Earned Credit
KU accepts several kinds of non-traditional earned credit including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, military courses and the College Level Examination Program. Retroactive credit is also offered in foreign-language classes, and ACT/SAT scores may exempt you from certain requirements. Learn more about opportunities for earned credit by clicking on the links at the top of this page.

If you believe that through experience you have a knowledge of the material that would be taught in one or more courses in a particular area, you may want to take a CLEP exam.

Each school or department within the university has different curriculum requirements and may use the scores in different ways. You should contact the Office of Admissions before taking the exam. Testing Services at KU now administers the exams. For more information about taking the exams contact the College Level Examination Program.

Below is a COMPLETE list of specific CLEP tests that can transfer into KU courses. If you do not see an exam listed then we do not give credit for it:

Subject	# of hours/ credit	Mode of use & score
Humanities	6	Humanities or elective. Does not satisfy principal course requirement. (550)
Social Science/ History	3	Credit toward graduation only; does not satisfy prerequisite or degree distribution requirements. Must be taken before enrolling at KU. (550)

Subject	# of hours/ credit	Mode of use & score
American Government	3	POLS 110(47)
Biology, General	3	BIOL 100 (50)
Calculus	3	MATH 115 (60)
Chemistry, General	5	CHEM 184 (50)
College Algebra	0	Can be used for placement into courses with a college algebra prerequisite -- MATH 101 (60)
College Algebra/Trig.	0	Can be used to place into higher courses (53)
Intro Micro & Macro-Economics	4	ECON 104 for students who do not plan to major in economics (50)
Intro Micro Economics	3	ECON 142 for Economics Majors (50)
Intro Macro-Economics	3	ECON 144 for Economics Majors (50)
Psychology, Intro	3	PSYCH 104 (47)
Sociology, Intro	0	Satisfies principal course prerequisite requirements only.  Does not satisfy distribution requirements. (48)
College Spanish Levels 1 & 2	3	3 hours of credit awarded and placement in SPAN 212 with a score of 41-49.  Six hours of credit possible and placement in SPAN 324 with a score of 50(+). No credit awarded for native speakers. Credit not awarded for both CLEP and retroactive credit. (41)
Precalculus	0	Can be used for placement into courses with a precalculus prerequisite (60)

Credit awarded upon departmental recommendation.
The application of satisfactory test scores ranges from the awarding of credit for a comparable KU course to the granting of an exemption from course prerequisites without an award of credit hours. The required minimum score also varies by the examination but usually falls within the 50th to 70th percentile range.

KU will grant 4 credit hours in Health, Sport & Exercise Science for completing basic training by submitting a copy of your DD-214 discharge papers. Some credit may be awarded for military courses. Submit a transcript of military courses completed for evaluation. No credit will be awarded for Miliatary Occupational Specialites (MOS) training or job experience.

Learn more: Army AARTS information  |  Navy and Marine SMART information

Important: Even though KU offers some credit for military service, students that are only submitting either the AARTS or SMART transcripts are considered freshman students. Only if a student has earned coursework from a college or university after graduating high school are they considered a transfer student.

If you have taken CEEB advanced placement courses through high school programs, you may be eligible for advanced placement and/or credit. See below for equivalencies.

If you have not taken the advanced placement course, you may still take the exams. If you take advanced placement exams: The tests will be administered and graded by Educational Testing Services and the only fee will be assessed by CEEB. KU will assign credit rather than a grade and will receive test scores in mid-July. You will receive specific guidance about proper course enrollment during your Summer Orientation session. For more information about Advanced Placement, contact College Board.

