Credit by Examination
Not more than 25 percent of any curriculum may be earned by advanced standing examinations, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), evaluated military service credits, tutorial, extension courses, and advanced placement exams (a maximum of 20% of the total degree hours can be correspondence courses). Evaluated military service credits are classified as extension work. Correspondence courses must be approved by the dean before being taken by students in residence. Mississippi State University serves as an open testing center for both the General and Subject Examinations.
a. Advanced Placement Examinations.
Students entering Mississippi State University for the first time are allowed credit on the advanced placement examination administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Grades of Satisfactory (S) appear on the transcript for courses in which advanced placement credit is earned. These courses do not affect grade-point averages. Applicability of such credit to a specific degree is to be determined by the appropriate dean. The following table provides the details on how credit is presently assigned in the various subject areas by the deans.
| AP Examination | Score | Hours | Related Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ART HISTORY | 4 or 5 | 3 | ART 1013 |
| 2. BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE (no lab credit) | 3 | 3 | BIO 1023 |
| 4 | 6 or 7 | BIO 1123 and BIO 1134 | |
| 5 | 8 | BIO 1134 and BIO 1144 | |
| 3. CHEMISTRY | 3 | 3 | CH 1213 |
| 4 or 5 | 6 | CH 1213 and CH 1223 | |
| 4. COMPUTER SCIENCE | |||
| A Exam | 3, 4, or 5 | 4 | CSE 1284 |
| 5. COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES | 3, 4, or 5 | 2 | CSE 1002 |
| 6. ECONOMICS | |||
| Macroeconomics | 4 or 5 | 3 | EC 2113 |
| Microeconomics | 4 or 5 | 3 | EC 2123 |
| 7. ENGLISH | |||
| Language & Comp. | 3 | 3 | EN 1103 |
| Language & Comp. | 4 or 5 | 6 | EN 1103 and EN 1113 |
| Literature & Comp. | 3 | 3 | EN 1103 |
| Literature & Comp. | 4 or 5 | 6 | EN 1103 and EN 1113 |
| 8. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | 4 or 5 | 3 | ENS 2103 |
| 9. FRENCH | |||
| Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FLF 1123 and FLF 2133 |
| Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FLF 2133 and FLF 2143 |
| Language | 5 | 7 | FLF 2143 and FLF 3114 |
| Culture | 5 | 6 | FLF 2143 and FLF 3143 |
| 10. GERMAN | |||
| Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FLG 1123 and FLG 2133 |
| Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FLG 2133 and FLF 2143 |
| Language | 5 | 7 | FLG 2143 and FLG 3114 |
| Culture | 5 | 6 | FLG 2143 and FLG 3143 |
| 11. GOVERNMENT and POLITICS | |||
| Comparative | 4 or 5 | 3 | PS 1513 |
| United States | 4 or 5 | 3 | PS 1113 |
| 12. HISTORY | |||
| American | 3 | 3 | HI 1063 |
| 4 or 5 | 6 | HI 1063 and HI 1073 | |
| European | 3 | 3 | HI 1213 |
| 4 or 5 | 6 | HI 1213 and HI 1223 | |
| World | 3 | 3 | HI 1163 |
| 4 or 5 | 6 | HI 1163 and HI 1173 | |
| 13. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | 4 or 5 | 3 | GR 2013 |
| 14. LATIN | 3 | 6 | FLL 1113 and FLL 1123 |
| 4 | 6 | FLL 1123 and FLL 2133 | |
| 5 | 6 | FLL 2133 and FLL 2143 | |
| 15. MATHEMATICS | |||
| AB Exam | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | MA 1713 |
| BC Exam | 3 | 3 | MA 1713 |
| 4 or 5 | 6 | MA 1713 and MA 1723 | |
| 16. STATISTICS | 4 or 5 | 3 | ST 2113 |
| 17. PHYSICS (no lab credit) | |||
| CI Exam - MECH | 3 | 3 | PH 1113 |
| 4 or 5 | 3 | PH 2213 | |
| CII Exam - E & M | 3 | 3 | PH 1133 |
| 4 or 5 | 3 | PH 1133 or PH 2223 | |
| 18. PHYSICS I | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | PH 1113 |
| 19. PHYSICS II | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | PH 1123 |
| 20. PSYCHOLOGY | 3 | 3 | PSY 1013 |
| 21. SPANISH | |||
| Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FLS 1123 and FLS 2133 |
| Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FLS 2133 and FLS 2143 |
| Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | FLS 2143 and FLS 3113 |
| Literature and Culture | 5 | 6 | FLS 2143 and FLS 3143 |
As more high schools develop Advanced Placement courses, Mississippi State University will consider their inclusion in this listing for credit.
b. Advanced Standing Examinations.
