Credit By Examination
Students may demonstrate evidence of college-level achievement through the use of nationally standardized tests. Competency to write these examinations may have been gained through intensive preparation in high school, extensive reading in a particular field, or other types of formal or informal preparation. A student may not repeat by proficiency testing a course that has been previously taken or failed at NDSU or another accredited institution. Score reports must be sent directly to NDSU from the awarding agency/board. High school transcripts and student-issued grade reports are not considered official for purposes of awarding credit by examination. Credit by examination is not considered NDSU residential credit.
Advanced Placement Examination (AP)
Students from high schools that participate in the Advanced Placement Program may earn credit through examinations provided by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). The examinations are administered at the conclusion of a college-level course taught in participating high schools. AP Score Reports are sent to the colleges or universities designated on your exam answer sheet. Students who do not designate NDSU on their answer sheet may contact AP Services (see below) to have scores sent to NDSU. The code for NDSU is 6474.
In accordance with North Dakota University System policy, a minimum score of three is required to receive credit for Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. If NDSU does not have an equivalent course, free elective credit may be awarded. Credit earned through AP is not residence credit and may not be used to satisfy residence-credit requirements for graduation. A listing of AP exams and current NDSU equivalent courses are listed below.
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours | Gen Ed Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art-History | 3 | ART 210 & ART 211 | 6 | A & A |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 111 & BIOL 111L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Biology | 4-5 | BIOL 150, BIOL 150L, BIOL 151, & BIOL 151L | 8 | S/L, S/L, S/L, & S/L |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MATH 165 | 4 | R |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 165 & MATH 166 | 8 | R & R |
| Chemistry | 3 | Free Elective (CHEM 1XX)* | 4 | S/L |
| Chemistry | 4-5 | CHEM 121, CHEM 121L, CHEM 122, & CHEM 122L | 8 | S/L, S/L, S/L, & S/L |
| Chinese Language & Culture | 3 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | A/G |
| Comparative Government & Politics | 3 | POLS 225 | 3 | B |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CSCI 160 | 4 | S |
| Computer Science AB | 3 | CSCI 160 & CSCI 161 | 8 | S & S |
| Computer Science Principles | 4-5 | CSCI 159 | 3 | |
| English Language & Composition | 3 | ENGL 110 (or ENGL 112) | 4 | C |
| English Literature & Composition | 3 | ENGL 220 | 3 | A |
| English Literature & Composition | 4-5 | ENGL 110 & ENGL 220 | 7 | C & A |
| Environmental Science | 3 | BIOL 124 & BIOL 124L | 4 | S/G & S/L |
| European History | 3 | HIST 101 & HIST 102 | 6 | A & A |
| French Language & Culture | 3 | FREN 101 & FREN 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| German Language | 3 | GERM 101 & GERM 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| Human Geography | 3 | GEOG 151 | 3 | B/G |
| Italian Language & Culture | 3 | Free Elective (TRSNFR 1XX)* | 3 | A/G |
| Japanese Language & Culture | 3 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | A/G |
| Latin | 3 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | A |
| Latin Literature | 3 | CLAS 101 & CLAS 102 | 8 | A & A |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | ECON 202 | 3 | B/G |
| Microeconomics | 3 | ECON 201 | 3 | B/G |
| Music Theory | 3 | Free Elective (MUSC 1XX)* | 6 | A |
| Physics I: Algebra-Based | 3 | Free Elective (PHYS 1XX)* | 4 | S/L |
| Physics I: Algebra-Based | 4 | PHYS 211 & PHYS 211L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Physics II: Algebra-Based | 4 | PHYS 212 & PHYS 212L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Physics C - Electricity & Magnetism | 3 | PHYS 212 & PHYS 212L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Physics C - Electricity & Magnetism | 4 | PHYS 252 & PHYS 252L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Physics C - Mechanics | 3 | PHYS 211 & PHYS 211L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Physics C - Mechanics | 4 | PHYS 251 & PHYS 251L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Psychology | 3 | PSYC 111 | 3 | B |
| Spanish Language | 3 | SPAN 101 & SPAN 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| Spanish Literature & Culture | 3 | Free Elective (SPAN 1XX)* | 3 | A |
| Statistics | 3 | Free Elective (STAT 1XX)* | 3 | R |
| Studio Art-2D Design Portfolio | 3 | ART 122 | 3 | A |
| Studio Art-3D Design Portfolio | 3 | ART 124 | 3 | A |
| Studio Art-Drawing Portfolio | 3 | ART 130 & ART 230 | 6 | A & A |
| U.S. Government & Politics | 3 | POLS 115 | 3 | B |
| U.S. History | 3 | HIST 103 & HIST 104 | 6 | A & A |
| World History | 3 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 6 | A |
- *
Credit received applies toward degree elective credit
General Education Categories:
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| A | Humanities & Fine Arts |
| B | Social & Behavioral Science |
| C | Communication |
| D | Cultural Diversity |
| F | First Year Experience |
| G | Global Perspectives |
| L | Laboratory Experience |
| R | Quantitative Reasoning |
| S | Science & Technology |
| W | Wellness |
See General Education Requirements for more information on core NDSU courses.
