Credit by Examination
Walla Walla University recognizes that students who have independently achieved college-level proficiency on the basis of work experience and study may receive credit for what they already know by challenging, validating, or waiving comparable classes offered by the University. (Certain university classes may not be challenged.)
APPLICATION FORMS. A current student wishing to obtain credit by examination must apply. Permission from the chair of the department in which the course is offered and permission of the course instructor are required. Application forms for challenge, validation, and/or waiver examinations may be obtained from the Academic Records Office. A student must have approval for an exam prior to taking an exam. Fees for these examinations are listed under the heading Special Fees in the Academic Fee section of the Financial Bulletin.
RESTRICTIONS. The following restrictions apply to all credit earned by examination:
- A student must have an approved examination application on file in the Academic Records Office before credit by examination can be recorded on the permanent record.
- A student must be currently enrolled before credit by examination can be recorded on the permanent record.
- Credit by examination may be earned only if a student has not already earned credit in a similar course, or taken advanced courses.
- A maximum of 24 quarter hours by examination may be counted toward a baccalaureate degree and a maximum of 12 quarter hours may be counted toward an associate degree excluding validation examinations.
- Grades are issued as on normal test scores, and all grades are recorded on the permanent record of the student.
- Examinations may not be repeated.
- Repeat course work and F grades are not open to credit by examination.
- Students may not take challenge or waiver examinations on courses they have audited.
- Examinations must be taken prior to the last 3 weeks of any quarter.
- CLEP examinations must be taken prior to the student's completion of a total of 45 quarter hours of university credit.
CHALLENGE EXAMINATIONS. A challenge examination is a university-prepared or a standardized examination which, if successfully completed, will yield regular university credit. The student must take the examination before enrolling for further study in the field of the examination. The challenge examination may not be repeated and must be taken prior to the final quarter of residence. Labs may be challenged by permission of school/department.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATION (CEEB). Regular university credit may be established by successful completion of an Advanced Placement (AP) examination. These tests are graded on a scale of 1 to 5.
Biology 141, 142, 143 General Biology
Students obtaining a 3 or higher on the Advancement Placement Biology examination will be awarded 12 quarter hours for BIOL 141, BIOL 142, BIOL 143. AP credit for Biology may not be accepted by some professional programs.
Chemistry 141, 142, 143 General Chemistry
Students receiving a score of 3 or greater on the AP Chemistry examination will be granted credit for 12 quarter hours of CHEM 141, CHEM 142, CHEM 143. Credit does not cover Introductory Chemistry and may not be accepted by some preprofessional programs. Credit will meet the General Studies laboratory science requirement.
Computer Science 141 Introduction to Programming and 142 Data Structures, Algorithms, and Objects
Students obtaining a 3 or higher on part A of the Advanced Placement Examination will be awarded 4 quarter hours for CPTR 141. Students obtaining a 3 or higher on parts A and B will be awarded 8 quarter hours for CPTR 141 and CPTR 142.
English 121, 122 College Writing I, II
Students obtaining a 3 on the Advanced Placement Language and Composition examination will be awarded 3 quarter hours as a substitute for ENGL 121. Those obtaining a 4 or 5 will be awarded 6 quarter hours as a substitute for ENGL 121 and ENGL 122. All students must take ENGL 223 or ENGL 323. Advanced placement credit may not be applied to HONR 141 or HONR 142.
English 121, College Writing, and 204 Introduction to Literature
Students obtaining a 3 on the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition examination will be awarded 4 quarter hours as a substitute for ENGL 204. Those obtaining a 4 or 5 will be awarded 7 quarter hours as a substitute for ENGL 204 and ENGL 121. All students must take ENGL 122 and ENGL 223 or ENGL 323. Advanced placement credit may not be applied to HONR 141 or HONR 142.
History 221, 222 History of the United States
Students obtaining a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination will receive 8 quarter hours, which will fulfill two quarters of the History requirement.
Language 101, 102, 103 (Introduction and elementary level)
Students obtaining a 3 on the Advanced Placement Language examination will be awarded 4 credit hours (101). Students obtaining a 4 on the examination will be awarded 8 credit hours (101, 102). Students obtaining a 5 on the examination will be awarded 12 credit hours (101, 102, 103).
Mathematics 181 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
Students obtaining a score 3 or 4 on the AB test will receive 4 quarter hours for MATH 181.