Applications for advanced standing examinations must be submitted to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; application forms are available in that office and must be filled out in quintuplicate. Contact the Office of Academic Affairs for information on deadlines, etc. The applicant must be a regularly enrolled student in residence on the campus, when he or she files the application and takes the examination.
Advanced standing examinations must be taken within two weeks from the date of approval by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the grade card (signed by the instructor who graded the examination, the head of the department, and the student’s dean), fee slip, a copy of the examination questions, and the examination paper must likewise be filed in the office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs within the same two-week period; otherwise, the student’s application becomes null and void.
The student is responsible for making arrangements with the instructor concerning the time and the place of the examination. The student must appear for the examination on the date agreed upon. The student may attempt an advanced standing examination in a given course only one time and there will be no appeal process.
Grades of C or better are satisfactory (S) grades, and will be so designated on the transcript, and will accrue hours toward graduation, including courses specifically required for graduation. Grades below C are unsatisfactory and are not recorded on the transcript. Courses passed or failed on advanced standing examinations will have no bearing on the computation of the grade point average.
Credits earned through an advanced standing examination in any course considered prerequisite for an advanced course will be applied toward graduation hours only if the examination is passed before the advanced class has been started.
c. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
Academic credit on the Subject Examinations is awarded to students who are enrolled at the University and who make a scaled score of 50 or above (see exceptions below). Credit is neither awarded nor accepted for transfer credit for the General Examinations. Credit is considered the same as extension credit and is subject to the same limitations. The applicability of credit toward degree requirements is determined by the dean and/or department head concerned. At present, the only courses for which credit may be obtained through the CLEP Program are these:
| ACC 2013 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| BIS 1012 | Introduction to Business Information Systems | 2 |
| BIO 1023 | Plants and Humans (requires score of 50-59) | 3 |
| BIO 1123 & BIO 1134 | Animal Biology and Biology I (requires score of 60-69) | 7 |
| BIO 1134 & BIO 1144 | Biology I and Biology II (requires score of 70-80) | 8 |
| CH 1213 | Chemistry I | 3 |
| CH 1223 | Chemistry II | 3 |
| EC 2113 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 2123 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EPY 2513 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| EPY 3503 | Principles of Educational Psychology | 3 |
| FLF 1113 | French I | 3 |
| FLF 1123 | French II | 3 |
| FLF 2133 | French III (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| FLF 2143 | French IV (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| FLG 1113 | German I | 3 |
| FLG 1123 | German II | 3 |
| FLG 2133 | German III (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| FLG 2143 | German IV (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| FLS 1113 | Spanish I | 3 |
| FLS 1123 | Spanish II | 3 |
| FLS 2133 | Spanish III (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| FLS 2143 | Spanish IV (requires score of 63) | 3 |
| HI 1063 | Early U.S. History | 3 |
| HI 1073 | Modern U.S. History | 3 |
| HI 1213 | Early Western World | 3 |
| HI 1223 | Modern Western World | 3 |
| MA 1313 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MA 1453 | Precalculus with Graphing Calculators | 3 |
| MA 1713 & MA 1723 | Calculus I and Calculus II | 6 |
| MKT 3013 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| PS 1113 | American Government | 3 |
| PSY 1013 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SO 1003 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
For further information about CLEP and a form for application to take the tests, please write to: Computer Based Testing, P.O. Box 9747, Mississippi State, MS 39762, or call (662) 325-6610.
d. The International Baccalaureate.