Subject	AP Score	Credit or Advanced Placement
Drawing (ARTD) 2-D	4-5	3 hrs. (Elective)
Design (ART2) 3-D	4-5	3 hrs. (Elective)
Design (ART3)	4-5	3 hrs. (Elective)
Biology (non majors)	5	4 hrs. (BIOL 100 & 102)
	4	3 hrs. (BIOL 100)
Biology (majors)	5	4 hrs. (BIOL 150: if you scored a 5 and you are majoring in a science, email Megan Hill at mjhill@ku.edu and request credit for BIOL 150)
Chemistry	5	10 hrs. (CHEM 184 & 188)
	3-4	5 hrs. (CHEM 184)
Computer Science (A or AB)	4-5	3 hrs. (EECS 138)
Economics (micro)	4-5	3 hrs. (ECON 142; satisfies principal course in public affairs)
Economics (macro)	4-5	3 hrs. (ECON 144; satisfies principal course in public affairs)
English Literature & Composition	5	6 hrs. ENGL 105 & 205
	4	3 hrs. ENGL 105 (placed in ENGL 205)
	3	Exempt from ENGL 101 (placed in ENGL 105)
English Language & Composition	5	3 hrs. ENGL 105 (placed in ENGL 205)
	4	3 hrs. ENGL 105 (placed in ENGL 205)
	3	Exempt from ENGL 101 (placed in ENGL 105)
Environmental Studies	3,4,5	3 hrs (EVRN 148)
French Language	5	6 hrs. (FREN 240 & 300)
	4	3 hrs. (FREN 240)
	3	3 hrs. (FREN 230)
French Literature	5	6 hrs. (FREN 300 & 326)
	4	3 hrs. (FREN 300)
	3	3 hrs. (FREN 240)
Germanic Languages & Literature	5	3 hrs. (GERM 340)
	4	3 hrs. (GERM 216)
	3	3 hrs. (GERM 212)
Government & Politics (Comparative)	4-5	3 hrs. (POLS 150)
Government & Politics (United States)	4-5	3 hrs. (POLS 110)
European History	4-5	3 hrs. (HIST 114 or 115)
United States History	4-5	3 hrs. (HIST 128 or 129)
World History	4-5	3 hrs. (HIST 100)
History of Art	3-5	3 hrs. (HA 100)
Human Geography	4-5	3 hrs. (GEOG 102)
Latin	4-5	Language requirement satisfied. No hrs. awarded
Math - Calculus (AB or BC)	3-5	5 hrs. (MATH 121)
Music Theory	3-5	Based on departmental review
Physics B	5	6 hrs. (PHSX 114 & 115)
Physics B	4	3 hrs. (PHSX 114)
Physics C (mechanics)	4-5	3 hrs. (PHSX 211) An additional 1 hr. awarded on a case-by-case basis for prior lab experience
Physics C (electricity & magnetism)	4-5	3 hrs. (PHSX 212) An additional 1 hr. awarded on a case-by-case basis for prior lab experience
Psychology	4-5	3 hrs. (PSYC 104)
Spanish Language	4-5	3 hrs. (exempt from SPAN 324 & 328)
	3	Placed in SPAN 324 (language requirement satisfied) No hrs. awarded
Spanish Literature	4-5	3 hrs. (exempt from SPAN 324 & 328)
	3	Placed in SPAN 324 (language requirement satisfied) No hrs. awarded
Statistics	3-5	3 hrs. (statistics elective fulfills second math requirement)

Scoring at certain levels can exempt students from certain KU requirements or allow them to enroll in higher sections.

Years of study: The number of years of high school courses in a foreign language.

Initial enrollment: The level of course you will be allowed to enroll in.

Retroactive credit: The credit you will be awarded, in addition to the course credit, for completing advanced study in a foreign language. The initial university-level course must be taken at KU and you must earn a C- or better.

If you scored 31 or higher on the ACT Enhanced English test (27 for students in the honors program), you:

• Are exempt from ENGL 101 (composition), and
• May enroll in ENGL 102 (composition and literature), and
• Are eligible to take the Honors Placement Examination for English.

If you scored 34 (31 for students in the honors program), you:

• Are exempt from ENGL 101 (composition), and may enroll in ENGL 105

If you scored 600 (500 for students in the honors program), that's equivalent to a score of 31 on the ACT (27 for students in the honors program).

If you scored 650 (600 for students in the honors program), that's equivalent to ascore of 34 on the ACT (31 for students in the honors program).

