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DU Competency Test Descriptions

BIOL120

Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology

This exam consists of 75 multiple choice questions and 25 identification problems of major body structures. Students should be familiar with basic principles of chemistry, cells, tissues, and the structure and function of the following organ systems: integumentary, musculoskeletal, nervous, sensory, endocrine, respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, urinary, and reproductive systems.


Minimum Passing Score: 80%

DU competency exams satisfy requirements at DU but are not transferable to other educational institutions. Students may not take this test if they have previously taken this course or received a failing grade in the course. The test may only be taken one time.

BIOL131

Introduction to Human Disease

This exam is designed to assess knowledge of basic human pathophysiological mechanisms, including infection, inflammation, neoplasia, malnutrition, genetic defects and aging. Questions relating to the etiology, presentation, evaluation, treatment, and prevention of common human diseases are covered in this exam. This is a timed test. Students have 90 minutes to take this exam. Students need only a pencil; no scrap paper is necessary. The use of textbooks, notes, dictionary, or any other means of information is not allowed.


Minimum Passing Score: 80%

DU competency exams satisfy requirements at DU but are not transferable to other educational institutions. Students may not take this test if they have previously taken this course or received a failing grade in the course. The test may only be taken one time.

ENGL021/109

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

ENGL110

Advanced Composition

Eligibility: Students must have received credit for ENGL109.

This exam requires students to spend three hours in a monitored computer lab with a proctor. During the exam, the students may use a dictionary, a thesaurus, and the APA Manual or English handbook.

Students will be asked to choose a question from a list and write a persuasive essay using at least three sources. The essay, including documentation, must follow APA guidelines. The essay should be a minimum of 750 words (about 3 double-spaced pages). Other requirements include the following:

  • Essay structure, with an introduction, thesis statement, body and conclusion
  • Minimum of 2 arguments supporting thesis
  • Minimum use of 3 sources referenced via APA style
  • Word-processed, double-spaced with APA format
  • Relatively free of grammatical, spelling and mechanical errors

Minimum Passing Score: Pass

Students only receive a passing or failing evaluation. Students may not retake the exam. There is no appeal of the final score.

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

Measurement

  • Summative exam
  • Exam to include true/false, multiple choice, matching

Administration

The student is not allowed any resource materials (textbooks, notes, dictionaries, or other). This is a timed test. The student has 1 hour, 30 minutes to complete the test

Evaluation

The exams should be evaluated by the local allied health department coordinator, or, if that is not possible, by the associate dean. They should be evaluated in as timely a manner as possible.

Students only receive a passing (80% or above) or failing evaluation

HLTH220

Pharmacology

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

Measurement

  • Summative exam
  • Exam to include true/false, multiple choice, matching

Administration

The student is not allowed any resource materials (textbooks, notes, dictionaries, or other). This is a timed test. The student has 2 hours to complete the test

Evaluation

The exams should be evaluated by the local allied health department coordinator, or, if that is not possible, by the associate dean. They should be evaluated in as timely a manner as possible.

Students only receive a passing (80% or above) or failing evaluation

MATH030

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

MATH120

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
  • Simplifying radical expressions
  • 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

MATH135

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

MATH150

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

STAT219/220

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

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