For general information or to order AP score reports contact:
Phone: (609) 771-7300 or (888) 225-5427 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada)
Automated score report request line: (888) 308-0013 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada)
Email: apexams@info.collegeboard.org
Web site: www.collegeboard.org
Questions? Contact the NDSU Office of Registration and Records at 701-231-7981
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP is a national testing program sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB).
According to North Dakota University System policy, a minimum score of 50 is required to receive credit for CLEP subject examinations. If NDSU does not have an equivalent course, free elective credit may be awarded.
The following CLEP policies apply at NDSU
- The examination should be taken prior to enrollment in the equivalent or more advanced college-level course.
- Scores from an 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.
- Three months must elapse before an examination may be repeated.
- Credit earned through CLEP is not residence credit and may not be used to satisfy residence-credit requirements for graduation.
CLEP Examinations
A listing of CLEP exams and current NDSU equivalent courses are listed below.
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours | Gen Ed Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | POLS 115 | 3 | B |
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 317 & ENGL 318 | 6 | A & A |
| Analyzing & Interpreting Literature | 50 | ENGL 271 & Free Elective (ENGL 1XX)* | 6 | |
| Biology | 50 | BIOL 150 & BIOL 150L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 146 | 4 | R |
| Chemistry | 50 | CHEM 121 & CHEM 121L | 4 | S/L & S/L |
| College Algebra | 50 | MATH 103 | 3 | R |
| College Composition | 50 | ENGL 110 | 4 | C |
| College Composition Modular | 50 | ENGL 110 | 4 | C |
| College Mathematics | 50 | Free Elective (MATH 1XX)* | 3 | |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL 315 & ENGL 316 | 6 | A & A |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | ACCT 200 | 3 | |
| French Language Level I | 50 | FREN 101 | 4 | A/G |
| French Language Level II | 59 | FREN 101 & FREN 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| German Language Level I | 50 | GERM 101 | 4 | A/G |
| German Language Level II | 60 | GERM 101 & GERM 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| History of the United States I | 50 | HIST 103 | 3 | A |
| History of the United States II | 50 | HIST 104 | 3 | A |
| Human Growth & Development | 50 | PSYC 250 | 3 | B |
| Humanities | 50 | Free Elective (HUM 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Information Systems | 50 | Free Elective (CSCI 1XX)* | 2 | S |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | B |
| Introduction to Business Law | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychology | 50 | PSYC 111 | 3 | B |
| Introduction to Sociology | 50 | SOC 110 | 3 | B |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | MATH 107 | 3 | R |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 202 | 3 | B/G |
| Principles of Managenment | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 201 | 3 | B/G |
| Social Sciences & History | 50 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Spanish Language Level I | 50 | SPAN 101 | 4 | A/G |
| Spanish Language Level II | 63 | SPAN 101 & SPAN 102 | 8 | A/G & A/G |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | HIST 101 | 3 | A |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present | 50 | HIST 102 | 3 | A |
- *
Credit received applies toward degree elective credit
General Education Categories:
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| A | Humanities & Fine Arts |
| B | Social & Behavioral Science |
| C | Communication |
| D | Cultural Diversity |
| F | First Year Experience |
| G | Global Perspectives |
| L | Laboratory Experience |
| R | Quantitative Reasoning |
| S | Science & Technology |
| W | Wellness |
See General Education Requirements for more information on core NDSU courses.
For general information, additional test center locations, or to order transcripts contact:
Phone: (800) 257-9558
Email: clep@collegeboard.org
Web site: www.collegeboard.org
*Please contact the NDSU Office Registration and Records at 701-231-7981 for more information on credit awarded for these tests.
