School of Engineering

Computer Programming Placement Exam

ON EXAM DAY, THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO THE CANVAS PAGE HOSTING THIS EXAM. After enrolling yourself by clicking the link, click the "Go to Course" button to find further instructions (see below for more information).

Students that come to Tufts with prior programming experience may be prepared to enroll in the second course in computing, CS11: Introduction to Computer Science without prior completion of either CS10: Programming Fundamentals or ES2: Introduction to Computing in Engineering. Students demonstrate their readiness for direct enrollment into CS11 by passing the Computer Programming Placement Exam. 

Here are some important details:

  • Passing this exam earns no credit. Rather, a passing score satisfies the prerequisite to enrolling in CS11. 
  • The exam is offered to incoming students each summer through the Entering Student Checklist. Students in the School of Arts & Sciences, the SMFA, or internal transfers into the School of Engineering may take the exam after matriculation. The exam for these students will be open on Tuesday, October 7 from 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST, and will apply to registration for Spring 2026 (the exam will also be offered in Spring 2026 for Fall 2026 registration). You will access the exam from the Canvas course linked at the top of this page on this date and time. After clicking that link, click the “Go to Course” button to find further instructions.
  • Students may take the exam only once. The exam is designed to assess the knowledge students have when they arrive at Tufts. If you did not take the placement exam prior to matriculation and wish to do so when the exam is next offered please see below “How do I sign up to take the placement exam?”.
  • The exam does not require knowledge of any particular coding language. For the exam, you will be given information about a language called JumboScript, which you will use in the test.
  • The exam typically takes students no more than an hour. Once you open the exam, you will have four hours to complete it, so please be sure you have time and space to complete it before starting.
  • If you are not certain about the level of your prior experience, there is no harm in trying the exam and seeing how you do.
  • Students will be notified of the exam results via email.
  • What if I have prematriculation credit for Computer Science? Prematriculation credit in Computer Science provides credit for CS 5: Special Topics for Non-Majors. CS5 does not satisfy the prerequisite for CS11. Thus, students with pre-matriculation credit must pass the Computer Programming Placement Exam (or complete either CS10 or ES2) to satisfy the prerequisite for CS11.
  • Want more information? If you have specific questions about this exam, feel free to email compexam@tufts.edu and someone from our advising teams will reply to you.

How do I sign up to take the placement exam? If you have not already taken the exam, simply follow the link at the top of this page to enroll in the Canvas course that hosts the exam. On the exam day (Tuesday, October 7), you will go to that Canvas course and follow the instructions on the course's home page to take the exam. Again, the exam will only be open from 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST that day, so make sure you budget your time accordingly.