Placement Exam and Exemption Information

General Exam Information and Logistics

Exemption exams will be offered remotely with the help of Canvas, Respondus lockdown browser and Respondus Monitor. The lockdown browser and Monitor serve as digital proctors for each exam, by limiting access to other websites and applications, and also by recording your exam attempt to ensure compliance with the University's academic integrity policy.

For more information about Respondus lockdown browser, please click here. Also, here are some Respondus Monitor quick tips.

A practice test will be available for all students to make sure they can access an assessment in Canvas using the Respondus lockdown browser and Monitor prior to any scheduled exemption or placement exams. This practice test is solely to test your ability to use Respondus - it will not contain any content or topics related to the offered exemption exams.

For courses that offer exemption exams, you must sit for the exam to earn an exemption. There are no options to exempt those courses after your program begins.

For courses that do not offer a placement or exemption exam prior to matriculation, students may submit an exemption petition directly to the instructor. Click Here for more information. This process is generally available 1 month prior to the start of the fall semester.

MSPPM

Please find the current Fall 2025 MSPPM exam schedule here (click on the MSPPM button or scroll to the MSPPM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Strategic Presentation Skills:

Relevant course: 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-718
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.

Writing:

Relevant course: 90-717 Writing for Public Policy
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant course: 90-728 Introduction to Database Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-728
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant courses: 90-710 Applied Economic Analysis and 90-709 Intermediate Economics
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 90-710 to 90-709 Intermediate Economics, or fully exempt Economics requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant courses: 90-707 Statistical Reasoning, 90-711 Statistical Reasoning with R, and 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcomes of exam: determines accurate placement into the relevant Statistics course for your program, or exempt Statistics requirement. Click here for more information about Statistics course placements.
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 90-723 Financial Statements and Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-723
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MSPPM-DA

Please find the current Fall 2025 MSPPM-DA exam schedule here (click on the MSPPM-DA button or scroll to the MSPPM-DA page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Strategic Presentation Skills:

Relevant course: 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-718
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.

Writing:

Relevant course: 90-717 Writing for Public Policy
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant course: 90-838 Database Management for Policy Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-838
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant courses: 90-710 Applied Economic Analysis and 90-709 Intermediate Economics
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 90-710 to 90-709 Intermediate Economics, or fully exempt Economics requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant course: 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-777
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 95-719 Accounting and Finance Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-719
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Applied Econometrics:

Relevant course: 94-834 Applied Econometrics I
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 94-834
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Python:

Relevant courses: 90-812 Python Programming I, 90-819 Python Programming II, and 95-888 Data Focused Python
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt Python course based on placement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to each exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MSHCA

Please find the current Fall 2025 MSHCA exam schedule here (click on the MSHCA button or scroll to the MSHCA page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Strategic Presentation Skills:

Relevant course: 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-718
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.

Writing:

Relevant course: 95-717 Writing for Information Systems Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant course: 90-838 Database Management for Policy Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-838
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant course: 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-777
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 95-719 Accounting and Finance Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-719
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Applied Econometrics:

Relevant course: 94-834 Applied Econometrics I
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 94-834
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Python:

Relevant courses: 90-812 Python Programming I, 90-819 Python Programming II, and 95-888 Data Focused Python
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt Python course based on placement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to each exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MAM

Please find the current Fall 2025 MAM exam schedule here (click on the MAM button or scroll to the MAM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Strategic Presentation Skills:

Relevant course: 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-718
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.

Writing:

Relevant course: 93-717 Writing for Creative Industries
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 93-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant course: 90-728 Introduction to Database Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-728
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant courses: 90-710 Applied Economic Analysis and 90-709 Intermediate Economics
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 90-710 to 90-709 Intermediate Economics, or fully exempt Economics requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant courses: 90-707 Statistical Reasoning, 90-711 Statistical Reasoning with R, and 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcomes of exam: determines accurate placement into the relevant Statistics course for your program, or exempt Statistics requirement. Click here for more information about Statistics course placements.
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 90-723 Financial Statements and Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-723
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MEIM

Please find the current Fall 2025 MEIM exam schedule here (click on the MEIM button or scroll to the MEIM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Strategic Presentation Skills:

Relevant course: 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-718
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.