DSST Examinations
NDSU recognizes the DSST (Dantes) examination, which was 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 DSST 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, U.S. Department of Defense, and two- and four-year colleges and universities. NDSU's DSST location site code is: DSST-9366.
In accordance with North Dakota University System policy, students must receive a minimum score on the examinations to qualify for possible awarding of credit and advanced placement, which is determined by the appropriate academic department on campus. If NDSU does not have an equivalent course, free elective credit may be awarded. Credit earned through DSST may not be used to satisfy residence-credit requirements for graduation. A listing of DSST exams and current NDSU equivalent courses are listed below.
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours | Gen Ed Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A History of the Vietnam War | 44 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3.00 | |
| Art of the Western World | 48 | ART 111 | 3 | A |
| Astronomy | 48 | PHYS 110 | 3 | S |
| Business Law | 44 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Business Mathematics | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Civil War & Reconstruction | 47 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Contemporary Western Europe | 45 | HIST 102 | 3 | A |
| Criminal Justice | 400 | CJ 201 | 3 | |
| Environment & Humanities | 46 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Ethics in America | 400 | PHIL 210 | 3 | |
| Foundations of Education | 46 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of College Algebra | 400 | MATH 103 | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Counseling | 45 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| General Anthropology | 47 | ANTH 111 | 3 | B/D |
| Here's to Your Health | 400 | HNES 217 | 3 | W |
| Human Resource Mangement | 46 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Human/Cultural Geography | 47 | GEOG 151 | 3 | B/G |
| Intro to the Modern Middle East | 47 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Intro to Business | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Intro to Computing | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Intro to Law Enforcement | 45 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Lifespan Development Psychology | 46 | PSYC 250 | 3 | B |
| Management Information Systems | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Money & Banking | 48 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Organizational Behavior | 48 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Personal Finance | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Physical Geology | 46 | Free Elective (GEOL 1XX)* | 3 | S/G |
| Principles of Finance | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Principles of Financial Accounting | 49 | ACCT 200 | 3 | |
| Principles of Statistics | 48/400 | Free Elective (STAT 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Principles of Supervison | 400 | Free Elective (TRNSFR 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Rise and Fall of Soviet Union | 45 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| Substance Abuse | 400 | PSYC 212 | 3 | B |
- *
Credit received applies toward degree elective credit
General Education Categories:
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| A | Humanities & Fine Arts |
| B | Social & Behavioral Science |
| C | Communication |
| D | Cultural Diversity |
| F | First Year Experience |
| G | Global Perspectives |
| L | Laboratory Experience |
| R | Quantitative Reasoning |
| S | Science & Technology |
| W | Wellness |
See General Education Requirements for more information on core NDSU courses.
Additional Information:
For more information on DSST exams and to locate a test center, go to www.getcollegecredit.com
International Baccalaureate (IB)
NDSU recognizes the International Baccalaureate program, offered at many high schools in the United States and abroad, which allows students to take examinations for credit. The examinations are offered at the standard (SL) and higher (HL) levels. However, according to state policy, NDSU will only grant credit for applicable HL examinations.
In accordance with North Dakota University System policy, students must receive a predetermined minimum score on higher-level (HL) examinations to qualify for possible awarding of credit and advanced placement, which is determined by the appropriate academic department on campus. Credit earned through IB may not be used to satisfy residence-credit requirements for graduation. Scores received in IB examinations not included in the table below may be considered for credits. Contact the Office of Registration and Records for information.
