CLEP Credits and other Credits-by-Exam

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.

ExamMinimum ScoreCreditsPathways Requirement Designation
Composition and Literature (all Liberal Arts)   
American Literature
(no credit for optional essay)
503U.S. Experience
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (no credit for optional essay)503Creative Expression
English Literature (no credit for optional essay)503World Cultures
College Composition506English Comp 1+2
Humanities503Creative Expression
Foreign Languages (all Liberal Arts)   
French (Level 1, first two semesters)506World Cultures
French (Level 2, first four semesters)599World Cultures
German (Level 1, first two semesters)506World Cultures
German (Level 2, first four semesters)609World Cultures
Spanish (Level 1, first two semesters)506World Cultures
Spanish (Level 2, first four semesters)639World Cultures
Spanish with Writing Level 1 Proficiency506World Cultures
Spanish with Writing Level 2 Proficiency6512World Cultures
History and Social Sciences (all Liberal Arts)   
American Government503U.S. Experience
Human Growth and Development503Individual and Society
Introduction to Educational Psychology503Individual and Society
Introductory Psychology503Individual and Society / Scientific World
Introductory Sociology503Individual and Society
Principles of Macroeconomics503Individual and Society
Principles of Microeconomics503Individual and Society
History U.S. I: Early Colonization to 1877503U.S. Experience
History U.S. II: 1865 to the Present503U.S. Experience
Western Civiliz. I: Anc. Near East-1648503World Cultures
Western Civiliz. II: 1648 – Present503World Cultures
Social Science and History506Individual and Society
Science and Mathematics (all Liberal Arts)   
Biology506Life & Physical Science / Scientific World
Chemistry506Life & Physical Science / Scientific World
College Algebra503Math & Quantitative Reasoning
College Mathematics506Math & Quantitative Reasoning
Pre-Calculus503Math & QR / Scientific World
Calculus504Math & QR / Scientific World
Natural Science506Life & Physical Science / Scientific World
Financial Accounting503Elective
Introductory Business Law503Elective
Info Systems/Computer Applications503Elective
Principles of Management503Elective
Principles of Marketing503Elective

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

https://www.excelsior.edu/exams

ALEKS
A
ssessment 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.

https://www.aleks.com/
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