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Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing

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The Admissions Testing Service supports educational institutions, professional organisations, governments and employers in the selection and recruitment of candidates, by providing admissions tests for medicine and healthcare, assessments in thinking skills and behavioural styles, and subject-specific admissions tests.[1]

It is part of Cambridge English Language Assessment, a not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge, England.

History

The Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) was introduced in 2001 for entry to a range of undergraduate courses at the University of Cambridge.[2]

In 2004, a dedicated unit was formally set up within Cambridge Assessment, with responsibility for developing and administering admissions tests. The Thinking Skills Admissions Testing (TSAT) unit was responsible for administering the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) and the first BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT), which had been introduced in 2003.

In 2004, interest in fair admissions to higher education was fuelled by the Schwartz Report. This led to a collaboration between TSAT and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the development of uniTEST. uniTEST explored whether a single test could be used for admission to a broad range of courses and higher education institutions. uniTEST was introduced by some Australian universities, but there was relatively little demand in the UK.

Other projects followed, including work with the Faculty of English at the University of Oxford to develop an admissions test for undergraduate courses in English. Following a successful trial in autumn 2006, the English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT) was introduced in the 2007–08 admissions cycle.

The newly named Admissions Testing Service joined Cambridge English Language Assessment in September 2011. In 2012, the Occupational English Test (OET) for the healthcare sector also became part of the offering.[3]

Admissions tests for medicine and healthcare

BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT)

BMAT is used by universities in the UK and overseas for entry to Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science courses. For the majority of universities which use BMAT, the test is taken in November for admission the following October.[4]

International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT)

IMAT is used by a number of Italian universities for entry to English language-taught Medicine, Surgery and related degree courses. The test was developed in conjunction with the Italian Ministry of Education. It is currently taken in April for admission in October.[5]

Occupational English Test (OET)

OET is a language test for health practitioners who wish to register to practise their profession in an English-speaking country. OET assesses English language proficiency, with an emphasis on communication in real-life medical and health settings. There are OET tests for 12 professions: dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography, speech pathology and veterinary science.[6]

Subject-specific admissions tests

English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT)

ELAT is used for entry to English Literature courses at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. It is taken in November for admission the following October.[7]

Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP)

STEP is used for entry to Mathematics courses at the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick. It is used by the University of Cambridge as the basis for conditional offers, and is taken in June for admission in October. In addition, the University of Bristol, the University of Bath, the University of Oxford and Imperial College London encourage candidates to take STEP papers.[8]

Test of Mathematics for University Admission

The Test of Mathematics for University Admission is a two-hour test of mathematical thinking and reasoning. Durham University encourages applicants to their Mathematics course to take the test.

Other admissions tests delivered on behalf of universities

The University of Cambridge

The Admissions Testing Service is delivering pre-interview assessments, for undergraduate entry from 2017 onwards for the following University of Cambridge courses:

  • Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic (ASNCAA)
  • Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMESAA)
  • Economics (ECAA)
  • Engineering (ENGAA)
  • Geography (GAA)
  • History (HAA)
  • Human, Social, and Political Sciences (HSPSAA)
  • Natural Sciences (NSAA)
  • Psychological and Behavioural Sciences (PBSAA)
  • Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion (TAA).

The University of Oxford

The Admissions Testing Service administers and delivers these admissions tests for the University of Oxford:

  • Classics Admissions Test (CAT)
  • History Aptitude Test (HAT)
  • Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT)
  • Modern Languages Admissions Tests (MLAT)
  • Oriental Languages Aptitude Test (OLAT)
  • Philosophy Test
  • Physics Aptitude Test (PAT).[9]

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)

TSA is used for entry to a wide range of undergraduate university courses, including: Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, European Social and Political Studies (ESPS), Geography, Natural Sciences, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and Psychology. It assesses whether applicants have the critical thinking and problem-solving skills which universities consider to be essential for success in higher education. It is used by the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and University College London (UCL) in the UK, and by Leiden University in the Netherlands.[10]

Behavioural styles assessment

Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire (CPSQ)

CPSQ is designed to capture information on personal and behavioural styles, such as thinking and learning, motivation, self-management, resilience and interpersonal values and attitudes. The assessment was developed over four years of research and trialling with general and vocational higher education (including medicine, nursing and healthcare institutions).[11]

Research

The Admissions Testing Service conducts ongoing validation studies, reviewing how well its tests can be shown to accurately reflect a candidate’s true level of ability and ensure fairness to all candidates. The key aim of the research activity is to gather evidence to demonstrate that the admissions tests make a useful and fair contribution to the admissions process.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/164648-guide-for-educational-institutions-and-policy-makers.pdf Retrieved 2016-01-06
  2. ^ "About TSA Cambridge". Admissions Testing Service. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  3. ^ Hawkey, R & Milanovic, M (2013) Cambridge English Exams, The First Hundred Years, A history of English language assessment from the University of Cambridge, 1913–2013, Cambridge University Press.
  4. ^ "About BMAT". Admissions Testing Service. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  5. ^ http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/164648-guide-for-educational-institutions-and-policy-makers.pdf. Retrieved 2016-01-06
  6. ^ "OET : Home". Occupationalenglishtest.org. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  7. ^ "About ELAT". Admissions Testing Service. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  8. ^ "About STEP". Admissions Testing Service. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  9. ^ http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/ Retrieved 2016-01-06
  10. ^ http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-institutions/about-our-tests/thinking-skills-assessment. Retrieved 2016-01-06
  11. ^ "Behavioural styles assessment (CPSQ)". Admissionstestingservice.org. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  12. ^ http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-institutions/research/ Accessed 22 June 2016
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