Credit by Examination

No more than 60 hours of credit are awarded for any or all programs, including ASU comprehensive and proficiency examinations. Credit will not be awarded for any course in which the student has been given credit from any educational institution. Credit will not be granted for a course taken at an educational institution after credit by examination has been awarded. Credit may not be received for a lower-level or prerequisite course when credit has already been received in a higher-level course within the same field. In these categories, only credit earned by comprehensive examination counts toward the resident credit requirement for graduation.

Advanced Placement

Students who have taken an advanced placement (AP) course of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) in their secondary school and who have taken an AP Examination of the CEEB may receive university credit. No credit is given for any examination with a score of 2 or 1. There is no limit to the number of AP credits that can be used to meet the General Studies requirement, including the requirements in natural sciences (SQ and SG) and literacy and critical inquiry (L).

When the scores are received by the university directly from the CEEB, credit is awarded as shown in the Advanced Placement Credit table below.


Advanced Placement Credit

 

Examination*

Score

Semester Hours

Equivalency

 

Art—History

5 or 4

3

6

3

ARS 101, 102

ARS 101 or 102

Art—Studio: Drawing

5

4

6

3

ART 111, 112

ART 111

Art—Studio: 2-D

5

4

6

3

ART 112, 194 ST: 2-D Design

ART 112

Art—Studio: 3-D

5

4

6

3

ART 115, 194 ST: 3-D Design

ART 115

Biology

5 or 4

3

8

4

BIO 187, 188

BIO 100

Chemistry

5 or 4

3

9

4

CHM 113, 115

CHM 113

Computer Science A

5 or 4

3

CSE 110

Computer Science AB

5 or 4

6

CSE 110, 205

Economics—Introductory Macroeconomics

5 or 4

3

ECN 211

Economics—Introductory Microeconomics

5 or 4

3

ECN 212

English—Language and Composition

5 or 4

6

ENG 101, 114

English—Literature and Composition

5 or 4

6

ENG 101, 204

Environmental Science

5 or 4

3

PLB 322

French—Language

5

4

3

14

11

8

FRE 201, 202, 311, 312

FRE 201, 202, 311

FRE 201, 202

French—Literature

5

4

3

18

12

8

FRE 111, 201, 202, 321, 322

FRE 111, 201, 202

FRE 201, 202

Geography—Human

5, 4, or 3

3

GCU 102

German—Language

5

4

3

14

11

8

GER 201, 202, 311, 312

GER 201, 202, 311

GER 201, 202

History—American

5 or 4

6

HST 109 and 110

History—European

5 or 4

6

HST 103 and 104

History—World

5 or 4

3

HST 101

Latin—Language

5

4

3

16

12

8

LAT 101, 102, 201, 202

LAT 101, 102, 201

LAT 101, 102

Latin—Literature

5

4

3

16

12

8

LAT 101, 102, 201, 202

LAT 101, 102, 201

LAT 101, 102

Mathematics—Calculus AB

5, 4, or 3

4

MAT 270

Mathematics—Calculus BC

5 or 4

3

8

4

MAT 270, 271

MAT 270

Music

5 or 4

3

MTC 125

 Physics—AP Physics

3,

4 or 5

4

8

PHY 111, 113

PHY 111, 113 and 112, 114

 Physics—AP Mechanics C

3, 4 or 5 4 PHY 111, 113
 Physics—AP Electricity and Magnetism C 3, 4 or 5 8

PHY 112, 114

Political Science—American Government and Politics

5 or 4

3

POS 110

Political Science—Comparative Government and Politics

5 or 4

3

POS 150

Psychology

5 or 4

3

PGS 101

Spanish—Language

5

4

3

14

11

8

SPA 201, 202, 311, 312

SPA 201, 202, 311

SPA 201, 202

Spanish—Literature

5

4

3

15

12

8

SPA 111, 201, 202, 325

SPA 111, 201, 202

SPA 201, 202

Statistics

5, 4, or 3

3

STP 226

 

* All test scores are posted initially as Tempe campus course equivalents and will be honored at any ASU campus the student may attend.


