Southwest Baptist University

Credit By Examination

When can I apply for Credit by Examination?
AP hours are earned through your high school career.

CLEP tests are available at SBU during the summer prior to entrance to SBU or early in your college career.  Remember, you may only earn CLEP hours for a subject in which you have not already earned college credits.

Departmental exams are available at SBU.  Time and date vary by department.  Contact the appropriate academic department for information.

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What are the costs related to Credit by Examination?
AP fees are listed with your high school counselor.  The transcription fee is $35 per hour.

CLEP fee information beginning July 1 for 2007-08 is:

CLEP fee: 
$65.00 (check, money order, or major credit card)
University service fee: 
$15.00 (check, cash, or major credit card)
Transcription fee:   
$35.00 per credit hour

All fees are subject to change yearly. The CLEP fee and service fee are two separate payments and are collected the day of the testing by Career Services.  CLEP fee checks should be made payable to College-Level Examination Program and university service fees should be made payable to Southwest Baptist University.

Department fees vary per department.  Contact the appropriate academic department for fees and testing dates.

In addition, all Credit by Examination hours must be placed on the student's transcript.  Once credit has been earned through an AP, CLEP or departmental exam, the student must pay $35 per credit hour to the Accounting Office (Cashier); then the Registrar will record the hours on the student's transcript.

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For what courses/subjects can I receive credit by CLEP and AP?

CLEP Exam Title

Required Score

Hours Granted

SBU Equivalent Course

Composition and Literature

American Literature**

50

3

ENG 2000 level elective

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature**

50

3

ENG 2000 level elective

English Composition with Essay*

50

3

ENG 1113 English Composition I

English Literature**

50

3

ENG 2000 level elective

Foreign Languages

French Language – Level 1 (2 semesters)

50

8

FRE 1114/1124 Elem French I & Elem French II

French Language – Level 2 (4 semesters)

59

6

FRE 2213/2223 Inter French I & Inter French II

German Language – Level 1 (2 semesters)

50

8

GER 1114/1124 Elem German I & Elem German II

German Language – Level 2 (4 semesters)

63

6

GER 2213/2223 Inter German I & Inter German II

Spanish Language – Level 1 (2 semesters)

50

8

SPA 1114/1124 Elem Spanish I & Elem Spanish II

Spanish Language – Level 2 (4 semesters)

63

6

SPA 2213/2223 Inter Spanish I & Inter Spanish II

Social Sciences and History

American Government

50

3

POL 1113 American Government and Politics

History of US I: Early Colonization-1877

50

3

HIS 2213 History of the US , 1492-1877

History of US II: 1865 to the Present

50

3

HIS 2223 History of the US , 1877-Present

Human Growth and Development

50

3

PSY 3063 Human Growth and Development

Humanities

50

3

FAR 1003 Introduction to Fine Arts

Introductory Psychology

50

3

PSY 1013 General Psychology

Social Sciences and History

50

6

PSY 2953 & SOC 2953 Special Topics

Introductory Sociology

50

3

SOC 1003 Introductory Sociology

Western Civ I: Ancient Near East to 1648

50

3

HIS 1113 Intro to History of World Civilization: Earliest Times to the Renaissance

Western Civ II: 1648 to the Present

50

3

HIS 1123 Intro to History of World Civilization: Renaissance to the Present

Science and Mathematics

Biology+

50

4

BIO 1953 Principles of Biology & BIO 1951 Biology Lab

Calculus

50

5

MAT 1195 Analytics and Calculus I

College Algebra

50

3

MAT 1143 College Algebra

PreCalculus

50

3

MAT 1163 PreCalculus

Business

Principles of Accounting

50

6

ACC 2013 Principles of Financial Accounting & ACC 2043 Principles of Managerial Accounting

Information Systems and Computer Apps.

50

3

CIS 1103 Introduction to Computing

* If the student makes an ACT English score of 28 or higher, or an SAT verbal score of 630 or higher, the Dept. of Language and Literature advises the student not to take CLEP’s English Composition with Essay examination, but to enroll in SBU’s ENG 1123 (Honors Composition).

** This CLEP examination will not substitute for specific general education or English major course requirements.

+Biology CLEP examinees should contact the Biology Department Chair regarding proof of extensive lab work before registering for the exam.

