credit by examination

Credit by Examination

Undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College may earn course credit by demonstrating their skills through testing. Some students may have taken college-level courses while in high school or may have mastered subject areas in nontraditional ways.

Credit hours earned through examination will appear on a student's transcript as credit only. No letter grade is awarded for credit earned through examination.

Eligibility for Credit by Examination

All former and current students are eligible for credit. New students may be eligible provided they are enrolled for the next regular enrollment period (semester, quarter, or summer session) and are not, at that time, concurrently enrolled in high school.

Credit by Examination Policies

Credit by examination may not be:

earned for any course in which a student is currently enrolled.
earned for any course for which a student previously has received a grade either at this or any other college or university.
earned in any subject in which the student already has credit for the same or a more advanced course in the subject.
earned in any course which has prerequisites unless the prerequisites have been fulfilled prior to the submission of examination scores. This does not preclude the possibility of meeting sophomore standing prerequisite either by examination or by a combination of course work and examination.
used to reduce the general degree requirement to have completed in residence at least 24 semester credit hours, including at least 12 of the last 18.

Steps to follow Before and After Taking Tests

Determine if credit by examination testing is appropriate, considering your academic background and previous learning experience.
Obtain test description and study for the test.
Choose a test date. In choosing a date, students should consider when they will be best prepared to take the test and when they will need test scores.
If tests are not taken on our campus, list UTB/TSC as a score recipient so that an official score report will be sent directly to UTB/TSC.
Keep your copy of your score report to present, if necessary, when registering for classes.
Compare the test scores with the levels of performance required to earn credit by examination.

Click Here for the Minimum Scores Required for Credit at UTB/TSC

Where Tests May Be Taken

Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are offered once a year in May, in high schools that offer college-level courses based on AP course descriptions. AP results are mailed in early July to the institutions listed by examinees as score recipients.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests are administered nationally on a monthly basis. Testing is also conducted weekly on the UTB/TSC campus. Candidates may register in person or by mailing a completed registration form and payment to the Testing Office.

A locally developed Spanish credit by examination test is administered three times yearly to individuals seeking to earn credit for Spanish courses at UTB/TSC. Information regarding test dates, test charges, and registration may be obtained by contacting the Testing Office.

National Standardized Test Information

Credit for specific courses is awarded by UTB/TSC on the basis of testing programs that The College Board have developed and validated and for which norms have been established. The Minimum Score Table lists test score requirements by subject for all national standardized tests that UTB/TSC utilizes in awarding credit.

Only successful attempts to earn credit by examination become part of the student's official academic record at UTB/TSC. If the student attains the minimum required score, as specified in the minimum score table, he or she has the option of accepting or rejecting the credit. Credit hours earned through examination will appear on a student's transcript as credit only. No letter grade is awarded for credit earned through examination. This credit is not incorporated in any computation of the student's grade point average. If credit is awarded, the semester hours earned apply toward graduation requirements.

If credit has been awarded by another accredited college or university for satisfactory completion of national examinations, duplicate credit is not awarded. Credit is transferred, however, as though the student had completed the course(s) at the other institution and is evaluated the same as any other credit from that institution.

Credit cannot be earned by examination if it would duplicate or repeat credit earned for college or university courses. Nor can a student receive credit for a course for which he or she has already received credit by examination.

Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the College Board

A number of AP examinations are accepted for credit by examination. Credit is awarded on the basis of the minimum specified scores.

Test subject matter outlined in the AP course descriptions is prepared by The College Board. Sample tests may be ordered from Advanced Placement Program, CN 6670, Princeton, NJ 08541-6670. A charge of $5.00 or more may be required depending on which test is ordered.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Board

UTB/TSC grants credit for several CLEP examinations. Credit is awarded on the basis of the minimum required scores.

CLEP Tests are administered weekly on the UTB/TSC campus. Candidates may register in person or by mailing a completed registration form and payment to the Testing Office. CLEP examinations may be repeated after six months.

CLEP tests are computer-based exams. For most tests scores are available immediately upon the conclusion of testing. CLEP tests that contain an objective or essay section take up to three weeks to be scored.

Official CLEP study materials can be accessed at www.clep.org.

Locally Developed Test Information

                                        A locally developed test is available for students wishing to earn credit for Spanish.
                                        Individuals may earn up to six hours of credit in SPAN 1313 and 1314 or SPAN 1373 and
                                        1374.

                                        This test is administered in November, April, and August of each year. Information regarding
                                        test dates, test charges, and registration may be obtained by contacting the Testing
                                        Office.