College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Students who have taken a College-Level Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board may receive university credit. The table of CLEP credit applies to all students enrolled in the university for the first time in August 1975 and any student enrolling thereafter. CLEP examination credit is not given where it duplicates credit previously earned by the student at the university or accepted by the university for work done elsewhere. All examinations are given monthly by University Testing Services.

The General Studies requirement in natural science (SQ and SG) and literacy and critical inquiry (L) are not satisfied by CLEP. There is no limit to the number of CLEP credits that can be used to fulfill the other parts of the General Studies requirement. A student who has received ASU credit for a course due to Special Programs credit may not duplicate the credit by enrolling in the same class for credit at ASU or transferring it to another institution.

Subject Examinations

To obtain credit or placement for all subject exams except English, French, German, and Spanish, a student must receive a score of 50 (Computer Based Training [CBT] scale) or higher. To obtain credit for English Composition with Essay, a student must receive a standard score of 610 (1978 scale), 500 (1986 scale), or 50 (CBT scale). For test scores for French, German, and Spanish, see the CLEP credit table, below.

All equivalency is subject to future review and possible catalog change. For more information, call University Testing Services at 480/965-7146, or visit EDB 301.


CLEP Credit

 

Examinations*

Semester
Hours

Equivalency

 

American Government

3

POS 110

American Literature

3

Elective credit

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

3

Elective credit

Biology

8

BIO 187, 188

Calculus

3

4

MAT 265

MAT 270

Chemistry

8

CHM 113, 116

College Algebra

3

MAT 117

College Mathematics

3

MAT 142

English Composition

0

No credit

English Composition with Essay

0

Qualifies for ENG 105

English Literature

3

Elective credit

French Language

4

8

12

16

FRE 101 (Students must score 50–54.)

FRE 101, 102 (Students must score 55–61.)

FRE 101, 102, 201 (Students must score 62–65.)

FRE 101, 102, 201, 202 (Students must score 66 or higher.)

Freshman College Composition

0

No credit

German Language

4

8

12

16

GER 101 (Students must score 39–45.)

GER 101, 102 (Students must score 46–50.)

GER 101, 102, 201 (Students must score 51–59.)

GER 101, 102, 201, 202 (Students must score 60 or higher.)

History of the United States I—Early Colonization to 1877

3

HST 109

History of the United States II—1865 to the Present

3

HST 110

Human Growth and Development

0

No credit

Humanities

0

No credit

Information Systems and Computer Applications

3

Elective credit

Introduction to Educational Psychology

0

No credit

Introductory Business Law

3

Elective credit

Introductory Psychology

3

PGS 101

Introductory Sociology

3

SOC 101

Natural Sciences

8

Elective credit

Precalculus (replaces College Algebra/Trigonometry)

3

MAT 170

Principles of Accounting

6

Elective credit

Principles of Macroeconomics

3

ECN 211

Principles of Management

0

No credit

Principles of Marketing

0

No credit

Principles of Microeconomics

3

ECN 212

Social Sciences and History

6

Elective credit

Spanish Language

4

8

12

16

SPA 101 (Students must score 50–54.)

SPA 101, 102 (Students must score 55–65.)

SPA 101, 102, 201 (Students must score 66–67.)

SPA 101, 102, 201, 202 (Students must score 68 or higher.)

Western Civilization I—Ancient Near East to 1648

3

HST 102 or 103

Western Civilization II—1648 to the Present

3

HST 104

 

* All test scores are posted initially as Tempe campus course equivalents and will be honored at any ASU campus the student may attend.

