Credit By Examination
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Credit By Examination
Under Executive Order 1036, students may challenge courses by taking examinations developed at CSU, Chico. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully.
Credit for Non-Collegiate Instruction
CSU Chico grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The numbers of units allowed are those recommended in the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience" in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.
Credit for Prior Learning
CSU Chico grants up to 30 units of credit for learning, knowledge, or skills-based experience that has been documented and evaluated according to campus policy. Students should be aware, however, that policies for earning credit for prior learning vary from campus to campus in the CSU.
NOTE: The Chancellor's Office Academic Affairs Memorandum 2014-21 announces the passing scores for external examinations that may receive university credit. Please see the subsection "Course Credit Policies" in the Academic Policies and Regulations section of the catalog for complete information.
Advanced Placement (AP)
CSU, Chico grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to eight semester units of college credit per exam. The number of units and how they meet specific academic content requirements are specified in the Advanced Placement Examinations Chart below.
| AP Exam | Credit (semester units) | Meets this GE area or course equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Art—Studio Art/2D | 3 | Arts |
| Art—Studio Art/3D | 3 | Arts |
| Art—Studio Art/Drawing | 6 | - |
| Art—History | 6 | Arts: ARTH 110, ARTH 120 |
| Biology (includes lab) | 8 | Life Sciences and GE lab requirement: BIOL 151, or NSCI 102, plus additional life science |
| Calculus AB | 4 | Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 120**** |
| Calculus BC | 8 | Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 120 and MATH 121**** |
| Calculus AB Subscore on BC Exam | 4 | Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 120**** |
| Chemistry (includes lab) | 8 | Physical Sciences and GE Lab Requirement, plus additional physical science |
| Chinese Language and Literature | 6 | Humanities* |
| Computer Science A (A only) | 3 | CSCI 111 |
| Computer Science A and B | 6 | CSCI 111 and CSCI 112 |
| Economics—Macro | 3 | Societal Institutions: ECON 102 |
| Economics—Micro | 3 | Individual & Society: ECON 103 |
| English—Language and Composition | 6 | Written Communication: ENGL 130*** |
| English—Literature and Composition | 6 | Written Communication: ENGL 130 & Humanities*** |
| Environmental Science | 4 | Physical Sciences and GE lab requirement |
| French—Language | 6 | Humanities* |
| French—Literature | 6 | Humanities* |
| German—Language | 6 | Humanities* |
| Government and Politics—U.S. | 3 | Societal Institutions or U.S. Constitution** |
| Government and Politics—Comparative | 3 | Individual & Society or Societal Institutions |
| History—European | 6 | Societal Institutions or Humanities |
| History—U.S. | 6 | HIST 130 and GE Societal Institutions or Humanities |
| History—World | 6 | HIST 101 and 102 or GE Societal Institutions or Humanities |
| Human Geography | 3 | Individual & Society |
| Italian Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities* |
| Japanese Language and Literature | 6 | Humanities* |
| Latin—Vergil | 6 | Humanities |
| Latin—Latin Literature | 6 | Humanities |
| Music—Theory | 6 | Arts* |
| Physics B (includes lab) | 8 | Physical Sciences and GE Lab Requirement: PHYS 202A and PHYS 202B |
| Physics C—Mechanics | 4 | Physical Sciences and GE Lab Requirement: PHYS 204A |
| Physics C—Electricity & Magnetism | 4 | Physical Sciences and GE Lab Requirement: PHYS 204B |
| Psychology | 3 | Learning for Life or Individual & Society: PSYC 101 |
| Spanish—Language | 6 | Humanities* |
| Spanish—Literature | 6 | Humanities* |
| Statistics | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 105 |
| Either 3 or 6 units of credit will be allowed for all other exams and applied to meet lower-division breadth requirements as appropriate. | ||
| *Department requires formal assessment for placement into appropriate courses. | ||
| **Does not meet California State and Local content requirement. |
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| ***If both AP English Exams are passed, a maximum of 9 units will be awarded. |
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| ****If both AP Calculus AB and BC Exams are passed, a maximum of 8 units will be awarded. |
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International Baccalaureate (IB)
As recommended by the California State University Chancellor’s Office, CSU, Chico grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of specific Higher Level International Baccalaureate examinations. Students who present scores of four or better will be granted up to six semester units of credit for each exam applied to the appropriate General Education requirements. Please consult the IB Chart for specific details.
| IB Exam (July 2001 Version) | Credit (semester units) | Meets this GE area or course equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Biology HL | 6 | Life Sciences plus lab |
| Chemistry HL | 6 | Physical Sciences plus lab |
| Economics HL | 6 | Individual & Society |
| English A1 HL | 6 | Humanities, GC |
| Geography HL | 6 | Societal Institutions |
| History of the Americas HL | 6 | Societal Institutions, HIST 130, GC |
| History (any other region) HL | 6 | Humanities or Societal Institutions |
| Language (any) A: Literature HL | 6 | Humanities |
| Language (any) A: Language and Literature HL | 6 | Humanities |
| Mathematics HL | 6 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Physics HL | 6 | Physical Sciences plus lab |
| Psychology HL | 3 | Learning for Life or Individual & Society |
| Theatre HL | 6 | Arts |
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CSU, Chico grants credit and/or fulfills requirements for certain CLEP Exams taken July 2001 or later as indicated in the chart below. For CLEP Exams taken prior to July 2001, please consult an Academic Evaluator at 530-898-5957.
For more information about the CLEP please visit the College Level Examination Program website.
| CLEP Exam (July 2001 Version) | Passing Score | Credit (semester units) | Meets this GE area or course equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting, Principles of | 50 | 3 | ACCT 201 and 202* |
| American Government | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions/U.S. Constitution** |
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Analyzing/Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Biology | 50 | 3 | Life Sciences (no lab) |
| Business Law, Intro | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| Calculus | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Chemistry | 50 | 3 | Physical Sciences (no lab) |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| College Algebra/Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Educational Psychology, Intro | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| English Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| French, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | Humanities |
| French, Level 2 | 59 | 12 | Humanities |
| German, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | Humanities |
| German, Level 2 | 60 | 12 | Humanities |
| History, United States I | 50 | 3 | HIST 130/Societal Institutions |
| History, United States II | 50 | 3 | HIST 130/Societal Institutions |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | Learning for Life |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Info System/Computer Apps | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| Macroeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions |
| Management, Principles of | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| Marketing, Principles of | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| Microeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | Individual & Society |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | 3 | Physical Sciences or Life Sciences (no lab) |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Psychology, Intro | 50 | 3 | Individual & Society or Learning for Life |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | 3 | ---- |
| Sociology, Intro | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions |
| Spanish, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | Humanities |
| Spanish, Level 2 | 63 | 12 | Humanities |
| Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning |
| Western Civilization I | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions or Humanities |
| Western Civilization II | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions: HIST 110 |
| *Fulfills content requirement only; elective units only. | |||
| **Does not meet California State and Local content requirement. | |||
There are some limits to the amount of credit that will be granted for results on external examinations. First, no more than 30 semester units of such credit may count toward degree requirements. Credit for Advanced Placement examinations is not included in this limit. Where credit has already been awarded at the equivalent or at a more advanced level, additional credit shall not be awarded. Where partial overlap exists, credit in the amounts indicated above will be reduced accordingly.
Credit by examination is not considered residence credit for purposes of residency requirements for the bachelor's degree.
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