The KU credit-awarding policy for the International Baccalaureate program is under review. Updated credit-awarding policies are indicated with an asterisk (*). Higher level (HL) and standard level (SL) exams are indicated below.

Subject	Score	Award
Art & Design	6 or 7 (HL)	Portfolio required for departmental reviews
Art History	6 or 7 (HL)	Evaluated individually
Biological Sciences*	4,5 (HL) or 5,6 (SL)	4 hrs. (BIOL 100 & 102)
	6 HL or 7 (SL)	4 hrs. (BIOL 150)
	7 (HL)	8 hrs. (BIOL 150 & BIOL 152)
Chemistry	6 or 7 (HL)	10 hrs. (CHEM 184 & 188)
Chinese/Japanese	6 or 7 (HL)	Evaluated individually
Classical Languages*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	Language requirement satisfied. No hours awarded.
Computer Science*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	3 hrs. (EECS 138) Eligible for credit by exam for EECS 258
	6 or 7 (SL)	3 hrs. (EECS 138)
Economics		No credit
English*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	6 hrs. (ENLG 101 & 102)
	4 (HL)	3 hrs. (ENGL 101)
French	6 or 7	3 hrs. (Exempt from FREN 300 & 326)
	5	Placed in FREN 300 or 326
Geography*	6 or 7 (HL)	3 hrs. (GEO 104)
German	6 or 7 (HL)	3 hrs. & Retroactive credit
	5 (HL)	Placed in GERM 344 or 308
History	7 (HL)	6 hrs. (fr./so. Level HIST 128 & 129)
	6 (HL)	3 hrs. (Fr./so. Level US history satisfies CLAS principal courses in historical studies.  Non-history satisfies an elective.
Mathematics*	6 or 7 (HL)	5 hrs. (MATH 121)
	6 or 7 (SL)	Can be used for placement into courses with a college algebra prerequisite (MATH 101). No hours awarded
Microbiology*		No credit
Music	6 or 7 (HL)	Theory placement exam
Philosophy	6 or 7 (HL)	3 hrs. (PHIL 140)
Physics*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	6 hrs. (PHSX 114 & 115 lectures only.)
	5, 6, or 7 (SL)	3 hrs. (PHSX 111)
Psychology*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	6 hrs. (PSYC 104 and PSYC 120)
	5, 6 or 7 (SL)	3 hrs. (PSYC 104)
Spanish*	5, 6 or 7 (HL)	8 hrs. (SPAN 111 & 212)
	5, 6 or 7 (SL)	5 hrs. (SPAN 111)
Theatre arts*	5, 6 or 7 (HL or SL)	3 hrs. (TH&F 100)

Updated as of December 2006
* Denotes an update in credit for students beginning in Fall 2005. Retroactive credit will not be given to current KU students.

KU students can earn Retroactive credit in French, German, Latin, Italian, Portugese, and Spanish.

If you studied a foreign language in high school and want to continue to study the same language, you have several options for receiving advanced placement and/or credit. Besides advanced placement credit for certain advanced placement exam scores, most KU language departments offer retroactive credit if you begin your language studies in a specific advanced course and receive a grade of C- or better. You may receive both advanced placement and retroactive credit, but if the advanced placement credit is the same as the retroactive credit, the advanced placement credit will be canceled.

Years of study	Initial enrollment	Retroactive credit
2	Third Semester	3 hrs.
3	Third Semester	3 hrs.
3	Fourth Semester	6 hrs.
4	Fourth semester	6 hrs.
4	Fifth semester	9 hrs.

Years of study: The number of years of high school courses in a foreign language.

Initial enrollment: The level of course you will be allowed to enroll in.

Retroactive credit: The credit you will be awarded, in addition to the course credit, for completing advanced study in a foreign language. The initial university-level course must be taken at KU and you must earn a C- or better.

For a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and most other schools within the university that require foreign language study, you are required to show proficiency in a language other than English. Sixteen credit hours of college study will establish proficiency. If you believe that you are proficient in a language, you may take the department's proficiency examination. If you pass, you are not required to complete any further course work in that area. Students who pass the proficiency exam have usually completed four or more years of study of that language.