Credit by Exam
At North Dakota State University opportunity is provided for students to demonstrate evidence of college-level achievement. This level of competency may have been gained through intensive preparation in specific areas in high school, extensive reading in a particular field, on-the-job experience or other types of formal or informal preparation.
Credit by examination can be earned in the following ways:
- the College Level Examination Program (CLEP),
- the Advanced Placement Program,
- International Baccalaureate,
- DANTES Examinations
- and challenging courses through petition followed by an examination for each particular course.
Page Index
- CLEP Subject Exams
- CLEP Testing Center
- General Information
- CLEP Exams & NDSU Equivalents
- Advanced Placement Exams
- Advanced Placement Exams & NDSU Equivalents
- International Baccalaureate
- Dantes Examinations Challenging Courses
- Challenging Courses
- Contact Information
- Language Placement
CLEP Subject Exams
CLEP is a national testing program of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). The minimum scores required are those recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). The following policy governs the use of Subject Examinations at NDSU.
- The Subject Examination should be taken prior to enrollment in the equivalent or more advanced college-level course.
- Scores from a Subject Examination may not be used to establish credit for a course previously taken and failed or for a course in which the student is currently enrolled.
- A year must elapse before a Subject Examination may be repeated.
If you have attended college or have taken college level courses, please
check with the Office of the Registrar at NDSU before taking any CLEP
test.
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CLEP Testing Center
The NDSU Counseling and Disability Services office has been designated
as a national testing center for administration of CLEP Examinations.
Examinations are administered by appointment. Registration must be made
prior to the administration of the tests. The fee for Subject Examinations
is $80.00. Registration forms for the CLEP Examinations and booklets describing
these tests are available at the Counseling and Disability Services office
or from CLEP on their website.
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General Information
CLEP Examinations may be taken at any national testing center established
by CEEB. Credits earned for CLEP Examinations are recorded by the Office
of Registration and Records upon receipt of an official score report from
CEEB. In recording results from examinations for which an essay is required,
the essay must be read and approved by the appropriate NDSU department
before credit is granted. Minimum scores for receiving credit on CLEP
and Advanced Placement examinations are reviewed periodically and are
subject to change. If you have attended college or have taken college
level courses, please check with the Office of Registration and Records
at NDSU before taking any CLEP test.
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CLEP Exams & NDSU Equivalents
| CLEP Subject Examinations | |||
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours |
| Freshman College Composition | 50 | Eng. 110 | 3 |
| English Literature | 50 | Engl. 251, 252 | 6 |
| American Literature | 50 | Engl. 261, 262 | 6 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | Engl. 271 & Free Elective | 6 |
| College French Level I | 50 | Fren. 101 | 4 |
| College French Level II | 62 | French 101 and 102 | 8 |
| College German Level I | 50 | Germ. 101 | 4 |
| College German Level II | 63 | Germ 101 and 102 | 8 |
| College Spanish Level I | 50 | Span. 101 | 4 |
| College Spanish Level II | 63 | Span 101 and 102 | 8 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | Econ. 201 | 3 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | Econ. 202 | 3 |
| Western Civilization I | 50 | Hist. 101 | 3 |
| Western Civilization II | 50 | Hist. 102 | 3 |
| History of the United States I | 50 | Hist. 103 | 3 |
| History of the United States II | 50 | Hist. 104 | 3 |
| American Government | 50 | PolS. 115 | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | Psyc. 111 | 3 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | Psyc. 250 | 3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | Soc. 110 | 3 |
| General Biology | 50 | Biol. 150/150L | 4 |
| General Chemistry | 50 | Chem. 121/121L | 4 |
| College Algebra | 50 | Math. 103 | 3 |
| College Algebra/Trigonometry | 50 | Math 107 | 3 |
| Trigonometry | 50 | Math. 105 | 3 |
| Precalculus | 50 | Math 107 | 3 |
| Calculus with Elementary Functions | 50 | Math. 146 | 4 |
| Principles of Accounting | 50 | Acct. 200, 201 | 6 |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | Acct. 200 | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Information Systems & Computer Applications | 50 | Free Elective | 3 |
In accordance with the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education policy,
NDSU will grant credit for the following CLEP examinations. NDSU does
not offer equivalent course work, but some of these credits may count
toward meeting NDSU's General Education requirements; otherwise, credits
will be counted as general electives.
| CLEP Subject Examinations | ||
| Examination | Score | Credit Hours |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | 3 |
| Introduction to Education Psychology | 50 | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 |
*Please contact the NDSU Office Registration and Records
at 701-231-7745 for more information on credit awarded for this test.
