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New Mexico State University

Basic Skills

NMSU requires all students to demonstrate basic academic competency, or "basic skills" in math and English before enrolling in courses numbered 300 or higher (regardless of whether those courses are related to math or English). You should meet these requirements as soon as possible, since many majors have only one or two lower-division courses. There are several ways to meet these requirements.

English

  1. An ACT-English score of 30 or higher will meet the requirement. It does not, however, meet the university's composition requirement; it merely allows a student to take upper-division courses prior to taking English 111G or 111 Honors.
  2. Completion of English 111G or 111H with a grade of C or better. This is a four-credit class, but we will accept a three-credit transfer course.
  3. Advanced placement credit for English 111G. Students must score a 3, 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam. Official scores must be sent to NMSU.
  4. Foreign students who took the TOEFL exam must complete SPCD 111G with a satisfactory grade or receive credit for it based on the Michigan Test.
  5. CLEP credit for English 111G. To receive credit, a student must score 57 or higher on the CLEP Subject Exam in Freshman Composition. Official scores must be sent to NMSU if the test was taken elsewhere.

 Math

  1. An ACT-math score of 23 or higher will meet the requirement.
  2. Students with an ACT-math score of less than 23 must complete CCDM 114N, Algebra Skills, or a math course numbered 115 or higher with a grade of C or better.
  3. The math department gives a Basic Skills Exam near the beginning and end of each semester (contact the math department or the Advising Center for dates and registration deadlines). A passing score on the Basic Skills Exam will meet the basic skills requirement. However, it does not appear as credit on the student's academic record. The Basic Skills Exam is not the same as the Math Placement Exam taken at orientation. Placing into a math course numbered 115 or higher by taking the Math Placement Exam does not meet the basic skills requirement; it only tells you where to start