| Examination | Score | Equivalent NDSU Course | Credit Hours | Gen Ed Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HL Biology | 4 | BIOL 150, BIOL 150L, BIOL 151, BIOL 151L | 8 | S/L, S/L, S/L, S/L |
| HL Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 121, CHEM 121L, CHEM 122, CHEM 122L | 8 | S/L, S/L, S/L, S/L |
| HL English | 4 | ENGL 220 | 3 | A |
| HL French B | 5 | FREN 101, FREN 102, FREN 201 | 11 | A/G, A/G, A/D |
| HL Geography | 4 | GEOG 161 | 3 | G |
| HL German B | 5 | GERM 101, GERM 102, GERM 201 | 11 | A/G, A/G, A/D |
| HL History (Africa) | 4 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| HL History (Americas) | 4 | HIST 103, HIST 104 | 6 | A, A |
| HL History (Asia) | 4 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| HL History (Europe) | 4 | HIST 102 | 3 | A |
| HL History (Islamic) | 4 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| HL History (Middle East) | 4 | Free Elective (HIST 1XX)* | 3 | |
| HL Literature & Performance | 4 | COMM 312 | 3 | |
| HL Mathematics | 4 | MATH 103, MATH 105 | 6 | |
| HL Physics | 5 | Free Elective (PHYS 1XX)* | 4 | |
| HL Psychology | 4 | PSYC 111 | 3 | B |
| HL Spanish B | 5 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 201 | 11 | A/G, A/G, A/D |
- *
Credit received applies toward degree elective credit
General Education Categories:
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| A | Humanities & Fine Arts |
| B | Social & Behavioral Science |
| C | Communication |
| D | Cultural Diversity |
| F | First Year Experience |
| G | Global Perspectives |
| L | Laboratory Experience |
| R | Quantitative Reasoning |
| S | Science & Technology |
| W | Wellness |
See General Education Requirements for more information on core NDSU courses.
To order official transcripts, please contact:
Web site: www.ibo.org/iba/transcripts
Phone: (301) 202-3025
Email: ibid@ibo.org
Course Challenge
A student who is currently registered may seek credit by challenging a course. A course challenge usually consists of a special comprehensive examination; however, additional types of performance may be required for some courses. A course challenge is only permitted for courses in which the student has no previous record (prior registrations allowable if course was dropped by the No Record Drop deadline in a given term). Further, credits earned by course challenge may not satisfy requirements toward a graduate degree.
Procedures for pursuing a course challenge include the following
- Obtain a Petition for Course Challenge Form, available online.
- Obtain approval from the academic adviser, the instructor of the course, and the chair of the department offering the course. Clarify expectations of the challenge, e.g., examination only or examination plus other performance. Based on the nature of the course and content area, some courses may not be approved for challenge by the department.
- Pay the course challenge fee at the Customer Account Services, 302 Ceres Hall, after receiving approval for the challenge (50% of the regular credit tuition charge; not subject to tuition cap).
- Arrange a mutually convenient date and time for the challenge with the instructor or department.
- Upon receipt of the signed Petition for Course Challenge form from the department, courses and credits successfully challenged are listed on the student's academic transcript with a passing (P) grade. Unsuccessful challenges are not recorded.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Eligibility:
Secondary school students successfully completing Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses may apply for transcripted college credit from North Dakota State University. The student will receive 3 semester credits per course, subject to the following conditions:
- The high school must be certified by PLTW.
- All requirements for the PLTW course must be satisfied, and the student must achieve an average of 85% or better for the course
- The PLTW End of Course Assessment must be taken and passed with a stanine* score of 6.
- Correct payment amount and completed application must be post marked by the deadline. Any application post marked after the deadline will not be processed and will be returned.
*This assessment (Administered by PLTW) is based on a norm-reference stanine scores which ranges from one (1) to nine (9) with one (1) being the lowest possible score and nine (9) being the highest possible score.
NDSU will accept transcripted credit for PLTW courses from other affiliate universities with equivalent credit requirements. Up to 6 credits may be used as general electives towards a degree at the NDSU. Possible substitution of PLTW credits for meeting specific programmatic requirements at the University is at the discretion of the individual academic programs. Currently, at NDSU, PLTW courses do not have specific program equivalents.
The PLTW courses for which NDSU credit may be received are the following:
- ENGR: 120 PLTW IED: Introduction to Engineering Design
- ENGR: 121 PLTW POE: Principles of Engineering
- ENGR: 122 PLTW DE: Digital Electronics
- ENGR: 123 PLTW CEA: Overview of Civil Engineering and Architecture
- ENGR: 124 PLTW ES: Biotechnical Engineering or Environmental Engineering
- ENGR: 125 PLTW CIM: Computer Integrated Manufacturing
- ENGR: 126 PLTW AE: Aerospace Engineering
- ENGR: 128 PLTW CSE: Computer Science and Software Engineering
Once approved students see a Pass (P) appear on the NDSU transcript.
For additional information on PLTW, contact NDSU's College of Engineering or Office of Admission.
Project Lead The Way is a United States 501 non-profit organization that develops STEM curricula for use by elementary, middle, and high schools.