2022-2023 General Catalog 
    
    Nov 06, 2024  
2022-2023 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Credit By Examination


College Credit by Examination

South Plains College provides the opportunity for students to apply credit by examination from international and nationally recognized programs.  The examinations recognized by South Plains College include: College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), The Advanced Placement Examination (AP), The International Baccalaureate Program (IB), and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (Dantes).

Credit gained through any testing for which SPC awards credit must be claimed within five years of the administration date of the test. Students must submit test scores to the Admissions and Records Office. Credit will be awarded to the student upon South Plains College receiving the scores, unless the student has requested otherwise or if the student has already enrolled in or dropped the course.  For questions regarding credit posted to the transcript, please contact the Admissions and Records Office.

No letter grade is assigned for credit earned by examination nor is the credit computed in the student’s grade point average.  A student’s transcript will be denoted CR for all credit awarded through credit by examination.  The credits stated here are in accordance with South Plains College policies and do not guarantee acceptance by transfer universities.  When a student plans to transfer to another institution, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the university for policies on acceptance of credit by examination. 

Complete information concerning the credit by examination program, its policies and regulations, and the costs of the exams may be obtained from the Advising and Testing Center on the Levelland Campus or on the website at www.southplainscollege.edu/testing.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

South Plains College is an open National Testing Center for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). Tests offered by the CLEP program are scheduled on a monthly basis on the Levelland Campus. Students may send their scores to other colleges.

South Plains College will award credit by examination according to the table below. The credits stated here are in accordance with South Plains College policies and do not guarantee acceptance by transfer universities. When a student plans to transfer to another institution, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the university for policies on acceptance of credit by examination. A student must be currently enrolled at SPC to receive CLEP credit hours. Credit from CLEP cannot be give to a student that has previously enrolled in or dropped the course previously. Pre-registration is required in order to take the CLEP test. For information, contact the Advising and Testing Center on the Levelland Campus at (806) 716-2368 or refer to the website at www.southplainscollege.edu/testing

 

The Advanced Placement Examination (AP)

The AP examination program is the final examination for a nationally standardized course offered in a limited number of secondary schools under Advanced Placement Program.  The AP exam is offered once a year during May at participating high schools and scores are reported in July.  For information, contact the Advising and Testing Center on the Levelland Campus at (806) 716-2368 or refer to the website at www.southplainscollege.edu/testing.  Credit from AP cannot be given to a student if the student has enrolled in or dropped the course previously .

The International Baccalaureate Program (IB)

The IB program is an international program of courses and examinations offered at the high school level.  South Plains College will award a minimum of 24 semester credits to students that have earned the International Baccalaureate diploma.  Students that participated in the IB program but did not earn an IB diploma will be given consideration for credit on an individual basis.  For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (806) 716-2575.

DANTES Program

South Plains College recognizes credit by examination from the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program. Students may present DANTES scores to the Office of Admissions and Records, where the evaluation procedure will be initiated. Appropriate instructional departments and the Advising and Testing Center on the Levelland Campus will assist with the evaluation when needed.

Credit will be advanced for DANTES for either South Plains College equivalent courses or for electives. When a student is seeking an Associate in Applied Science degree at South Plains College, DANTES credit will be granted as an equivalent course if it is determined that the test is equivalent to the course in the Associate of Applied Science degree the student is seeking. If DANTES is not considered for equivalent course credit, the test scores can be evaluated for elective credit toward any degree offered by South Plains College. Credit will be based upon scores recommended by “The American Council of Education Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services.”

Credit by Institutional Examination

The Credit by Institutional Examination Program is established to provide a means whereby college credit may be granted to a student who is able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge or competencies which have been acquired through non-traditional educational experiences.

To determine whether an institutional examination(s) is offered for a particular course, the student should contact the chairperson of the department or the coordinator of the program in which the course is taught.

The method(s) of assessment of student competence in each course will be determined by the faculty in the department involved in teaching the course. All examinations are thorough and comprehensive and are equated with a specific South Plains College course number and description. The format of an examination is determined by the subject matter. A student may attempt a specific examination only one time.