The International Baccalaureate program is a comprehensive and rigorous two-year curriculum, leading to examinations, for students between sixteen and nineteen years of age. To accommodate differences among cultures regarding academic standards, it is a deliberate compromise between the specialization required in some national systems and the breadth preferred in others. The general objectives of the IB are to provide students with a balanced education; to facilitate geographic and cultural mobility; and to promote international understanding through a shared academic experience. The student who satisfies its demands demonstrates a strong commitment to learning, both in terms of the mastery of subject content and in the development of the skills and discipline necessary for success in a competitive world.
All IB Diplomas candidates are required to offer one subject from each of the groups. At least three and not more than four of the six subjects are taken at the Higher level, the others at the Subsidiary level. Each examined subject is graded on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). The award of the Diploma requires a minimum total of 24 points and the satisfactory completion of three additional requirements: the Extended Essay of some 4000 words, which provides the first experience of the independent research paper; a course entitled Theory of Knowledge (ToK), which explores the relationships among the various disciplines and ensures that students engage in critical reflection and analysis of the knowledge acquired within and beyond the classroom; the compulsory participation in Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) extracurricular and community-service activities. Bonus points may be awarded for the exceptional essay or performance in Theory of Knowledge.
Mississippi State University recognizes the IB Program. Credit will be considered for the higher level subject examinations with scores of 5, 6 or 7 pending approval of the various colleges, schools and major departments of the university. Some subject areas may consider a score of 4.
Mississippi State University awards credit in the following areas:
| IB Credit | Score/Level Required | Credit to Award |
|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | EN 1103 and EN 1113 |
| CHEMISTRY | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | CH 1213 and CH 1223 |
| HISTORY | ||
| American | 6 STANDARD LEVEL | HI 1063 |
| 4 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1063 | |
| 5 or 6 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1063 and HI 1073 | |
| Asian | 6 STANDARD LEVEL | HI 1313 |
| 4 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1313 | |
| 5 or 6 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1313 and HI 1323 | |
| European | 6 STANDARD LEVEL | HI 1213 |
| 4 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1213 | |
| 5 or 6 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1213 and HI 1223 | |
| Islamic | 4 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1163 |
| 5 OR 6 HIGHER LEVEL | HI 1163 and HI 1173 | |
| BIOLOGY | 4 STANDARD LEVEL | BIO 1023 or BIO 1123 |
| 5, 6, or 7 STANDARD LEVEL | BIO 1023 and BIO 1123 | |
| 6 HIGHER LEVEL | BIO 1134 | |
| 7 HIGHER LEVEL | BIO 1134 and BIO 1144 | |
| PHYSICS | 5 HIGHER LEVEL | PH 1113 |
| 6 HIGHER LEVEL | PH 1113 and PH 1123 or PH 2213 | |
| 7 HIGHER LEVEL | waiver for PH 1113 and credit for PH 1123 and PH 1133 or PH 2213 and PH 2223 | |
| ECONOMICS | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | EC 2113 and EC 2123 |
| PSYCHOLOGY | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | PSY 1013 |
| SPANISH | 5, 6, or 7 STANDARD LEVEL | FLS 2133 and FLS 2143 |
| 4, 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | FLS 2133 and FLS 2143 | |
| LATIN | 5, 6, or 7 STANDARD LEVEL | FLL 2133 and FLL 2143 |
| 4, 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | FLL 2133 and FLL 2143 | |
| FRENCH | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | FLF 1113, FLF 1123, FLF 2133, and FLF 2143 |
| GERMAN | 5, 6, or 7 HIGHER LEVEL | FLG 1113, FLG 1123, FLG 2133, and FLG 2143 |
A final official IB transcript will be sent by the International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA) regional office following the grade awarding and upon the request of the student. The document will indicate the level of the subjects, the grade awarded in each, the total point score and the completion of the additional Diploma requirements. Results are available in late July for May session candidates.
e. Cambridge International
Students entering Mississippi State University for the first time may be granted credit for examinations administered by Cambridge International. Courses taken as part of the AS level or A level curricula will be considered. Grades of Satisfactory (S) appear on the transcript for courses in which Cambridge credit is earned. These courses do not affect grade-point averages. Applicability of such credit to a specific degree is to be determined by the appropriate dean. Contact the Office of the Registrar for details on how credit is presently assigned in the various subject areas.