All students must pass the Sophomore Proficiency Examination before graduation. The examination will be administered to students who entered the College beginning with the Fall Semester of 2003. Students must take the exam once they have completed 50 hours and must have passed the exam by the time they have completed 80 hours. The Sophomore Proficiency Examination is designed to measure a student’s competency in the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills associated with a liberal arts education. The examination is composed of core competencies from courses within the General Education Curriculum (GEC) at Stillman College and specifically measures a student’s ability in reading, writing, mathematics, critical thinking and scientific reasoning. Usually, these General Education courses are taken during the first two years of matriculation. The GEC is designed to provide a broad exposure to multiple disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, and the natural sciences and forms the basis for developing important intellectual and civic capacities. The results of the Sophomore Proficiency Examination will help the institution monitor the progress of students as they finish the GEC and help determine whether the College is meeting the objectives of the General Education curriculum.
Students who are eligible to sit for the Sophomore Proficiency Examination will receive communication concerning examination date, time, location and registration deadline. Students who transfer into Stillman College with junior status (at least 61 credit hours) are not required to take the Sophomore Proficiency Examination.