Davenport University Competency Exams have been created by Davenport faculty to award college credit for specific courses at Davenport. Most educational institutions do not accept Davenport Competency exam credits when students transfer.
- Competency tests are free
- Available to only Davenport students
- May be taken only once
- May not be taken if student has previously received a failing grade in the course
Test descriptions are below.
ADA ACCOMMODATIONS
For more information, please go to the DU ADA accommodation testing website.
REGISTER FOR A DU COMPETENCY TEST
Talk to your advisor or admissions rep about taking the test. If you qualify, they will start the process and you will receive an e-mail with instructions on next steps.
| DU Course Name | Test Name | Length of Test | Minimum Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 021 | English/Reading Applications / Composition | 3 hours |
At least 261 out of 300 in both reading and writing exams |
| ENGL 109 | English/Reading Applications / Composition | 3 hours |
At least 285 out of 300 in both reading and writing exams |
| HLTH 110 | Medical Terminology | 1.5 hours | At least 80 out of 100 points |
| HLTH 220 | Pharmacology | 3 hours | At least 160 out of 200 points |
| MATH 030 | Elementary Algebra | 1.5 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
| MATH 120 | College Mathematics | 1.5 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
| MATH 135 | College Algebra | 1.5 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
| MATH 150 | Pre-Calculus | 1.5 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
| STAT 219 | Intro to Biostatistics / Intro to Statistics | 2 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
| STAT 220 | Intro to Biostatistics / Intro to Statistics | 2 hours | At least 85 out of 100 points |
SCORE RESULTS
Test results are sent or reviewed with the Student 1-4 days after the test date, depending on the particular test. If a student receives a passing score, the registrar's office will be notified and credit will be applied.
Test Descriptions
English/Reading Applications / Composition
The test is divided into two parts: Reading and Writing. The Davenport University Reading Test assesses reading comprehension skills. The Davenport University Writing Test assesses knowledge of writing skills including grammar, punctuation, plagiarism, modes of writing, and other writing basics. Each test must be completed once it is begun. Both tests are timed. Students will have 1 hour to complete the Reading test and 2 hours to complete the Writing test.
Topics on the Reading test include:
- Reading closely and understanding multiple types of texts
- Determining central ideas and themes
- Summarizing information
- Understanding relationships
- Analyzing word choice, text structure, point of view, purpose and arguments
- Vocabulary
Topics on the Writing test include:
- Organization: introductions, conclusions, transitions, and topic sentences
- Support and focus; logical sequence
- Sentence structure: syntax; subordination and coordination; end of sentence punctuation; within sentence punctuation; verb tenses; subject-verb agreement; pronoun agreement and clarity; nonrestrictive and parenthetical elements; word usage
- Grammar and punctuation: parallel structure; modifier placement; items in a series; possessives; hyphenation; unnecessary punctuation
- Vocabulary: concision; word choice; frequently confused words; conventional expressions; connotation and denotation of words; style and tone
- Source evaluation and use: evaluating sources; summary, quotation and paraphrase; plagiarism
HLTH110 Medical Terminology Competency Exam
The credit by exam for HLTH110, Medical Terminology evaluates knowledge of the prefixes, suffixes, root words, and combining forms utilized in the word building system in medical terminology. Application of this word building system to discern the meanings of medical terms is necessary including the ability to apply the appropriate medical terminology to the different organ systems of the human body.
Eligibility: A student may not take this exam if they have already failed HLTH110
Topics on the test include
- Correct spelling of the medical terms and word parts
- Correct medical abbreviations and symbols
HLTH 220 Pharmacology Competency Exam
The credit by exam for HLTH220, Pharmacology evaluates the understanding of basic pharmacology and its effects on the human body's systems and the diseases of the human body. The different drug classifications with the possible side effects and the principles of the different drug actions are necessary.
Eligibility: A student may not take this exam if they have already failed HLTH220
Topics on the test include
- Legal constraints of medication administration
- Safety "rights" of medication administration
- Appropriate medication dosage calculations
Elementary Algebra
The test contains 30 questions – some are multiple choice, and some are fill-in-the-blank. You may use a calculator (graphing or non-graphing), and scrap paper to work out problems. The test is timed and must be completed in 90 minutes.
Topics on the test include:
- Order of operations
- Evaluating expressions
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and factoring polynomials
- Simplifying expressions with exponents
- Solving linear equations, linear inequalities, and systems of linear equations
- Application problems involving linear equations
- Graphing points and lines
- Writing the equation of a line in slope-intercept form
College Mathematics
The test contains 30 multiple choice questions. You may use a calculator (graphing or non-graphing), and scrap paper to work out problems. The test is timed and must be completed in 90 minutes.
Topics on the test include:
- Set theory and set operations
- Applications with unit conversions
- Simplifying expressions with exponents
- Solving linear equations, linear inequalities, and systems of linear equations
- Application problems involving direct and inverse variation
- Graphing and solving linear, quadratic, and exponential functions
- Application problems involving linear, quadratic, and exponential functions
- Counting techniques including permutations and combinations
- Applications problems involving probability of compound events
College Algebra
The test contains 30 multiple choice questions. You may use a calculator (graphing or non-graphing), and scrap paper to work out problems. The test is timed and must be completed in 90 minutes.
Topics on the test include:
- Polynomials: properties, operations, finding zeros.
- Rational functions: domain, range, simplifying, solving, graphing
- Distance formula and equation of a circle
- Graphing and solving linear, quadratic, and exponential functions
- Operations with functions including composition of functions, and odd/even functions
- Operations on imaginary and complex numbers
- Properties of logarithmic functions
Pre-Calculus
The test contains 30 multiple choice questions. You may use a calculator (graphing or non-graphing), and scrap paper to work out problems. The test is timed and must be completed in 90 minutes.
Topics on the test include:
- Polynomials: properties, operations, finding zeros.
- Rational functions: domain, range, simplifying, solving, graphing
- Distance formula and equation of a circle
- Graphing and solving linear, quadratic, and exponential functions
- Operations with functions including composition of functions, and odd/even functions
- Operations on imaginary and complex numbers
- Properties of logarithmic functions
- Solving a right triangle using trigonometric functions
- Simplify and identify properties of trigonometric functions
Intro to Biostatistics / Intro to Statistics
The test contains 30 multiple choice questions. You may use a calculator (graphing or non-graphing), and scrap paper to work out problems. A table of probabilities from the standard normal and student t-distribution will be provided. The test is timed and must be completed in 120 minutes.
Topics on the test include:
- Graphical summaries of data including histograms, scatterplots, pie charts, dot plots, and box-plots
- Interpret descriptive statistics including mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and the 5-number summary
- Measures of relative position including z-scores and percentiles
- Interpreting correlation and regression analysis including correlation coefficient, R-square, regression coefficients, and residuals
- Understanding of probability including compound events and independence
- Problems using the normal probability distribution and the Empirical Rule
- Sampling distribution of the mean and proportion and the Central Limit Theorem
- Confidence intervals
- Hypothesis testing of one and two sample means or proportions