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Credit by Examination – Advanced Standing

All advanced standing scores as defined below should be submitted to the MTSU Undergraduate Admissions Office. Test results are evaluated and recorded on a student’s transcript if credit is earned. Semester hours of credit toward graduation are earned on the basis of these tests, but no grades or quality points are given. These credits will not affect a student’s academic GPA. A student may receive no more than 60 semester hours of credit by means of credit by examination, credit by special examination, College Dual Credit and Tennessee Statewide Dual Credit, credit for service-related experience, and flight training. All requests for credit must be submitted to the MTSU Undergraduate Admissions Office for review no later than the final day of classes during the term for which credits are requested. If a student elects to take a course rather than receive Advanced Standing credit, then the student forgoes all credit related to that specific exam. Credit will be removed from the transcript and will not be re-posted regardless of outcome (withdrawals, passes, or fails) which includes MTSU and transfer coursework.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

MTSU participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program of the College Entrance Examination Board and grants appropriate semester hours credit to qualified students presenting official record of a grade of 3 or above (unless noted otherwise) on the appropriate CEEB examination. Semester hours credit in the amount carried by the course or courses from which the student is exempted by CEEB advanced placement examination will be awarded.  

AP EXAMAP EXAM SCOREMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
Art History3 or aboveART 10303
Biology3 or aboveBIOL1030/ BIOL 1031 (Science major may receive credit for BIOL 1110/BIOL 1111, BIOL 1120/BIOL 1121 upon recommendation of chair, Department of Biology.)4
Calculus AB3 or aboveMATH 19104
Calculus BC3 or aboveMath 19204
 Chemistry 3 or 4
5
CHEM 1110/ CHEM 1111 OR CHEM 1010/ CHEM 1011
CHEM 1110/ CHEM 1111, CHEM 1120/ CHEM 1121
4
 8
Comparative Government and Politics3 or abovePS 10103
Computer Science A3 or aboveCSCI 11704
Computer Science AB4 or aboveCSCI 2170*4
English Language and Composition3 or aboveENGL 10103
English Literature and Composition3 or aboveENGL10103
Environmental Science3 or aboveENVS 28103
European History3 or aboveHIST 10203
Human Geography3 or aboveGS 20103
Macroeconomics3 or aboveECON 24103
Microeconomics3 or aboveECON 24203
Music Theory3 or aboveMUTH 10003
Physics 14 or abovePHYS 2010/2011*4
Physics 24 or abovePHYS 2020/2021*4
Physics B4 or abovePHYS 2010/2011*4
Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
Physics C: Mechanics
4 or above
4 or above
PHYS 2110/2111
PHYS 2120/2121*
4
4     
Psychology3 or abovePSY 14103
Statistics3 or aboveMATH 15303
Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio3 or aboveART 16203
Studio Art: 2-D Design Portfolio3 or aboveART 16103
Studio Art: 3-D Design Portfolio3 or aboveART 16303
U.S. Government and Politics3 or abovePS 10053
U.S. History3 or aboveHIST 2010, HIST 20206
World History3 or aboveHIST 1110, HIST 11206
World Languages and Cultures3 or aboveSPAN 1010 and SPAN 1020, FREN 1010 and FREN 1020, GERM 1010 and GERM1020, LATN 1010 and LATN 10206
World Languages and Cultures3CHIN 1010 and 1020 and 2010, ITAL 1010 and 1020 and 2010, JAPN 1010 and 1020 and 20109
World Languages and Cultures4 or 5CHIN 1010 and 1020 and 2010 and 2020, ITAL 1010 and 1020 and 2010 and 2020, JAPN 1010 and 1020 and 2010 and 202012

 * NOTE: A grade of 4 or above is required to receive credits
# NOTE: Test has been discontinued by AP

Cambridge International Examinations

MTSU grants appropriate semester hours credit to qualified students presenting official record of acceptable grades on Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) examinations. Credit will be awarded for A (Advanced) level and AS (Advanced Subsidiary) level. The following courses have been approved for award of credits. Other AICE examinations may be approved for award of university credits following institutional review.

