Credit by Exam AP/IB/CLEP
Main Content
Credit by Exam
Through several methods, above-average students may earn academic credit for college-level learning by taking an examination in the appropriate area. The following points are the student’s responsibility and should be noted.
- Credit granted can be used to satisfy specific, general or elective degree requirements, as determined by the academic dean.
- Credit by examination is not assigned a letter grade and is not counted toward special recognition or honors.
- It is the responsibility of the student to discuss pending AP, CLEP, IB or SAT Subject Tests results with his or her academic advisor prior to registration. Duplicate credit is not allowed for credit by examination and class work.
- Credit by examination will not be granted in a lower-level course once credit has been awarded by class work or exam in a more advanced course.
- Credit by examination must be documented by an official score report from the examining agency. It will not be taken from another college or university transcript.
- Currently enrolled TCU students should obtain prior approval from their academic dean before taking CLEP examinations.
- Credit by examination may be awarded only in the first 66 semester hours of college credit.
- Credit may not be earned by examination in any course previously failed, audited or taken for noncredit at TCU.
- Credit for departmental examinations awarded by other institutions will not transfer to TCU.
For specific information, click the name of the examination program below:
| AP Subject | Score | TCU Equivalent | Credit (semester hours) |
Core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 4 or 5 | CRES 20103 Introduction to Black Studies |
3 | |
| Art History | 3 | ARHI 10043 Introduction to Art History |
3 | FAR |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 3 | ARST 10103 Drawing I |
3 | |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 10003 Contemporary Issues in Biology |
3 | NSC |
| 4 | BIOL 10000 General Biology |
4 | NSC | |
| 5 | BIOL 10000 General Biology BIOL 10511 Introductory Biology Lab II BIOL 10513 Introductory Biology II |
8 | NSC | |
| Capstone Diploma Program | ||||
| Research | 4 or 5 | TRAN 10001 | 3 | |
| Seminar | 4 or 5 | TRAN 10001 | 3 | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 10113 General Chemistry I |
3 | |
| 5 | CHEM 10113 General Chemistry I CHEM 10125 General Chemistry II with Laboratory |
8 | NSC | |
| Computer Science A | 4 or 5 | COSC 10403 Introduction to Programming |
3 | |
| Economics | ||||
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 10233 Introductory Macroeconomics |
3 | SSC |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 10223 Introductory Microeconomics |
3 | SSC |
| English | ||||
| Language and Composition | 3 | ENGL 10803 Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry |
3 | WCO1 |
| Language and Composition | 4 or 5 | ENGL 10803 Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry ENGL 20803 Intermediate Composition: Writing Argument |
6 | WCO1 WCO2 |
| Literature and Composition | 3 | ENGL 10803 Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry |
3 | WCO1 |
| Literature and Composition | 4 or 5 | ENGL 10803 Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry ENGL 10103 Introduction to Fiction |
6 | WCO1 LIT HUM |
| Environmental Science | 4 or 5 | ENSC 10000 Contemporary Environmental Issues |
3 | NSC |
| History | ||||
| American History | 4 or 5 | HIST 10603 United States History: A Survey to 1877 HIST 10613 United States History: A Survey since 1877 |
6 | SSC HT |
| European History | 4 or 5 | HIST 10223 Modernization and its Discontents: Europe 1789 to the Present |
3 | HT HUM |
| World History | 4 or 5 | HIST 10550 World History |
3 | HT HUM |
| Human Geography | 4 or 5 | GEOG 10500 Human Geography |
3 | SSC |
| Mathematics | ||||
| Calculus AB | 3 | MATH 10283 Applied Calculus |
3 | MTH |
| Calculus AB | 4 or 5 | MATH 10524 Calculus I |
4 | MTH |
| Calculus BC | 3 or 4 | MATH 10524 Calculus I |
4 | MTH |
| Calculus BC | 5 | MATH 10524 Calculus I MATH 20524 Calculus II |
8 | MTH |
| Calculus BC: Subscore AB | 3 | MATH 10283 Applied Calculus |
3 | MTH |
| Calculus BC: Subscore AB | 4 or 5 | MATH 10524 Calculus I |
4 | MTH |
| Precalculus | 4 or 5 | MATH 10054 Precalculus |