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Advanced Placement Exams
High school students may earn credit for college courses or admission
to advanced courses by taking Advanced Placement Examinations. These examinations
are given in high schools where advanced placement courses are taught.
The examinations are administered in May and require the payment of an
examination fee. Contact your high school counselor for further information
regarding these examinations. Be sure to contact Advanced Placement (see
below) and have your scores sent to NDSU; our code is 6474.
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Advanced Placement Examinations
| Advanced Placement Examinations | |||
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours |
| English/Language and Composition | 3 | Engl. 110 | 3 |
| English Language Examination | 3 | Engl. 112 | 4 |
| Literature and Composition | 3 | Engl. 220 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Engl 110 and 220 | 6 | |
| Latin/Latin Literature | 3 | Clas. 101, 102 | 8 |
| Studio Art-Drawing | 3 | Art 130 | 3 |
| Studio Art-2D Design | 3 | Art 122 | 3 |
| Studio Art-3D Design | 3 | Art 124 | 6 |
| Art-History | 3 | Art 210, 211 | 6 |
| Economics/Microeconomics | 3 | Econ. 201 | 3 |
| Economics/Macroeconomics | 3 | Econ. 202 | 3 |
| History/European | 3 | Hist. 101 and 102 | 6 |
| History/U.S. | 3 | Hist. 103 and 104 | 6 |
| Government and Politics/US | 3 | PolS. 115 | 3 |
| Government and Politics/Comparative | 3 | PolS. 225 | 3 |
| French Language | 3 | Fren 101 and 102 | 8 |
| French Literature | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| German Language | 3 | Germ 101 and 102 | 8 |
| Spanish Language | 3 | Span 101 and 102 | 8 |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Psychology | 3 | Psyc. 111 | 3 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | Biol. 124/124L | 4 |
| Human Geography | 3 | Geog. 151 | 3 |
| Mathematics/Calculus AB | 3 | Math. 165 | 4 |
| Mathematics/Calculus BC | 3 | Math. 165, 166 | 8 |
| Physics C/Mechanics | 3 | Phys. 251/251L | 4 |
| Physics C/Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | Phys. 252/252L | 4 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CSci. 160 | 4 |
| Computer Science AB | 3 | CSci. 160 and 161 | 8 |
| Chemisty | 3 | Free Elective | 4 |
| 4-5 | Chem. 121/121L | 4 | |
| Biology | 3 | Biol. 111/111L | 4 |
| 4-5 | Biol. 150/150L and Biol. 151/151L | 8 | |
In accordance with the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education policy,
NDSU will grant credit for the following AP examinations. NDSU does not offer
equivalent course work, therefore credits will be counted as general electives.
| Advanced Placement Examinations | ||
| Examination | Score | Credit Hours |
| Chemistry | 3 | 8 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 6 |
| Physics | 3 | 8 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 |
| World History | 3 | 6 |
*Please contact the NDSU Office of Registration and Records at 701-231-7745
for more information on credit awarded for this test.
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International Baccalaureate
NDSU recognizes the International Baccalaureate diploma for the purpose of admission to the institution. Individual International Baccalaureate Higher Level course work with scores of four or better are forwarded to the appropriate department for the purpose of evaluation and possible awarding of credit and/or advanced placement.
A current list of International Baccalaureate exams that have been evaluated for credit and their NDSU equivalent courses are:
| International Baccalaureate Examinations | |||
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours |
| Biology | 4 | Biol. 150, 150L, 151, 151L | 8 |
| Chemistry | 4 | Chem. 121, 121L, 122, 122L | 8 |
| English | 4 | Engl. 220 | 4 |
| History (Africa) | 4 | Free Elective | 3 |
| History (Americas) | 4 | Hist 103 & 104 | 6 |
| History (Asia) | 4 | Free Elective | 3 |
| History (Europe) | 4 | Hist 102 | 3 |
| History (Islamic) | 4 | Free Elective | 3 |
| History (Middle East) | 4 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Mathematics | 4 | Math 103 & 105 | 6 |
| Physics | 4 | Free Elective | 5 |
| Psychology | 5 | Psyc 111 | 3 |
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DANTES Examinations
Originally designed for the military as a way to provide individuals an opportunity to obtain college level credit for what they have learned in nontraditional ways. Now available for civilian use, the DANTES Test Control Officer (TCO) administers the exams on more than 560 military installations and official DSST test centers. The main users of the exams include adult education programs, US Dept. of Defense, and two and four-year colleges and universities.