CAMBRIDGE COURSECAMBRIDGE EXAMCAMBRIDGE GRADEMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
CIE 9704Art and Design (A Level)C or betterART ELLD6
CIE 9704Art and Design (AS Level)C or betterART ELLD3
CIE 9608Computer Science (A Level)C or betterCSCI 11704
CIE 9618Computer Science (A Level)C or betterCSCI 11704
CIE 9691Computing (A Level)C or betterCSCI 11704
CIE 9011Divinity (A or AS Level)C or betterRS ELLD3
CIE 8287English-Language (A Level)B or betterENGL 10103
CIE 9276English-Literature (A Level)B or betterENGL 20303
CIE 9278Geography (A Level)C or betterGEOG 2000 (3), PGEO1030 (4)7
CIE 9278Geography (AS Level)C or betterGEOG 20003
CIE 9014Hinduism (A or AS Level)C or betterRS ELLD3
CIE 9279History (A Level)C or betterHIST ELLD 6
CIE 9489History (A Level)C or betterHIST ELLD 6
CIE 9013Islamic Studies (A or AS Level)C or betterRS ELLD3
CIE 9280Mathematics (A Level)C or betterMATH ELLD6
CIE 9280Mathematics (AS Level)C or betterMATH ELLD3
CIE 9231Mathematics – Further (A Level)C or betterMATH ELLD 6
CIE 9231Mathematics – Further (AS Level)C or betterMATH ELLD 3
CIE 9396Physical Education C or betterPHED 2800 2
CIE 9699Sociology (A or AS Level)C or betterSOC 10103
CIE 9694Thinking SkillsC or betterUNIV ELLD3

College Dual Credit and Tennessee Statewide Dual Credit

Students may earn college credit for acceptable scores on examinations administered through college dual credit programs and the Tennessee Statewide Dual Credit program. Following are the credits available through Statewide Dual Credit based on the historical minimum cut scores required for credit:

DUAL CREDIT EXAMMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
American History IIHIST 20203
Criminal Justice IICJA 11003
Intro to Agriculture BusinessAGBS 12013
Intro to BusinessBCED 14003
Intro to EducationEESE 20103
Intro to Plant SciencePLSO 11013
Pre-CalculusMATH 17303
Principles of MarketingMKT ELLD3
Probability and StatisticsMATH 15303
PsychologyPSY 14103
Speech & CommunicationsCOMM 22003
World HistoryHIST 11203

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Students may earn college credit for the following examinations administered by the College Level Examination Program:

CLEP EXAMCLEP EXAM SCOREMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
American Government50 or greaterPS 10053
Biology50 or greaterBIOL 1030/10314
Business Law, Introductory50 or greaterBLAW 34303
Calculus50 or greaterMATH 1910 4
Chemistry50 or greaterCHEM 1110/CHEM 1111, CHEM 1120/CHEM 11218
College Algebra50 or greaterMATH 17103
College Mathematics50 or greaterMATH 10103
Financial Accounting50 or greaterACTG 21103
History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 187750 or greaterHIST 20103
History of the United States II: 1865 to Present50 or greaterHIST 20203
Macroeconomics, Principles of50 or greaterECON 24103
Management, Principles of50 or greaterMGMT 36103
Marketing, Principles of50 or greaterMKT 38203
Microeconomics, Principles of 50 or greaterECON 24203
Precalculus50 or greaterMATH 17304
Psychology, Introductory50 or greaterPSY 14103
Sociology, Introductory50 or greaterSOC 10103
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 164850 or greaterHIST 10103
Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present50 or greaterHIST 10203

DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)

Students may earn college credit for acceptable scores on the DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) as follows: 

NOTE: Due to accreditation requirements, the Jennings A. Jones College of Business will not allow DSST upper-division credit to count toward graduation.

