UW Colleges Academics
Credit Earning Options
Advanced Standing Credit
Degree-seeking freshman or sophomore students may earn advanced standing credit for specific UW Colleges courses. The courses are determined by the academic departments and are described in the three sections that follow (Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program, and additional academic department offerings). In some cases, standard examinations such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the College Board Advanced Placement Examination are used. Advanced standing credits will be recorded on the student's transcript as such and grades will not be assigned to those courses. Additional information on earning advanced standing credits is available in the campus Student Services Office.
Advanced Placement
UW Colleges accepts for degree credit all successfully completed College Board Advanced Placement Examinations with scores of three, four or five. See the Academic Department Additional Offerings section for the specific UW Colleges credit that is awarded for each of the AP exams.
College Level Examination Program
Degree-seeking students may earn degree credits by taking the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) General Examinations. These tests must be taken before completing the first 16 college credits. Credit may be earned for the CLEP General Examination sections in Humanities, Social Sciences and/or Natural Sciences. Minimum scores to earn credits are as follows:
- Humanities: 57, 4 credits
- Social Sciences: 57, 4 credits
- Natural Sciences: 57, 4 credits
Credit earned for the Natural Sciences section will not count toward the associate degree natural science laboratory requirement.
Students will not receive credit for the English or math sections of the CLEP General Examination. Credit cannot be awarded in any area in which a college course has been completed prior to the exam. Any credits earned by taking the CLEP General Examination will be recorded as such on students' transcripts. CLEP Subject Examinations accepted by the UW Colleges are listed under each department in the Academic Department Additional Offerings section below.
International Baccalaureate
UW Colleges accepts for degree credit all successfully completed International Baccalaureate Examinations with a score of four or higher. See the Academic Department Additional Offerings section for the specific UW Colleges credit that is awarded for each of the AP exams. Three additional elective credits will be awarded to students who complete the full International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Academic Department Additional Offerings
- Art
- Biological Sciences
- Business
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Economics
- English
- Geography
- History
- Mathematics
- Music Theory
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Theatre Arts
- World Languages
- Art
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Students may earn two credits of Art Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement History of Art Exam, the Advanced Placement Studio Art: Drawing Exam, or the Advanced Placement Studio Art: General Portfolio Exam. Portfolios may be submitted to establish credit in studio courses.
- Biological Sciences
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Students may earn three credits of Biology Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement General Biology Exam. Students may earn five credits of BIO 109 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement General Biology Exam. Students may earn three credits of Biology Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Environmental Science Exam.
Five credits for BIO 109 may be earned with a grade of four or higher on the Higher Level Biology Examination on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. The department does not offer credit through challenge examinations in any courses.
- Business
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Students may earn four credits in BUS 201. Contact the campus business faculty for exam and minimum score requirements.
- Chemistry
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Students may earn three credits of Chemistry Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement General Chemistry Exam. Students may earn five credits of CHE 145 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement General Chemistry Exam.
Students may earn five credits of CHE 145 and five credits of CHE 155 with a score of four or higher on the Higher Level Chemistry Examination on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.
- Computer Science
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Students may earn four credits of CPS 216 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Computer Science A Exam. Students may earn four credits of CPS 216 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Computer Science AB Exam.
- Economics
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Students may earn three credits of Economics Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Macroeconomics Exam.
Students may earn three credits of Economics Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Microeconomics Exam. Students may earn 3 credits of ECON 101 with a score of four or higher on the Higher Level Economics Examination on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Students may earn 3 credits of ECON 203 with a score of six or seven on the Higher Level Economics Examination on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.
- English
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ENG 101: by scoring three, four or five on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Exam.
ENG 102: by earning a minimum score of 50 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section of the CLEP Subject Examination in College Composition and by submitting a satisfactory (C or better) 90-minute impromptu essay and a satisfactory documented essay of at least four pages to the local English faculty.
ENG 201: by earning a minimum score of 55 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section of the CLEP Subject Examination in College Composition and by submitting a satisfactory (C or better) 90-minute impromptu essay and a satisfactory documented essay of six to eight pages to the local English faculty.
ENG 202: by earning a score of four or higher on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate examination in Language A (English 1B).
ENG 250: there are three ways to receive credit by exam for this course:
- by earning a minimum score of 60 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section and by earning a satisfactory grade (C or better) on the 90-minute essay section of the CLEP Subject Examination in Analysis and Interpretation of Literature;
- by scoring three, four or five on the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam; OR
- by earning a score of five, six or seven on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate examination.
ENG 270: by earning a minimum score of 50 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section and by earning a satisfactory grade (C or better) on the 90-minute essay section of the CLEP Subject Examination in English Literature.
ENG 272: by earning a minimum score of 50 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section and by earning a satisfactory grade (C or better) on the 90-minute essay section of the CLEP Subject Examination in American Literature.
ENG 280: by earning a minimum score of 50 on the 90-minute multiple-choice objective section and by earning a satisfactory grade (C or better) on the 90-minute essay section of the ACT/Proficiency Examination Program Test in Shakespeare.
- Geography
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Students may earn three credits of GEO 101 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Human Geography Exam.
Students may earn three credits for Geography Elective by earning a score of four or higher on the Geography Examination of the Higher Level International Baccalaureate program.
