Credit by Exam

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General Information
Automatic Credit from the ACT/SAT
CLEP Policy and Credit Hours
Challenge a Course
AP Policy and Credit Hours
International Baccalaureate Policy and Credit Hours
ACU Writing Exams

General Information

You can earn up to 30 hours of credit toward your college degree by taking certain examinations. Remember that a total maximum of 30 hours of credit combined may be earned through all methods of credit by examination (CLEP, AP, IB, etc.).

These credits may be used to satisfy degree requirements or to meet prerequisites for advanced courses. A maximum of 30 hours may be counted toward an undergraduate degree. However, all credit earned will be processed by the Registrar’s Office and recorded on the student’s official transcript. A $50 recording fee will be charged per course. A student may elect not to record all earned credit by emailing the Registrar’s Office at: registrar@acu.edu.

Grades are not given for credit granted by examination, nor is this credit used in calculating your grade point average.

Unsuccessful attempts to earn credit by examination will not be recorded.

Advantages

  • Financial savings on course tuition and fees
  • Complete degree requirements more quickly, graduate earlier, and thereby save room and board costs
  • Greater challenge in your college work when you can take extra electives of your choice or meet prerequisites for advanced courses

Student’s Responsibility

  • Determine the tests on which you have a high probability of success
  • List ACU to receive the results when you take a national examination, allowing six to eight weeks for ACU to receive reports of your test results
  • Verify whether credit has been earned before registering for a course in which credit by examination was attempted

 

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Automatic Credit from the ACT/SAT

Incoming students can earn automatic credit for ENGL 111 based on their ACT/SAT score. Additionally, some scores qualify students to take English essay exams (administered during Wildcat Week) to earn credit.

ACT English score SAT Writing & Language score Result
32 or higher 770 or higher Credit for ENGL 111; eligible to take the ACU Researched Writing exam to potentially earn credit for ENGL 112
29-31 740-760 Eligible to write the ACU English Essay to potentially earn credit for ENGL 111

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CLEP Policy

ACU awards CLEP credit for a variety of subjects. Please see the chart below for information regarding which CLEP exams ACU accepts as well as the scores required for credit. Remember that a total maximum of 30 hours of credit combined may be earned through all methods of credit by examination (CLEP, AP, IB, etc.).

Subject Examination Required Score

(Out of 80)

 Equivalent
ACU Course		 Credit Hours
American Government 63 GOVT 225 3
American History I 59 HIST 221 3
American History II 60 HIST 222 3
American Literature** 58 ENGL 262 3
66 ENGL 262,263 6
Calculus with Elementary Functions 50 MATH 185 3
College Algebra 50 MATH 109 3
College Composition Modular**

(for new students only)

 55*

plus pass on the ACU English Essay

 ENGL 111 3
64

without ACU English Essay

 ENGL 111 3
64*

plus pass on the ACU Researched Writing Exam

 ENGL 112 3
College Mathematics 50 MATH 120 3
English Literature** 55

63

 ENGL 221

ENGL 221,222

 3

6
Financial Accounting 55 ACCT 210 3
French** 52

61

65

69

 FREN 111

FREN 111,112

FREN 111,112,221

FREN 111,112,221,222

 3

6

9

12
General Biology 50

56

62

 BIOL 101

BIOL 121, 122

BIOL 121, 122, 123, 124

 3

4

8
General Chemistry 50

56

62

 CHEM 111,113

CHEM 131,133

CHEM 131,132,133,134

 4

4

8
German** 44

50

56

63

 GER 111

GER 111,112

GER 111,112,221

GER 111,112,221,222

 3

6

9

12
Human Growth and Development 63 PSYC 232 3
Information Systems 50 ITC 110 3
Introductory Psychology 55 PSYC 120 3
Introductory Sociology 57 SOCI 111 3
Macroeconomics 50 ECON 260 3
Microeconomics 50 ECON 261 3
Precalculus 50 MATH 124 3
Principles of Management 50 MGMT 330 3
Principles of Marketing 50 MKTG 320 3
Spanish** 47

54

60

66

 SPAN 111

SPAN 111,112

SPAN 111,112,221

SPAN 111,112,221,222

 3

6

9

12
Western Civilization I 57 HIST 117 3
Western Civilization II 56 HIST 118 3

*The ACU English Essay and ACU Researched Writing Exam are available during New Student Orientation. Click here for more details.