Writing:

Relevant course: 93-717 Writing for Creative Industries
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 93-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant courses: 90-710 Applied Economic Analysis and 90-709 Intermediate Economics
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 90-710 to 90-709 Intermediate Economics, or fully exempt Economics requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant courses: 90-707 Statistical Reasoning, 90-711 Statistical Reasoning with R, and 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcomes of exam: determines accurate placement into the relevant Statistics course for your program, or exempt Statistics requirement. Click here for more information about Statistics course placements.
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 90-723 Financial Statements and Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-723
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MPM

91-717 Business Writing for Leaders

MPM students have one opportunity to take an online exemption exam for 91-717 Business Writing for Leader in their first year of the program. Students will access the exam online through Canvas during a pre-determined timeframe. The exam asks students to respond to a prompt in a set time. Your program director will communicate the semester and dates of the exam via email. Students do not earn units for the course if they earn an exemption. Instead, they will choose an elective in place of the course.

90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills

MPM students have one opportunity to take an exemption exam for 90-718 Strategic Presentation Skills in their first year of the program. Your program director will communicate the semester and dates of the exam via email. Once scheduled, students who wish to take the exemption exam will submit their 1) resume highlighting three years of work experience and 2) a summary of presentations completed within a professional setting. Faculty will review to determine if a student qualifies to take the exam.
Students who qualify will receive the parameters of the final deliverable graded for exemption and will be given a window to complete. Students do not earn units for the course if they earn an exemption. Instead, they will choose an elective in place of the course.

Requesting to Exempt Courses that do not offer an exemption exam:

MPM students may petition an exemption from a core course that does not offer an exemption exam using this form. Students should submit all requests in the first semester of their program. Students are required to attach an official course description or syllabus from the prior course(s), (including the professor's name, textbooks used, and particular chapters covered) as well as a copy of your transcript showing the grade you received for the course.
The faculty or staff member designated to make decisions for that specific core course (not necessarily the instructor of the course) will review the materials and determine if you have mastered the skills covered in that course. Mastery does not mean that you are familiar with all of the material taught in the course, but rather you know enough that your time is better spent pursuing alternate coursework. Students who gain an exemption may need to learn some particular skills taught in the exempted course on their own time. Faculty very rarely grant exemptions based on work experience alone.
Students do not earn units for the course if they earn an exemption. Instead, they will choose an elective in place of the course.

MISM 12-Month and 16-Month

Java Exemption

The 95-712 Object Oriented Programming in Java exemption exam has been eliminated due to the low success rate (6 students passed the exam out of the 380 students who sat for the exam). This process has proven cumbersome and an inefficient use of students and faculty time during an already stressful time for everyone.
The decision was made to discontinue the exemption exam. In its place, beginning with the August 2020 cohort, students are welcome to petition for an exemption from the Java course rather than sit for an exam. In order to submit the petition, please note the following will be considered as part of the decision process (a combination of the following factors):
- Undergraduate major
- Number of Java courses taken
- Work experience (ideally as a software/Java developer)

For more details, the Heinz College Student Handbook outlines the petition process in section 11. This process will be covered in your program’s session during orientation week in August.

EXEMPTION and PLACEMENT EXAMS

Please find the current Fall 2025 MISM exam schedule here (click on the MISM button or scroll to the MISM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Writing:

Relevant course: 95-717 Writing for Information Systems Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant courses: 95-703 Database Management and 95-813 Intermediate Database Management
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 95-703 to 95-813 Intermediate Database Management, or fully exempt Database requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant course: 95-710 Economic Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-710
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant course: 95-796 Statistics for IT Managers
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-796
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 95-719 Accounting and Finance Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-719
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MISM-BIDA and MISM-BIDA 12-Month

Java Exemption

The 95-712 Object Oriented Programming in Java exemption exam has been eliminated due to the low success rate (6 students passed the exam out of the 380 students who sat for the exam). This process has proven cumbersome and an inefficient use of students and faculty time during an already stressful time for everyone.
The decision was made to discontinue the exemption exam. In its place, beginning with the August 2020 cohort, students are welcome to petition for an exemption from the Java course rather than sit for an exam. In order to submit the petition, please note the following will be considered as part of the decision process (a combination of the following factors):
- Undergraduate major
- Number of Java courses taken
- Work experience (ideally as a software/Java developer)

For more details, the Heinz College Student Handbook outlines the petition process in section 11. This process will be covered in your program’s session during orientation week in August.

