The purpose of the background assessment is to determine the extent of the applicant’s knowledge of the fields of foreign language education, research principles, general and applied linguistics. The background assessment is typically conducted after an applicant has been admitted into the program.

You cannot pass or fail this background assessment; it is not a
test. Rather, your responses to the questions assist the graduate faculty in planning a tailored program according to the individual student’s current knowledge and interests, and determining if any prerequisite courses are needed before doctoral-level coursework is undertaken. Pre-requisites may be required to obtain a more solid foundation for your doctoral coursework and may be taken during the first two semesters of doctoral study along with other required or elective courses.

The background assessment is administered according to "the honor
system." In other words, you should not consult any sources, aside from
your own background and knowledge, while taking the assessment. As such, the background assessment is administered on the USF campus. Most students require 2 to 3 hours to complete the assessment.