- History
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Students may earn three credits of History Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement European History Exam. Students may earn six credits of HIS 119 and 120 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement European History Exam. Students may earn three credits of History Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement United States History Exam. Students may earn six credits of HIS 101 and 102 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement United States History Exam.
Students may earn three credits of History Elective with a score of four or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level History of the Americas examination. Students may earn three credits of History elective with a score of four or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level History of Europe examination.
- Mathematics
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Students may earn three credits of MAT 117 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Statistics Exam. Students may earn five credits of MAT 221 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam. Students may earn five credits of MAT 221 with a score of two on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam. Students may earn ten credits of MAT 221 and 222 with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam.
Students may earn credit for MAT 221 by passing a department exam and then completing MAT 222 with a grade of C or higher. A grade of C- is not acceptable. To earn credit by exam, contact a mathematics instructor. Students may earn five credits of Math 221 with a score of four or higher on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate Higher Level Mathematics examination.
- Music Theory
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Students may earn five credits of MUS 171 and 181 with a score of three on the Advanced Placement Music Theory Exam. Students may earn ten credits of MUS 171, 172, 181 and 182 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement Music Theory Exam.
- Physics
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Students may earn three credits of Physics Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Physics B Exam. Students may earn three credits of Physics Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Exam. Students may earn three credits of Physics Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics Exam.
- Political Science
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Students may earn three credits of Political Science Elective with a score of three, four or five on the Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics Exam. Students may earn three credits of Political Science Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics Exam. Students may earn three credits of POL 104 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics Exam.
- Psychology
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Students may earn three credits of Psychology Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement Introductory Psychology Exam. Students may earn three credits of PSY 202 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement Introductory Psychology Exam.
Students may earn three credits for PSY 202 with a minimum score of 57 on the multiple choice portion of the CLEP Subject Examination in General Psychology.
- Theatre Arts
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Students may earn 3 credits of COM 130 with a score of four or higher on the on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Theatre Arts examination.
- World Languages
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Students may earn four credits of FRE, GER, or SPA 101 with a score of three on the Advanced Placement French, German or Spanish Language Exam. Students may earn eight credits of FRE, GER, or SPA 101 and 105 with a score of four on the Advanced Placement French, German or Spanish Language Exam. Students may earn twelve credits of FRE, GER, or SPA 101, 105 and 201 with a score of five on the Advanced Placement French, German or Spanish Language Exam. Students may earn three credits of French or Spanish Elective with a score of three on the Advanced Placement French or Spanish Literature Exam. Students may earn three credits of FRE or SPA 221 with a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement French or Spanish Literature Exam.
Students may earn four credits of FRE, GER, or SPA 101 with a score of four on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level French, German or Spanish examination. Students may earn twelve credits of FRE, GER, or SPA 101, 105 and 201 with a score of five or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level French, German or Spanish examination.
Students receiving world language credit for either the AP Language or IB exams may receive retroactive credits for courses between those for which they receive credit and the first world language course they take in the UW Colleges provided they receive a grade of B or better in that course.
French, German, Spanish credits may be earned for the elementary and intermediate courses (101, 105, 201, 205) lower than the first course (including the 107, 204, and 207 two-credit modular courses) completed at the UW Colleges if that course is completed with a grade of B or higher. This policy is strictly enforced; a B- is not acceptable. Students may not first audit a course and then later take it or a higher level course for credit and receive credit for the lower level course(s). Such retroactive credits (for coursework prior to the course taken) do not satisfy requirements for the Associate of Arts and Science Humanities designation. Students may earn a maximum of 16 world language retroactive credits. To earn retroactive credits, contact the appropriate instructor at the beginning of the semester.
Students also may earn credits for the elementary and intermediate courses (101, 105, 201, 205) lower than the first pair of two-credit modular courses (106/107, 203/204, 206/207) successfully completed. A grade of B or better must be earned in each course of the modular pair; a B- is not acceptable in either course.
In addition, students may earn world language credit by obtaining a minimum score of 55 on the Level 1 CLEP exam in French, German or Spanish. Before credit is granted, students also must have an interview with a UW Colleges world language faculty member. Students may earn a maximum of eight credits for world language 101 and 105 courses by CLEPexam.
UW-Learning Innovations Independent Study
UW Colleges students may enroll in an independent study course (correspondence course) through the UW-Learning Innovations if the course is not offered at a UW Colleges campus and if the UW-Learning Innovations Independent Learning catalog indicates the course is offered for university degree credit. Students will be expected to complete the correspondence course at the same time as their regular UW Colleges semester courses. Full-time students may take one UW-Learning Innovations course at no extra cost other than fees for text materials bought through UW-Learning Innovations and a small registration fee. The fee for the course will be waived if:
- full load tuition fees at a UW Colleges campus are paid;
- total credits do not exceed 18 or the maximum allowed by UW Colleges; AND
- written permission has been obtained from the campus Student Services Office to take the course.
UW-Learning Innovations correspondence course fee waiver registrations are accepted only after semester fees have been paid and no later than the end of the second week of classes. Such registrations are not accepted during summer session. Contact the campus Student Services Office for an independent study list and appropriate forms. The UW-Learning Innovations website shows the entire Independent Learning catalog. In addition to the course descriptions, it also includes the policies and procedures for enrolling and participating in the program, frequently asked questions, an enrollment form, and a resource directory of faculty and staff involved in the program. The catalog is continually updated.