Credit is awarded only when the student is already officially enrolled at South Plains College at the time of the examination or when the student officially enrolls at South Plains College after taking the examination. Credit by examination may not be granted to a student for a course in which the student is or has been officially enrolled except upon the written request of the instructor and departmental chairperson.

Upon successful completion of an examination, the Admissions and Records Office will post the appropriate course title, number and credit hours to the official permanent record. Credit earned through institutional examination is not calculated in determining grade point average.

Eligibility requirements may vary by department, program or instructional area as necessary to validate specialized competencies.

A fee is charged for each institutional examination attempted. For more information, please contact the Advising and Testing Center on the Levelland Campus at (806) 716-2368.

Awarding Credit by Examination

Certain examinations for credit are equivalent in content. Credit will be advanced for successful completion of only one examination if the student submits test results for any two corresponding examinations.

Credit by examination awarded to students to meet South Plains College graduation requirements is no guarantee that such credit will transfer to other institutions.

Generally, the combined credit by examination from all sources shall not exceed 16 semester hours toward degree requirements. If rare and unique circumstances indicate that an exception to exceed the 16 semester hour limit on credit by examination should be considered, the exception shall be granted only upon recommendation by the departmental chairperson, where applicable, and with the approval of the appropriate Divisional Dean.

Credit earned by examination is equivalent to credit earned by taking the course. Credit will be awarded to the student upon South Plains College receiving the scores, unless the student has requested otherwise, or if the student has already enrolled in or dropped the course. For questions regarding credit posted to the transcript, please contact the Admissions and Records Office.

Except as noted under the section, “Credit by Institutional Examination,” credit will not be awarded to a student who has attempted the same course or its equivalent.

