testing Center welcomes to its team a new Testing Assistant: Yash Guptaa.
Yash will join returning Testing Assistant Matt Swigart in working alongside the Testing Manager and Coordinator to prepare testing rooms, materials, and equipment for test administrations according to individual requirements and accommodation guidelines. Testing Assistants will also proctor online and conventional pen/paper tests.
Yash says, “I enjoy working at the crossroads of travel and strategy. My interests include, but are not limited to, pen sketching, 8 ball, hiking, and stand-up comedy. I have experience as a business developer and budding entrepreneur. The previous few months at SMU have been nothing short of a delightful surprise in making valuable connections, and I eagerly await the next step in my path.”
We are glad to introduce you to the team as we jump into the new semester!