EXEMPTION and PLACEMENT EXAMS

Please find the current Fall 2025 MISM-BIDA exam schedule here (click on the MISM BIDA button or scroll to the MISM BIDA page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Writing:

Relevant course: 95-717 Writing for Information Systems Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Database:

Relevant courses: 95-703 Database Management and 95-813 Intermediate Database Management
Possible outcomes of passing exam: move from 95-703 to 95-813 Intermediate Database Management, or fully exempt Database requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant course: 95-710 Economic Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-710
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant course: 95-796 Statistics for IT Managers
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-796
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 95-719 Accounting and Finance Analytics
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-719
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Applied Econometrics:

Relevant course: 94-834 Applied Econometrics I
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 94-834
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

MSISPM

Please find the current Fall 2025 MSISPM exam schedule here (click on the MSISPM button or scroll to the MSISPM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Writing:

Relevant course: 95-717 Writing for Information Systems Management
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-717
Pre-registration required? YES - click here for more information.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Economics:

Relevant course: 95-710 Economic Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-710
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Statistics:

Relevant courses: 90-707 Statistical Reasoning, 90-711 Statistical Reasoning with R, and 90-777 Intermediate Statistics
Possible outcomes of exam: determines accurate placement into the relevant Statistics course for your program, or exempt Statistics requirement. Click here for more information about Statistics course placements.
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Finance and Accounting:

Relevant course: 90-723 Financial Statements and Analysis
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 90-723
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Python:

Relevant course: 90-812 Python Programming I
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt Python requirement
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor
Also available to MSISPM students is an optional free Introduction to Python summer course. The course is completely remote and asynchronous - i.e. students can watch lectures and participate at a time that works for you. The dates for the course are June 23th through August 1st. Your participation will not be monitored or graded, but you can review the content as a refresher or in preparation for the fall semester. You will receive an invitation to join the Canvas site via your Andrew email account. If you do not intend to access this content, you do not need to accept the invitation.

AIM

Please find the current Fall 2025 AIM exam schedule here (click on the AIM button or scroll to the AIM page): Fall 2025 Placement and Exemption Exam Schedule

Statistics:

Relevant course: 95-796 Statistics for IT Managers
Possible outcome of passing exam: exempt 95-796
Pre-registration required? No - all eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Python:

Relevant course: "Introduction to Python" course required for some incoming AIM students prior to the fall semester; these students will have the opportunity to sit for the 90-812 Python Programming I exam
Possible outcome of passing exam: fulfill Python condition
Pre-registration required? No - eligible students will be invited to exam.
Requires: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will these exemption and placement exams be offered more than once?
- No, the listed exam dates are your ONLY opportunity to exempt these core course requirements. Students can only attempt these exams prior to the start of their first semester, and this is the only method available to exempt the listed core course requirements on this page.

Will study guides be provided?
- No, we do not provide study guides or materials for exemption and placement exams. If you are looking for information about what might be covered on a particular exam, please review the linked course descriptions and syllabi to learn what topics are covered in the associated course(s).

What materials and resources are permitted for these exams?
- No outside books or resources are permitted for placement and exemption exams. For any exam where a calculator could be helpful, a calculator will be available within the Respondus lockdown browser itself. No outside calculators are permitted. Exams that require you to work out a math problem or show work generally allow scratch paper. You will simply be asked to show it to your webcam before submitting your exam, or upload a photo/scan of it in a separate "assignment" on the Canvas page. If the exam has specific instructions regarding scratch paper, they will be noted in the exam instructions on Canvas.

What happens if I pass an exam?
- Congrats! Passing an exam can place you into a higher, intermediate level of a required course when available, or it can exempt you from the requirement all together. Exempted courses do not factor into your GPA and do not show on your CMU transcript. Grades/results from exemption exams are not listed on your transcript. Students do not earn units for exempted courses, but can replace those exempted units with additional elective coursework.

What happens if I attempt an exam and don't pass?
- No worries! Results from exemption exams are not listed on your CMU transcript and are not factored into your GPA. This simply means that you will still need to complete the requirement for your degree program.

How do I exempt required core courses that do not have an exam scheduled?
- For required courses that do not have an exam scheduled, you may petition to request an exemption from a designated staff or faculty member. More information about course exemptions can be found here. Exemption petitions are available the month prior to the fall semester.

Who can I contact if I need support related to an exemption exam?
- If you do not have access to a particular exam that is available to your degree program after the exam window opens (reference schedules above for specific days and times), please contact Heinz-Academic-Services@andrew.cmu.edu.
- If you are having difficulty with Respondus lockdown browser or Monitor, please contact Respondus support.
- If you have questions or problems once you have started an exam, please use the Canvas inbox to message the teacher of the course. They may not respond to you immediately, depending on the time zone in which you are completing the exam, but they will be monitoring questions and will respond as soon as possible.