Credit by Examination Scores

Dept. Course Credit Examination Score Hrs. Credit
Behavioral Science  PSYC 2301  CLEP-S:Introductory Psychology 50    3
   PSYC 2301  AP: Psychology 3    3
   PSYC 2301  IB: Psychology Standard or Higher Level 4,5,6,7    3
   PSYC 2314  CLEP-S: Human Growth & Development 50    3
   SOCI 1301  CLEP-S: Introductory Sociology 50    3
   GEOG 1302  AP: Human Geography 3    3
Biology  BIOL 1411 & 1413  CLEP-S: General Biology 50    8
   BIOL 1411 & 1413  AP: Biology 3    8
   BIOL 1411, 1413  IB:Biology Standard Level 4,5,6,7    8
   BIOL 1406,1407  IB:Biology Higher Level 4,5    8
Business  ACCT 2301  CLEP-S: Financial Accounting 50    3
Communications  FREN 1411, 1412  IB:French B Standard or Higher Level 3    8
   GERM 1411, 1412  IB:German B Standard or Higher Level 3    10
   SPAN 1411 & 1412  AP:Spanish Language and Culture 3    8
   SPAN 1411  CLEP-S Spanish Language with writing: Levels 1 and 2 50    4
   SPAN 1411 & 1412  CLEP-S Spanish Language with writing: Levels 1 and 2 55    8
   SPAN 1411, 1412 & 2311  AP:Spanish Language and Culture 4    11
   SPAN 1411, 1412 & 2311  CLEP-S Spanish Language with writing: Levels 1 and 2 66    11
   SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311 & 2312  AP:Spanish Language and Culture 5    14
   SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311 & 2312  CLEP-S Spanish Language with wriitng: Levels 1 and 2  68    14
   SPAN 1411, 1412  IB:Spanish B Standard or Higher Level 6    8
   ENGL 1301  AP:English Language & Composition 3    3
   ENGL 1301  AP:English Literature & Composition 3    3
   ENGL 1301 & 1302  AP:English Language & Composition 4    6
   ENGL 1301 & 1302  AP:English Literature & Composition 4    6
   ENGL 1301  CLEP-S:College Composition 50    3
   ENGL 1301 & 1302  CLEP-S:College Composition 57    6
   ENGL 2321  CLEP-S;English Literature 50    3
   ENGL 2333  CLEP-S:Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 50    3
   ENGL 1301  IB:Language (must be English) A:Literature (SL/HL) 4    3
   ENGL 1301, 1302  IB:Language (must be English) A: Literature (SL/HL) 5,6,7    6
   PHIL 1301  IB:Philosophy Higher Level 4,5,6,7    3
Fine Arts  ARTS 1311 or 1316  AP:Studio Art-Drawing 4    3
   ARTS 1303  AP:History of Art 3    3
   MUSI 1306  IB:Music Standard Higher Level 4,5,6,7    3
   DRAM 1310  IB:Theater Arts Standard or Higher Level 5    3
Mathematics  COSC 1301  AP:Computer Science  3    3
   COSC 1436  AP:Computer Science 4    4
   COSC 1301  CLEP-S: Info. Systems & Com Apps. 50    3
   MATH 1314  CLEP-S:College Algebra 50    3
   MATH 2412  CLEP-S: Precalculus 50    4
   MATH 2413 & 2414  CLEP-S:Calculus with Elementary Functions 50    8
   MATH 2413  AP:Calculus AB or Calculus BC 3    4
   MATH 2413 & 2414  AP:Calculus BC 3    8
   MATH 1314  IB:Mathematics Studies Standard Level 4,5,6,7    3
   MATH 2413  IB:Mathematics Methods Standard Level 6,7    4
   MATH 2413  IB:Mathematics Higher Level 5,6,7    4
   MATH 2412  IB:Mathematics Methods Standard Level 4,5    4
   MATH 2412  IB:Mathematics Higher Level 4    4
Physics  PHYS 1401  AP:Physics 1 3    4
   PHYS 1402  AP:Physics 2 3    4
   PHYS 2425  AP:Physics C-Mechanical 3    4
   PHYS 2426  AP:Physics C-Electrical 3    4
   PHYS 1401, 1402  IB:Physics Standard Level 4,5,6,7    8
   PHYS 2425, 2426  IB:Physics Higher Level 4,5,6,7    8
Science  CHEM 1411  CLEP-S:Chemistry 45    4
   CHEM 1411 & 1412  CLEP-S:Chemistry 50    8
   CHEM 1406  AP:Chemistry 3    4
   CHEM 1411 & 1412  AP:Chemistry 4    8
   CHEM 1301  IB:Chemistry Standard Level 4,5,6,7    3
   CHEM 1411 & 1412  IB:Chemistry Higher Level 4,5,6,7    8
Social Science  ECON 2301  AP:Macroeconomics 4    3
   ECON 2302   AP:Microeconomics 4    3
   ECON 2302  IB:Economics Higher Level 5,6,7       3
   GEOG 1303  IB: Geography SL or HL 4,5,6,7    3
   GOVT 2305  CLEP-S:American Government 50    3
   GOVT 2305  AP:Government 3    3
   HIST 1301 & 1302  AP:U.S. History 3    6
   *HIST 1301  CLEP-S:History of the U.S. I 50    3
   *HIST 1302  CLEP-S:History of the U.S. II 50    3
   HIST 2311  CLEP-S:Western Civilization 50    3
   HIST 2312  AP:European History    3
   HIST 1301  IB:History HL: Americas 4,5,6,7    3
   HIST 2321  IB:History SL: Europe 4,5,6,7    3
   HIST 2321  IB:History HL: Europe 4,5,6,7    6
         

AP-College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Program
CLEP-G-College Level Examination Program-General Exams
CLEP-S-College Level Examination Program-Subject Exams
*Only half of the state-mandated American History requirement can be satisfied with credit by examination. The student who
elects to receive credit in both semesters of history by exam must take another three-hour course in American History.
CLEP and AP examinations are continually revised and updated. Therefore, test names and scores are subject to change without notice.