Mathematics 181, 281 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I, II
Students obtaining a score of 5 on the AB test or a score of 3 or 4 on the BC test will receive 8 quarter hours for MATH 181 and MATH 281.
Mathematics 181, 281, 282 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I, II, III
Students obtaining a score of 5 on the BC test will receive 12 quarter hours for MATH 181, MATH 281, and MATH 282
COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP). Walla Walla University grants credit for selected undergraduate college courses. For dates and specific information candidates should consult Counseling and Testing Services (Meske Hall, phone #527-2147) who administers these computer-based tests by appointment. These tests may not be repeated and must be taken prior to the student's completion of a total of 45 quarter hours of university credit.
A number of subject-matter examinations are offered by CLEP. Students obtaining the scales scores established by the following departments will receive credit toward that basic requirement. Students wishing credit in courses other than those listed below should consult the appropriate department chair.
Accounting 201 Principles of Accounting
Students who obtain a scaled score of 50 on the Financial Accounting test will receive 4 quarter hours for ACCT 201.
Biology 141, 142, 143 General Biology
Students obtaining a scaled score of 54 in the Biology examination will receive 12 quarter hours, which will fulfill the basic science requirement. CLEP credit does not count toward a biology major and is not accepted by most professional schools (dentistry, medicine, etc.)
English 121 College Writing
Students who achieve a score of 50 on the English Composition With Essay Examination will receive credit for ENGL 121. All students must take ENGL 122, or HONR 142, followed by ENGL 223 or ENGL 323 or HONR 243.
French Examinations
Students obtaining a scaled score of 44-48 will receive 4 quarter hours in level 101. Students obtaining a scaled score of 49-53 will receive 8 quarter hours in levels 101 and 102. Students obtaining a scaled score of 54 and above will receive 12 quarter hours in levels 101, 102 and 103.
History 221, 222 History of the United States
Students who earn a scaled score of 60 in either or both of the American History subject-matter examinations will receive 4 or 8 quarter hours toward fulfillment of the basic history requirement. The CLEP subject-matter test covering early colonization to 1877 may substitute for HIST 221; that covering 1865 to the present may substitute for HIST 222.
Mathematics 117 Accelerated Precalculus
Students obtaining a scaled score of 55 in the Precalculus Test will receive 5 quarter hours, which will fulfill the basic general-studies mathematics requirement.
Mathematics 121 Precalculus Mathematics I
Students obtaining a scaled score of 55 in the College Algebra test will receive 4 quarter hours, which will fulfill the basic mathematics requirement.
Mathematics 181 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
Students obtaining a scaled score of 55 in the Calculus Test will receive 4 quarter hours for MATH 181.
Modern Language 101, 102, 103 (Introduction and elementary level)
German and Spanish examinations: Students obtaining a scaled score of 40-44 will receive 4 quarter hours in level 101. Students obtaining a scaled score of 45-49 will receive 8 quarter hours in levels 101 and 102. Students obtaining a scaled score of 50 and above will receive 12 quarter hours in levels 101, 102 and 103.
Psychology 130 General Psychology
Students who earn a scaled score of 50 on the Introductory Psychology exam will receive 4 quarter hours for PSYC 130.
Psychology 215 Child and Adolescent Development
Students who earn a score of 50 on the Human Growth and Development exam will receive 4 quarter hours for PSYC 215.
Sociology 204 General Sociology
Students obtaining a scaled score of 50 in the General Sociology examination will receive 4 quarter hours, which will fulfill the basic social studies requirements.
VALIDATION EXAMINATIONS. Students who have transcripts from non-accredited colleges and/or transcripts showing nontransferable college courses may request to take validation examinations in courses which are comparable to those offered by Walla Walla University. Upon successful completion of the examination(s), the student will be given credit as specified.
COURSE WAIVER EXAMINATIONS. A student may meet an academic requirement, within specified limits, by passing a waiver examination at least equal in scope and difficulty to a final examination in a course. Successful completion of the examination waives the curricular requirement, but does not result in credit earned. Thus, it does not reduce the total number of quarter hours required for a degree, but will increase the available number of elective hours. The waiver examination is administered by the department in which the course is offered and may not be repeated. Waiver examinations must be taken prior to the final quarter of residence.
TRANSFER CREDIT BY EXAMINATION. Credit earned by examination at other colleges or universities may be transferred provided such credit meets the guidelines used by Walla Walla University for credit by examination.