Credit By Examination

Under certain conditions, students may be awarded course credit by departmental examination. (This procedure is distinct from the awarding of credit through Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams taken prior to a student's first enrollment.)

Students wanting to earn credit by departmental examination should consult the College of Arts and Science's Office of Undergraduate Education concerning procedures and to start the approval process. Students must obtain the approval of the chair of the department that is to give the examination and the instructor designated by the chair.

To be eligible, students must be carrying a minimum of 12 hours and be in good standing.

Students may earn up to 18 hours of credit by any combination of credit through advanced placement examinations and credit by departmental examination.

Students may earn up to 8 hours of credit by examination in any one department. Students may attempt to obtain credit by examination no more than twice in one semester, no more than once in one course in one semester, and no more than twice in one course. Students may not repeat a course for grade replacement under the credit by examination procedures.

Credit hours and grade are awarded on the basis of the grade earned on the examination, subject to the policy of the department awarding credit. Students have the option of refusing to accept the credit hours and grade after learning the results of the examination.

Students enrolled for at least 12 hours are not charged extra tuition for hours earned through credit by examination, so long as the amount of credit falls within the allowable limits of an 18-hour tuition load, including no-credit courses and courses dropped after the change period. Students in this category must pay a $50 fee for the cost of constructing, administering, and grading the examination. Since this cost has already been incurred, students who refuse the credit hours and grade are charged the $50 fee nevertheless.

Full-time students with a tuition load exceeding 18 hours and students taking fewer than 12 hours pay tuition at the regular rate with no additional fee.