4 | |
| Statistics | 3, 4, or 5 | MATH 10043 Elementary Statistics |
3 | MTH |
| Modern Languages | ||||
| Chinese | 3 | CHIN 10153 Beginning Chinese I CHIN 10163 Beginning Chinese II |
6 | |
| Chinese | 4 | CHIN 10153 Beginning Chinese I CHIN 10163 Beginning Chinese II CHIN 20053 Intermediate Chinese I |
9 | |
| Chinese | 5 | CHIN 10153 Beginning Chinese I CHIN 10163 Beginning Chinese II CHIN 20053 Intermediate Chinese I CHIN 20063 Intermediate Chinese II |
12 | |
| French Language/Literature | 3 | FREN 10153 First Semester College French FREN 10163 Second Semester College French |
6 | |
| French Language/Literature | 4 | FREN 10153 First Semester College French FREN 10163 Second Semester College French FREN 20053 Third Semester College French |
9 | |
| French Language/Literature | 5 | FREN 10153 First Semester College French FREN 10163 Second Semester College French FREN 20053 Third Semester College French FREN 20063 Fourth Semester College French |
12 | |
| German Language/Literature | 3 | GRMN 10153 Beginning German I GRMN 10163 Beginning German II |
6 | |
| German Language/Literature | 4 | GRMN 10153 Beginning German I GRMN 10163 Beginning German II GRMN 20053 Beginning German III |
9 | |
| German Language/Literature | 5 | GRMN 10153 Beginning German I GRMN 10163 Beginning German II GRMN 20053 Beginning German III GRMN 20063 Intermediate German |
12 | |
| Italian Language/Literature | 3 |
ITAL 10153 |
6 | |
| Italian Language/Literature | 4 |
ITAL 10153 |
9 | |
| Italian Language/Literature | 5 |
ITAL 10153 |
12 | |
| Latin Language/Literature | 3 |
LANG 10000 |
6 | |
| Latin Language/Literature | 4 |
LANG 10000 |
9 | |
| Latin Language/Literature | 5 |
LANG 10000 |
12 | |
| Spanish Language/Literature | 3 | SPAN 10103 Spanish for Beginners 1 SPAN 10203 Spanish for Beginners 2 |
6 | |
| Spanish Language/Literature | 4 |
SPAN 10103 |
12 | |
| Spanish Language/Literature | 5 | SPAN 10103 Spanish for Beginners 1 SPAN 10203 Spanish for Beginners 2 SPAN 20103 Intermediate Spanish 1 SPAN 20203 Intermediate Spanish 2 |
12 | |
| Music Theory |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
MUSI 10003 |
3 |
||
|
4 or 5 |
MUSI 10003 |
6 |
||
| Physics | ||||
| Physics 1 | 4 or 5 | PHYS 10154 General Physics I with Laboratory |
4 | |
| Physics 2 | 4 or 5 | PHYS 10164 General Physics II with Laboratory |
4 | |
| C - Mechanical | 4 or 5 | PHYS 20474 Physics I with Laboratory: Mechanics |
4 | NSC |
| C - Electricity & Magnetism | 4 or 5 | PHYS 20484 Physics II with Laboratory: Electromagnetism and Optics |
4 | |
| Political Science | ||||
| U.S. Government | 3, 4 or 5 | POSC 10000 American Government |
3 | SSC |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3, 4 or 5 | POSC 10000 Political Science |
3 | SSC |
| Psychology | 4 or 5 | PSYC 10213 Psychology |
3 |
| CLEP Subject | Score | TCU Equivalent |
Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 55 | POSC 10000 US Government |
3 |
| Biology | |||
| Biology | 55 | BIOL 10003 Contemporary Issues in Biology |
3 ‡ |
| Biology | 65 | BIOL 10511 Introductory Biology Lab II BIOL 10513 Introductory Biology II |
4 ‡ |
| Chemistry | |||
| Chemistry | 65 | CHEM 10113 General Chemistry I |
3 |
| Chemistry | 70 | CHEM 10113 General Chemistry I CHEM 10125 General Chemistry II with Laboratory |
8 |
| Economics | |||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 55 | ECON 10233 Introductory Macroeconomics |
3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 55 | ECON 10223 Introductory Microeconomics |
3 |
| English (with essay) | |||
| English Composition | 55 | ENGL 10803 Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry |
3 |
| (TCU does not accept the College Composition Modular) | |||
| History/Civilization | |||
| History of the United States I | 55 | HIST 10603 United States History: A Survey to 1877 |
3 |
| History of the United States II | 55 | HIST 10613 United States History: A Survey since 1877 |
3 |
| Western Civilization I | 55 | HIST 10203 Origins of Western Civilization: Europe to 1348 |
3 |
| Western Civilization II | 55 | HIST 10223 Modernization and its Discontents: Europe 1789 to the Present |
3 |
| Humanities | 55 | HUMA 10200 Humanities |
6 |
| Introductory Psychology | 65 | PSYC 10213 Psychology |
