CUNY Baccalaureate allows students to earn a maximum of 30 non-classroom credits which includes credit-by-examination.
There are a number of opportunities for students to receive credit by examination, including the New York University Language Proficiency Exam (offered in over 40 languages), CLEP (College-Level Examination Program, administered by The College Board), the DANTES program (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support), Excelsior College Examinations. We DON’T administer these exams.
CLEP is the most common credit-by-exam program. The number of credits awarded varies by exam and score. Please see the chart below for minimum credit-granting score and credits awarded for each exam. Students are not eligible to receive credit for exams which duplicate already completed coursework.
Exams in Liberal Arts subjects can be applied toward the CUNY BA Liberal Arts and Sciences requirement. The below chart shows which Pathways General Education requirements relevant exams can be applied to.
Students should consult their academic advisor prior to taking any examination for credit to confirm what degree requirements that particular exam may fulfill.
| Exam | Minimum Score | Credits | Pathways Requirement Designation |
| Composition and Literature (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| American Literature (no credit for optional essay) | 50 | 3 | U.S. Experience |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (no credit for optional essay) | 50 | 3 | Creative Expression |
| English Literature (no credit for optional essay) | 50 | 3 | World Cultures |
| College Composition | 50 | 6 | English Comp 1+2 |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | Creative Expression |
| Foreign Languages (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| French (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | World Cultures |
| French (Level 2, first four semesters) | 59 | 9 | World Cultures |
| German (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | World Cultures |
| German (Level 2, first four semesters) | 60 | 9 | World Cultures |
| Spanish (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | World Cultures |
| Spanish (Level 2, first four semesters) | 63 | 9 | World Cultures |
| Spanish with Writing Level 1 Proficiency | 50 | 6 | World Cultures |
| Spanish with Writing Level 2 Proficiency | 65 | 12 | World Cultures |
| History and Social Sciences (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| American Government | 50 | 3 | U.S. Experience |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society / Scientific World |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | Individual and Society |
| History U.S. I: Early Colonization to 1877 | 50 | 3 | U.S. Experience |
| History U.S. II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | 3 | U.S. Experience |
| Western Civiliz. I: Anc. Near East-1648 | 50 | 3 | World Cultures |
| Western Civiliz. II: 1648 – Present | 50 | 3 | World Cultures |
| Social Science and History | 50 | 6 | Individual and Society |
| Science and Mathematics (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| Biology | 50 | 6 | Life & Physical Science / Scientific World |
| Chemistry | 50 | 6 | Life & Physical Science / Scientific World |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | Math & Quantitative Reasoning |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 6 | Math & Quantitative Reasoning |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | Math & QR / Scientific World |
| Calculus | 50 | 4 | Math & QR / Scientific World |
| Natural Science | 50 | 6 | Life & Physical Science / Scientific World |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | Elective |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 | Elective |
| Info Systems/Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | Elective |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | Elective |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | Elective |
Other credit-by-exam options are:
New York University Foreign Language Proficiency Testing
Exams are available in over 40 languages for a maximum of either 12 credits or 16 credits. For Pathways, these exams can be applied to the World Cultures requirement.
School of Continuing Education Foreign Language Department
10 Astor Place, Room 505
New York, NY 10003 (212) 998-7030 (phone) (212) 995-4139 (fax)
SCPSinfo@nyu.edu
https://www.scps.nyu.edu/academics/departments/foreign-languages/testing.html
If you wish to have any of the following exams applied toward general education requirements, please consult your CUNY BA academic advisor prior to taking the exam. (We DON’T administer these exams.)
DANTES Exams
https://www.getcollegecredit.com/
Excelsior College Exams
ALEKS
Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. Students can receive college credit for American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended ALEKS courses. To receive credit, a student must assess at 70% or greater on the course material for an ACE credit-recommended ALEKS course and be registered with the ACE Credit Online Transcript System. Once ALEKS and ACE have confirmed the student’s completed work in ALEKS, an ACE transcript is provided. The ACE transcript can then be used to request up to three semester hours of college credit per course at educational institutions that grant credit for ACE credit-recommended courses.