EXAMEXAM SCOREMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
A History of the Vietnam War400HIST 31303
Art of the Western World400ART 19303
Astronomy420ASTR 10303
Business Mathematics400MATH 16303
Criminal Justice400CJA 11003
Ethics in America400PHIL 31503
Ethics in Technology400PHIL 31703
Foundations of Education400EESE 20103
Fundamentals of College Algebra400MATH 17103
History of the Soviet Union420HIST 43403
Introduction to Geography400GEOG 20003
Introduction to Law Enforcement400CJA 22003
Introduction to World Religions400RS 10303
Lifespan Developmental Psychology420PSY 23003
Math for Liberal Arts400MATH 10103
Personal Finance400FIN 20103
Principles of Statistics400MATH 15303
The Civil War and Reconstruction420HIST 40403

English Credit Based on ACT or SAT Scores

Students may earn college credit in ENGL 1010 and 1020 for acceptable scores on the ACT or SAT college entrance exams. 

NOTE: If the student has already completed ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1020, the transcript will reflect three hours credit for the remaining course.

EXAMEXAM SCOREMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
ACT English Section32 or higherENGL 1010 and 10206
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section (March 2016 or after)700 or higherENGL 1010 and 10206
SAT Verbal Section (before March 2016)720 or higherENGL 1010 and 10206

 

International Baccalaureate Program

Students may earn college credit for acceptable scores on examinations administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

IB EXAMIB EXAM SCOREMTSU COURSEMTSU CREDITS
Biology (higher level)5 or higherBIOL 1110/ BIOL 1111 and BIOL 1120/BIOL 11218
Business and Management (standard or higher level)5 or higher (SL)
4 or higher (HL)
BCED 14003
Chemistry (higher level)5 or higherCHEM 1110/1111 and 1120/11218
Chemistry (standard level)5 or higherCHEM 1110/11114
Computer Science (standard or higher level)6 or higher (SL)
5 or higher (HL)
CSCI 11704
Dance (standard or higher level)5 or higherDANC 10003
Economics (standard or higher level)5 or higher (SL)
5 or higher (HL)
ECON 2410
ECON 2410 and 2420
3
6
English Language A Literature (standard or higher level)6 or higher (SL)
5 or higher (HL)
ENGL 20303
English Language A: Language and Literature (standard or higher level)6 or higher (SL)
5 or higher (HL)
ENGL 10103
Environmental Systems or Societies (standard or higher level) 4 or higherENVS 28103
 Foreign Languages MTSU credit in foreign languages is granted after analysis by the department of the IB transcript submitted by the student 
Geography (standard or higher level)5 or higher (SL)
4 or higher (HL)
GEOG 20003
History (higher level)5 or higherHIST 1120 and depending on higher level option (Paper #3)Europe: HIST 1020; Americas: either HIST 2010 or 2020 to be determined at CUSTOMS (orientation) advising; Africa and the Middle East or Asia and Ocean – 3 hours lower-division history credit6
Mathematics (higher level exam)4 or higherMATH 1910, MATH 1920 plus three hours lower-division mathematics elective credit11
Philosophy (standard level)5 or higher3 hours lower-division philosophy credit3
Philosophy (higher level)5 or higherPHIL 10303
Physics (standard or higher level)5 or higherPHYS 2010/PHYS 20114
Physics (standard or higher level)6 or higherPHYS 2010/PHYS 2011 and PHYS 2020/PHYS 20218
Psychology (higher level)4 or higher3 hours lower-division psychology credit3
Social and Cultural Anthropology (standard)4 or higherANTH 20103
Social and Cultural Anthropology (higher level)4 or higherANTH 2010 plus 3 hours ANTH lower division elective6
Theatre (standard or higher level)5 or higherTHEA 10303
World Politics (standard or higher level)5 or higher (SL)
4 or higher (HL)
PS 10103
World Religions (standard level)5 or higher3 hours lower-division religious studies credit3


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