Advanced Placement (AP) Examination

Required Score

Hours Granted

SBU Equivalent Course

Art History

3

3

FAR 1013 Introduction to Art

Biology

3

4

BIO 1004 Principles of Biology

Calculus AB

3

5

MAT 1195 Analytics and Calculus I

Calculus BC

3

10

MAT 1195 Analytics and Calculus I & MAT 2255 Analytics and Calculus II

Chemistry*

3

4

CHE 1104 Principles of Chemistry

Chemistry*

4

5

CHE 1115 General Chemistry I

Computer Science A

3
4 or 5

3
4

CIS 1133 Foundations of Computer Sci
CIS 1144 Computer Science I

Computer Science AB

3
4 or 5

3
4

CIS 1133 Foundations of Computer Sci
CIS 1144 Computer Science I

English Language and Composition

3

3

ENG 1113 English Composition I

English Literature and Composition

3

3

ENG 2213 English Composition II

Environmental Science

3

4

BIO 2214 Environmental Biology

European History

3

3

HIS 2000 level elective

French Language

3

8

FRE 1114/1124 Elem French I & Elem French II

French Literature

3

3

FRE 2000 level elective

German Language

3

8

GER 1114/1124 Elem German I & Elem German II

Government & Politics: Comparative

3

3

POL 2000 level elective

Government & Politics: United States

3

3

POL 1113 American Government and Politics

Human Geography

3

3

GEO 1103 Geography

Latin: Vergil

3

3

HUM 2000 level elective

Latin Literature

3

3

HUM 2000 level elective

Music Theory

3
4 or 5

3
4

MUS 1603 Music Fundamentals
MUS 1613 Theory I & MUS 1611 Sightsinging/Eartraining I

Physics B*

3

3

PHY 2000 level elective

Physics C: Mechanics*

3

4

PHY 1114 General Physics I

Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism*

3

4

PHY 1124 General Physics II

Psychology

3

3

PSY 1013 General Psychology

Spanish Language

3

8

SPA 1114/1124 Elem Spanish I & Elem Spanish II

Spanish Literature

3

3

SPA 2000 level elective

Statistics

3

3

MAT 2953 Special Topics or PSY/SOC 2000 (equivalent to Elementary Statistics)

Studio Art: Drawing

3

3

ART 1203 Drawing I

U.S. History

3

6

HIS 2213/HIS 2223 History of the US, 1492-1877 & History of the US, 1877-Present

World History

3

6

HIS 1113/1123 World Civilization I & World Civilization II

*Proof of extensive lab work required.  This may be in the form of a letter from the high school instructor, a completed lab notebook or samples of graded lab work.

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What type of credit can I receive?
Credit by Examination provides credit hours toward your degree program at SBU and these hours are transferable to many other colleges. (The student planning to transfer to another college is responsible for determining if CLEP, AP, or departmental exam hours will transfer.) Courses bypassed through Credit by Examination carry no grades or grade points but appear on the transcript as credit by examination.

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Am I eligible to take any of these tests?
You may not have completed a college course in the subject for which you are taking a CLEP exam.
You cannot have more than 90 hours of college credit.
You may earn a maximum of 32 hours of credit through CLEP for a bachelor's degree.
▪You may earn a maximum of 16 hours of credit through CLEP for an associate's degree.
Transcripts for all post-secondary work attempted must be on file in the SBU Registrar's Office before a student may register for a CLEP exam.
Students are advised to take CLEP exams within the first three weeks of the semester.

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Where can I learn more about national tests?
Your high school counselor should be able to provide you with information concerning application for AP and CLEP.  You may also contact Career Services, Mabee Chapel, at (417) 328-1610 for additional information.

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How do I register to take a test at SBU?
To indicate your interest in CLEP examinations administered at SBU or to request further information concerning CLEP exams contact:

SBU Career Services
Mabee Chapel
1600 University Avenue
Bolivar, MO 65613
(417) 328-1610 (phone)
(417) 328-2091 (fax)
E-mail

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What tests are available to me?
Examinations from three testing programs, CLEP, AP, and SBU departmental exams, are accepted for Credit by Examination at Southwest Baptist University.

  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests students on selected subject matter.  Students may take a CLEP exam in the office of Career Services.  Many colleges and universities also have testing facilities where CLEP exams are available.  Visit the CLEP website or contact Career Services to inquire about CLEP exams.

  • The Advanced Placement Program (AP) is a national system of credit by examination.  Contact your high school regarding an AP class or home schooled students may order an independent study kit.  Visit the AP website.

  • Departmental Examinations are tests prepared by SBU faculty and are designed to test the objectives of a specific course.   Each department test is approximately two hours in length and is comparable in content to a comprehensive final examination in the course for which it is designated.  Students wishing to take a departmental examination should contact the respective department chair on the SBU campus.

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What is the transcription cost per hour?
All Credit by Examination hours must be placed on the student's transcript.  The SBU transcription rate is $35.00 per credit hour.  Once credit has been earned through an AP, CLEP or departmental exam, the student must pay $35 per credit hour to the Accounting Office (Cashier); then the Registrar will record the hours on the student's transcript.

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