3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 55 | SOCI 20213 Introduction to Sociology |
3 |
| Mathematics | |||
| Calculus | 65 | MATH 10524 Calculus I |
4 |
| Modern Languages | |||
| French Language | 50 | FREN 10153 First Semester College French or Beginning German I FREN 10163 Second Semester College French or Beginning German II |
6 |
| French Language | 62 | FREN 10153 First Semester College French FREN 10163 Second Semester College French FREN 20053 Third Semester College French FREN 20063 Fourth Semester College French |
12 |
| German Language | 63 | GRMN 10153 Beginning German I GRMN 10163 Beginning German II GRMN 20053 Beginning German III GRMN 20063 Intermediate German |
12 |
| Spanish Language | 50 | SPAN 10103 Spanish for Beginners 1 SPAN 10203 Spanish for Beginners 2 |
6 |
| Spanish Language | 66 | SPAN 10103 Spanish for Beginners 1 SPAN 10203 Spanish for Beginners 2 SPAN 20103 Intermediate Spanish 1 SPAN 20203 Intermediate Spanish 2 |
12 |
| Natural Sciences | 55 | SCIE 10210 Natural Science |
6 |
| Social Sciences and History | 55 | HIST 10200 Social Science |
6 |
| IB Subject | Score | TCU Equivalent | Core Code | Max Credit* (semester hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art (Visual) | 5, 6, 7 HL | ARHI 10000 | FAR | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | ARHI 10200 | 3 | ||
| Biology | 5, 6 HL | BIOL 10003 | NSC | 3 |
| 7 HL | BIOL 10501/3, 10511/3 | NSC (10501/3) | 8 | |
| Business & Management | 5, 6, 7 HL | BUSI 10200 | 6 | |
| Chemistry | 6 HL | CHEM 10113 | 3 | |
| 7 HL | CHEM 10113, 10125 | NSC (10125) | 8 | |
| Economics | 5, 6, 7 HL | ECON 10223 | SSC | 3 |
| 5,6,7, HL | ECON 10223 | SSC | 3 | |
| 5, 6, 7 SL | ECON 10233 | SSC | 3 | |
| English | ||||
| A - Literature | 5, 6 HL |
ENGL 10103 | HUM, LT | 3 |
| 7 HL | ENGL 10103, 10113 | HUM, LT | 6 | |
| A - Language & Literature | 5, 6, 7 HL | ENGL 10103, 10803 | HUM, LT, WCO | 6 |
| Language B | 5, 6, 7 HL | ENFL 10103, 10113 | HUM, LT | 6 |
| Film | 5, 6, 7 HL | FTDM 10200 | 3 | |
| Geography | 5, 6, 7 HL | GEOG 10000 | SSC | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | GEOG 10200 | 3 | ||
| Geology | 5, 6, 7 HL | GEOL 10113 | NSC | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | GEOL 10200 | 3 | ||
| History | ||||
| Africa and the Middle East | 5, 6, 7 HL | HIST 10803, HIST 10813 |
HT HUM |
3 |
| Americas | 5, 6, 7 HL | HIST 10500 | SSC, HT | 3 |
| Asia and Oceania | 5, 6, 7 HL |
HIST 10943 HIST 10953 |
HT, |
3 |
| Europe | 5, 6, 7 HL | HIST 10000 | HT | 6 |
| Information Technology in a Global Society | 5, 6, 7 HL | CITE 10200 | 6 | |
| Mathematics Applications & Interpretations (Math Apps) | 6, 7 HL | MATH 10043 | MTH | 3 |
| 6, 7 SL | MATH 10043 | MTH | 3 | |
| Mathematics Analysis & Approaches (Math Studies) | 6, 7 HL | MATH 10524 | MTH | 4 |
| 6, 7 SL | MATH 10000 | MTH | 4 | |
| Modern Languages | ||||
| French | 5, 6, 7 HL | FREN 20053, 20063 | 6 | |
| German | 5, 6, 7 CA | GRMN 20053, 20063 | 6 | |
| Greek | 5, 6, 7 HL | GREE 20053, 20063 | 6 | |
| Japanese | 5, 6, 7 HL | JAPN 20053, 20063 | 6 | |
| Spanish | 5, 6, 7 HL | SPAN 20103, 20203 | 6 | |
| Language (not taught at TCU) | 5, 6, 7 HL | LANG 20000 | 6 | |
| Philosophy | 5, 6, 7 HL | PHIL 10003 | 3 | |
| Physics | 5, 6, 7 HL | PHYS 10154, 10164 | NSC | 8 |
| Political Science | ||||
| Global Politics | 5, 6, 7 HL | POSC 10000 | SSC | 3 |
| Psychology | 5, 6, 7 HL | PSYC 10213, 10200 | 6 | |
| Religion | 5, 6, 7 HL | RELI 10000 | HUM, RT | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | RELI 10200 | 3 | ||
| Sociology | 5, 6, 7 HL | SOCI 10500 | SSC | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | SOCI 10200 | 3 | ||
| Theatre Arts | 5, 6, 7 HL | THEA 10000 | FAR | 3 |
| 5, 6, 7 HL | THEA 10200 | 3 | ||
TCU awards 6-8 credit hours per A-Level subject in which a student scores a C or better.
TCU awards 3-4 credit hours per AS-Level subject in which a student scores a C or better.
Devised primarily for the experienced professional, “Credit by Portfolio Assessment” is available in some, but not all academic fields at TCU. Limited credit may be granted for a portfolio demonstrating learning gained through college-level life experience. The portfolio is assessed by TCU faculty. Details of this program are available from the Office of Extended Education, 817-257-7130.