**A student is not eligible for this test if he/she has already taken one of the courses available for credit. For example: A student who has taken ENGL 112 cannot take the College Composition Modular test to earn credit for ENGL 111. Or if a student has taken SPAN 111, he cannot take the CLEP test to earn additional, higher-level Spanish credit.

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Challenge a Course

Registered ACU students may request to challenge an Abilene Christian University undergraduate course for which there is no CLEP examination available. Challenging a course means you are requesting to take a final exam for the course. Such requests must be approved by the respective academic department. A course challenge is a test designed, administered, and scored by the department offering the course. Testing is arranged by the student and department chairperson.

The department has the right to deny a student’s request to challenge their course.

A fee of $50.00 is charged for the exam whether or not the student earns course credit. If credit is earned, there is an additional fee of $50 per course to post that credit to the student’s transcript.

Print a Course Challenge Form

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AP Policy

AP exams must be taken in high school. ACU does not administer these tests.

Upon enrollment, all credit by examination earned is added to your transcript and a $50 recording fee for each course is added to your bill. Remember that a total maximum of 30 hours of credit combined may be earned through all methods of credit by examination (CLEP, AP, IB, etc.).

Test Required Score Equivalent ACU Course Credit Hours
American History 3 HIST 221 3
4 HIST 221, 222 6
Art – History of Art 3 ART 221, 222 6
Art – 2-D Art & Design 4 ART 105 3
Art – 3-D Art & Design 4 ART 106 3
Art – Drawing 4 ART 111 3
Biology 3 BIOL 101 3
4 BIOL 121, 122 4
5 BIOL 121, 122, 123, 124 8
Calculus AB or AB Subgrade 3 MATH 185 3
Calculus BC 4 MATH 185, 186 6
Chemistry 3 CHEM 111, 113 4
4 CHEM 131, 133 4
5 CHEM 131, 132, 133, 134 8
Chinese Language 3 TFOR 111, 112 6
4 TFOR 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Computer Science A 3 CS 115 3
Economics – Macroeconomics 3 ECON 260 3
Economics – Microeconomics 3 ECON 261 3
English Language/Composition 3* ENGL 111 3
4 ENGL 111, 112 6
English Literature/Composition 3* ENGL 111 3
4 ENGL 111, 112 6
Environmental Science 3 AENV 130 3
European History 3 HIST 117 3
4 HIST 117, 118 6
French Language 3 FREN 111, 112 6
4 FREN 111, 112, 221, 222 12
French Literature 3 FREN 111, 112, 221, 222, 3T-1** 15
4 FREN 111, 112, 221, 222, 3T-1, 3T-2** 18
German Language 3 GER 111, 112 6
4 GER 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Government-Politics – American 3 GOVT 225 3
Human Geography 3 GEOG 235 3
Japanese Language 3 TFOR 111, 112 6
4 TFOR 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Latin – Vergil 3 FLLA 111,112 6
4 FLLA 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Latin Literature 3 FLLA 111, 112 6
4 FLLA 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Music Theory 5 MUST 131 (May also challenge MUST 111. Credit granted for a score 75 or higher on the final exam.) 3
Physics 1 3 PHYS 110, 111 4
Physics 2 3 PHYS 112, 113 4
Physics C – Mechanics 3 PHYS 220, 221 4
Physics C – Electricity and Magnetism 3 PHYS 222, 223 4
Precalculus 3 MATH 124 3
Psychology 3 PSYC 120 3
Spanish Language 3 SPAN 111,112 6
4 SPAN 111, 112, 221, 222 12
Spanish Literature 3 SPAN 111, 112, 221, 222, 3T-1** 15
4 SPAN 111, 112, 221, 222, 3T-1, 3T-2** 18
Statistics 3 MATH 123 3
World History 3 HIST 117 3
4 HIST 117, 131 6

*Students scoring a 3 on either the English Language or English Literature exam are eligible to take the ACU Researched Writing Exam to attempt to earn credit for ENGL 112.