Official Scores must be sent to the Office of Registration & Records at NDSU for evaluation and recording purposes.
| DANTES Examinations | |||
| Examination | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credits | Score |
| A History of the Vietnam War | Free Elective | 3 | 44 |
| Art of the Western World | Art 111 | 3 | 48 |
| Astronomy | PHYS 110 | 3 | 48 |
| Business Law | Free Elective | 3 | 44 |
| Business Law II | Free Elective | 3 | 52 |
| Business Mathematics | Free Elective | 3 | 48 |
| Civil War and Reconstruction | Free Elective | 3 | 47 |
| Contemp West Europe: 1946-1990 | Hist 102 | 3 | 45 |
| Criminal Justice | CJ 201 | 3 | 49 |
| Drug and Alcohol Abuse | PSYC 212 | 3 | 49 |
| Environ & Human: Race Save Planet | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Ethics in America | Phil 210 | 3 | 46 |
| Foundations of Education | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Fundamentals of College Algebra | MATH 103 | 3 | 47 |
| Fundamentals of Counseling | Free Elective | 3 | 45 |
| General Anthropology | ANTH 111 | 3 | 47 |
| Here's to Your Health | HPER 217 | 3 | 48 |
| Human Resource Management | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Human/Cultural Geography | Geog 151 | 3 | 48 |
| Intro to the Modern Middle East | Free Elective | 3 | 47 |
| Introduction to Business | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Introduction to Computing | Free Elective | 3 | 45 |
| Introduction to Law Enforcement | Free Elective | 3 | 45 |
| Introduction to World Religions | Free Elective | 3 | 48 |
| Lifespan Developmental Psychology | PSYC 250 | 3 | 46 |
| Management Information Systems | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Money and Banking | Free Elective | 3 | 48 |
| Organizational Behavior | Free Elective | 3 | 48 |
| Personal Finance | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Physical Geology | GEOL 105 | 3 | 46 |
| Principle of Finance | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ACCT 200 | 3 | 49 |
| Principles of Physical Science I | PHYS 211 | 3 | 47 |
| Principles of Public Speaking | COMM 110 | 3 | 47 |
| Principles of Statistics | Free Elective | 3 | 48 |
| Principles of Supervision | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
| Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union | Free Elective | 3 | 45 |
| Technical Writing | Free Elective | 3 | 46 |
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Challenging Courses
Normally a student may earn credit toward a degree only by taking courses on this campus or at other regionally accredited colleges and universities. However, a student who has had some previous training or background, which of itself would not permit granting of credit, may seek credit by special examination. This is known as challenging a course. Such a student should obtain a Petition for Challenge from the Office of Registration and Records and take it to the instructor of the course in which he or she feels competent to write a special examination.
The instructor of the course, the chair of the department, and the dean
of the college must approve the request for challenge. Challenges may
not be feasible for all courses. A challenge is only permitted for courses
in which the student has not previously registered for credit. After such
approval and payment of an appropriate fee, the student may write the
special examination at the convenience of the instructor and the student.
Courses successfully challenged are recorded on the student's record with
the notation Credit by Special Exam. Unsuccessful challenges are not recorded.
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Language Placement
Students must adhere to the placement requirements when enrolling in a language course for the first time at NDSU. Enrollment in a course below the student's background level will result in no credit for that course.
If, after appropriate placement, the student's instructor recommends that because of exceptional circumstances the student should be placed at a lower level, full credit at the new level may be granted upon approval by the chair of the department and the student's dean.
- Students with no previous study or limited experience (less than two years or units in high school) in the language should take 100 level language courses.
- Students with two or three years or units of a language in high school or one year of college credit should take 200 level language courses.
- Students with four or more years or units in high school or those who fulfill the Bachelor of Arts language requirement may take 300 level language courses.
- All other cases will be determined by the department.
A student placed at an advance level may receive NDSU credit for those courses waived, upon fulfillment of the following conditions:
- The student has completed no previous college-level credit in that language;
- The student enrolls consecutively in at least two courses within the same level, i.e., 201-202, (intermediate); 311-312 (advanced); and receives a grade of B or better (courses may not be taken pass/fail).
- The student submits a petition form obtained from the Department of Modern Languages, signed by the instructor and the department chair.
For more information
Counseling and Disability
Services
North Dakota State University
Ceres Hall 212
Fargo, ND 58105
Tel. (701) 231-7671
Tiffany.Bendickson@ndsu.edu
Advance
Placement Program
PO Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
Tel. (609) 771-7300 or (888) CALL-4AP
apexams@ets.org
CLEP
PO Box 6600
Princeton, NJ 05541-6600
Tel: (609) 771-7865
clep@info.collegeboard.org
