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 on the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience" website.
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 and Student Affairs Memorandum 2018-06 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 this 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 six semester units (nine quarter units) of college credit. 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 Chico GE area or course equivalent |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Art—Studio Art/2D | 3 | --- | |
| Art—Studio Art/3D | 3 | --- | |
| Art—Studio Art/Drawing | 3 | --- | |
| Art—Art History | 6 | Arts (C1) or Humanities (C2): ARTH 110, ARTH 120 | |
| Biology (includes lab) | 8 | Life Sciences (B2 with lab): BIOL 151 and BIOL 152, or BIOL/SCED 102 | |
| Calculus AB | 4 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4):+*** | |
| Calculus BC | 8 | Quantitative Reasoning:(A4):+*** | |
| Calculus AB Subscore on BC Exam | 4 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4):+*** | |
| Chemistry (includes lab) | 8 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab) | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| Computer Science A (A only) | 3 | + | |
| Computer Science A and B | 6 | + | |
| Computer Science Principles | 6 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4): CSCI 101 | |
| Economics—Macro | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2): ECON 102 | |
| Economics—Micro | 3 | Individual & Society (D1): ECON 103 | |
| English—Language and Composition | 6 | Written Communication (A2): ENGL 130** | |
| English—Literature and Composition | 6 | Written Communication (A2) and Humanities (C2): ENGL 130** | |
| Environmental Science (includes lab) | 4 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab) | |
| French—Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| German—Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| Government and Politics—U.S. | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2) or U.S. Constitution (US-2 only)* | |
| Government and Politics—Comparative | 3 | Individual & Society (D1) or Societal Institutions (D2) | |
| History—European | 6 | Humanities (C2) or Societal Institutions (D2) | |
| History—U.S. | 6 | Humanities (C2) or Societal Institutions (D2), U.S. History (US-1): HIST 130 | |
| History—World | 6 | HIST 101 and HIST 102 or Humanities (C2) or Societal Institutions (D2) | |
| Human Geography | 3 | Individual & Society (D1): GEOG 102 | |
| Italian—Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| Japanese—Language and Culture | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| Latin | 6 | Humanities (C2)+ | |
| Music—Theory | 6 | + | |
| Physics 1 (includes lab) | 4 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab): PHYS 202A | |
| Physics 2 (includes lab) | 4 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab): PHYS 202B | |
| Physics C—Mechanics (includes lab) | 4 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab): PHYS 204A | |
| Physics C—Electricity & Magnetism (includes lab) | 4 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab): PHYS 204B | |
| Psychology | 3 | Individual & Society (D1) or Learning for Life (E): PSYC 101 | |
| Seminar | 3 | --- | |
| Spanish—Language and Culture | 8 | Humanities (C2)++: SPAN 101 and SPAN 102 | |
| Spanish—Literature and Culture | 8 | Humanities (C2)++^: SPAN 102 and SPAN 201 | |
| Statistics | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4): 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. | |||
| ++ Student passing both AP Spanish exams with a 3 or better will receive credit for SPAN 101, SPAN 102 and SPAN 201. | |||
| ^ Student passing Spanish – Literature and Culture exam with a score of 4 or 5 should request advising from a Spanish advisor for correct placement. | |||
| * 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 the following passing scores 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) | Passing Score | Credit (semester units) | Meets this Chico GE area or course equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology HL | 5 | 6 | Life Sciences (B2 with lab) |
| Chemistry HL | 5 | 6 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab) |
| Economics HL | 5 | 6 | Individual & Society (D1) |
| Geography HL | 5 | 6 | Societal Institutions (D2) |
| History (any region) HL | 5 | 6 | Humanities (C2) or Societal Institutions (D2) |
| History of the Americas HL | 5 | 6 | Societal Institutions (D2), HIST 130, GC |
| Language (any) A: Literature HL | 4 | 6 | Humanities (C2) |
| Language (English) A: Literature HL | 4 | 6 | Humanities (C2), GC |
| Language (any) A: Language and Literature HL | 4 | 6 | Humanities (C2) |
| Mathematics HL | 4 | 6 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4) |
| Physics HL | 5 | 6 | Physical Sciences (B1 with lab) |
| Psychology HL | 5 | 3 | Individual & Society (D1) or Learning for Life (E) |
| Theatre HL | 4 | 6 | Arts (C1) |
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 a Graduation Advisor in Graduation Advising 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 Chico GE area or course equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting, Principles of | 50 | 3 | * |
| American Government | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2) |
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities (C2) |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities (C2) |
| Biology | 50 | 3 | Life Sciences (B2 no lab) |
| Business Law, Intro | 50 | 3 | --- |
| Calculus | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4) |
| Chemistry | 50 | 3 | Physical Sciences (B1 no lab) |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4) |
| College Algebra-Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4) |
| College Composition | 50 | 0 | --- |
| College Composition - Freshman | 50 | 0 | --- |
| College Composition - Modular | 50 | 0 | --- |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 0 | --- |
| Educational Psychology, Intro | 50 | 3 | --- |
| English Composition (no essay) | 50 | 0 | --- |
| English Composition with essay | 50 | 0 | --- |
| English Literature | 50 | 3 | --- |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | --- |
| French, Level I | 50 | 6 | --- |
| French, Level II | 59 | 9 | Humanities (C2) |
| German, Level I | 50 | 6 | --- |
| German, Level II | 60 | 9 | Humanities (C2) |
| History, United States I | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2), U.S. History (US-1) |
| History, United States II | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2), U.S. History (US-1) |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | Learning for Life (E) |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | Humanities (C2) |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | --- |
| Macroeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2) |
| Management, Principles of | 50 | 3 | --- |
| Marketing, Principles of | 50 | 3 | --- |
| Microeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | Individual & Society (D1) |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | 3 | Physical Sciences (B1 no lab) or Life Sciences (B2 no lab) |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning (A4) |
| Psychology, Intro | 50 | 3 | Individual & Society (D1) or Learning for Life (E) |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | 0 | --- |
| Sociology, Intro | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2) |
| Spanish, Level I | 50 | 6 | --- |
| Spanish, Level II | 63 | 9 | Humanities (C2) |
| Western Civilization I | 50 | 3 | Humanities (C2) or Societal Institutions (D2) |
| Western Civilization II | 50 | 3 | Societal Institutions (D2) |
| * Contact the Accounting Department for course equivalents. | |||
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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