**300-level credit (3T-1 and 3T-2) will be granted after the student meets with appropriate faculty from the Language & Literature Department to determine which ACU course(s) best fit the student’s specific experience.

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International Baccalaureate Policy

The IB examinations must be taken in high school.  ACU does not administer these tests. Remember that a total maximum of 30 hours of credit combined may be earned through all methods of credit by examination (CLEP, AP, IB, etc.).

IB Exam Level Required Score ACU Course Credit Hours
Art HL 6 ART 105 or 111* 3
Biology SL 5 BIOL 101 3
HL 5 BIOL 121/122 4
HL 7 BIOL 121/122 and 123/124 8
Business & Management SL or HL 4 BUSA 120 2
Chemistry SL 6 CHEM 113 3
HL 5 CHEM 131/133 4
HL 7 CHEM 131, 132, 133, 134 8
Computer Science SL 6 CS 115 3
HL 5 CS 115 3
Economics
(non-business majors only)		 SL or HL 4 ECON 260 3
English** HL 5 ENGL 111 3
HL 6 ENGL 111, 112 6
French HL 5 FREN 111, 112 6
German 5 GER 111, 112 6
Greek HL 5 Beginning Greek 6 or 12***
History HL 5 HIST 118/222 3
Mathematics SL 5 MATH 120 3
HL 5 MATH 185 3
Philosophy HL 5 BIBD 380 3
Physics SL 5 PHYS 110 3
HL 5 PHYS 120, 121, 122, 123 8
Psychology HL 5 PSYC 120 3
Social Anthropology HL 5 ANTH 101 3
Spanish HL 5 SPAN 111, 112 6

HL Higher Level Exam
SL Subsidiary Level Exam
*Student may choose which course to receive credit for.

**Students who score a 4 are eligible to attempt the ACU English Essay for ENGL 111 credit. Students with a score of 5 may take the ACU Research Writing Exam to attempt ENGL 112 credit.

***Number of credit hours individually determined based on previous work

There is a $50 transcript recording fee placed on the student’s bill for each course credited to the student’s academic record.

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ACU Writing Exams

ACU English Essay

The ACU English Essay Examination is a two-hour exam (dictionary use permitted) offered for new students during Wildcat Week before the beginning of the fall semester.

Incoming students may qualify to write the English Essay to attempt to earn credit for ENGL 111 by one of the following methods:

  1. Scoring 29-31 on the ACT English test
  2. Scoring 740-760 on SAT Writing & Language
  3. Scoring 55 or higher on the College Composition Modular CLEP test
  4. Scoring a 4 on the IB English (HL) exam

The cost for this test is $25. If credit is earned, there is a $50 fee per course to post the credit to the student’s transcript.

Special note: Any student receiving the Achievement Award for Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English will be awarded 3 hours credit for ENGL 111.

Note to international students: The ACU English department requires a writing sample of all international students before granting credit by examination in English. The writing sample normally consists of the ACU English Essay Examination.

ACU Researched Writing Exam

New students taking the ACU Researched Writing Exam will receive a reading packet several weeks before the exam and come for a two-hour exam during Wildcat Week before the beginning of the fall semester. Students will use information from the casebook sources to write a 600- to 700-word essay that responds to of three prompts. Students will receive the prompts at the beginning of the exam. Students may bring a dictionary and grammar handbook.

Incoming students may qualify to write the ACU Researched Writing Exam to attempt to earn credit for ENGL 112 by one of the following methods:

  1. College Composition Modular CLEP Test – 64 or higher
  2. IB English (HL) Exam – 5
  3. ACT English – 32 or higher
  4. SAT Writing and Language – 770 or higher
  5. AP Language/Composition – 3
  6. AP Literature/Composition – 3
  7. Recipient of Achievement Award for Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English

The cost for this test is $25. If credit is earned, there is a $50 fee per course to post the credit to the student’s transcript.

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