DSST

Students who have taken a DSST (DANTES [Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support] Subject Standardized Test) may receive university credit. Credit is awarded for score results at or above the American Council on Education’s recommended score if the subject examination is applicable to a program of study at ASU or may be assigned elective credit. To receive credit, a transcript showing the DSST results must be received by ASU directly from the Educational Testing Service.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma/Certificate

Students who present an International Baccalaureate Diploma/Certificate may qualify for university credit, depending on the level of the examination and the grade received. Arizona State University grants credit for higher-level courses only. A grade of 5 qualifies the student to receive credit for up to two introductory courses while a grade of 4 qualifies a student to receive credit for one introductory course. No credit is awarded for English as a Second Language (English B). Credit is awarded according to the International Baccalaureate Diploma/Certificate Credit table below.



International Baccalaureate Diploma/Certificate Credit

 

Examination

Score

Semester Hours

Equivalency

 

Art/Design

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

ART 111, 112

ART 112

Biology

7, 6 or 5

4

8

4

BIO 187, 188

BIO 187

Chemistry

7, 6 or 5

4

9

4

CHM 113, 115

CHM 113

Economics

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

ECN 211, 212

ECN 211

English A

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

ENG 101, 114

ENG 114

English B

No credit

0

None

Foreign Language A or B*

7, 6 or 5

4

8

4

Foreign language 101, 102

Foreign language 101

Geography

7, 6, 5 or 4

3

GCU 102

History—American

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

HST 109, 110

HST 109

History—East and Southeast and Oceania

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

HST 107, 240

HST 107

History—European

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

HST 103, 104

HST 103

Mathematics

7, 6 5, or 4

4

MAT 270

Music

7, 6 5, or 4

3

MTC 125

Physics

7, 6 or 5

4

8

4

PHY 111, 112, 113, 114

PHY 111, 113

Psychology

7, 6, 5 or 4

3

PGS 101

Social and Cultural Anthropology

7, 6, 5 or 4

3

ASB 102

Theatre—Introduction

7, 6, 5 or 4

3

THE 100

Visual Arts

7, 6 or 5

4

6

3

ART 111, 112

ART 112

 

* No credit is awarded if the language is the student’s native language.

Comprehensive Examinations

A comprehensive examination is intended to permit a student to establish academic credit in a field in which the student has gained experience or competence equivalent to an established university course. Applications are given only for courses listed in the current catalog and only for courses in which a comprehensive examination can serve as a satisfactory measure of accomplishment.

A number of restrictions apply. The student must be enrolled at ASU with no more than 100 semester hours of credit earned (includes credits earned at ASU, credits transferred to ASU from another institution, and all credits earned by examination). The examinations must be taken during the first two semesters in residence in a degree program at the university.

The decision on the suitability of course material for a comprehensive examination, the development of a comprehensive examination, and the administration of an examination are strictly departmental functions. An application is for one course only. The student should complete an application form with the number, title, and number of semester hours for the course. When completed, the application must be approved by the student’s advisor and the chair of the department responsible for offering the course.

The student must then pay the stated fee for such examinations at Cashiering Services. The receipt must be taken to the departmental office.

The examination is prepared by the instructor who normally conducts the course, and it is comprehensive in nature and scope. The instructor and other experts designated by the chair grade the examination, using letter grades “A+,” “A,” “A-,” “B+,” “B,” “B-,” “C+,” “C,” “D,” or “E.” If the grade is “C” or higher, a mark of “Y” is entered on the student’s permanent record; otherwise, no entry is made. Credit by examination is indicated as such on the record. The student is notified by mail of the result of the examination. In cases of failure (“D” or “E”), the student is not given an opportunity to repeat the examination.

A student pursuing a second baccalaureate degree may not receive credit by comprehensive examination, but with prior approval of the college, the student may use the examination to waive a course requirement if a grade of “C” or higher is earned.

Proficiency Examinations

Proficiency examinations and auditions are given

  1. to waive a course requirement;
  2. to validate certain transfer credits in professional programs; and
  3. to determine a student’s ability in a field where competence is an important consideration.

Detailed information may be obtained from the dean’s office of the college in which the student is registered.