A memory device having test circuitry incorporated into its design to enable direct external access to the bit lines of a single cell is described. When the device is put in test mode by applying external control signals, peripheral I/O circuitry is disabled. Once the I/O circuitry is disabled the test circuitry selects and enables the section of the array in which the selected cell is located through transfer circuits. The enabled transfer circuit for the selected section couples data between the selected cell and a set of predetermined I/O terminals.