Credit by Exam
Apply Exam Scores Toward Your Degree
You may qualify for admission or earn credit toward your degree if you pass any of the following standardized external examinations. More information about the amount of credit awarded for successful completion of AP, CLEP and IB is set forth in the CSU's External Exam Policy and in CSUMB's Academic Credit and Assessment Policy.
Select an exam below to see detailed information about the passing scores, minimum units of credit earned, and certification area (for General Education Breadth and/or U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals) awarded for successful completion of standardized external exams.
| College Board Advance Placement Tests | Passing Score | Total Credits | Semester Credits Toward CSU GE Requirements | GE Area or Articulation | Removal Date for CSU GE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP African American Studies | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP Art History | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3A or 3B; VPA 205 | |
| AP Biology | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5B+5C | |
| AP Calculus AB* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2; MATH 130 | |
| AP Calculus AB* | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2; MATH 150 | |
| AP Calculus BC* | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2; MATH 130 | |
| AP Calculus BC* | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2; MATH 150+MATH 151 | |
| AP Calculus BC/AB Subscore* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| AP Calculus BC/AB Subscore* | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2; MATH 150 | |
| AP Chemistry | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5A+5C | F09 |
| AP Chemistry | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5A+5C | |
| AP Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; CHIN 102 | |
| AP Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| AP Comparative Government & Politics | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4B+US2 | |
| AP Computer Science A* | 3 | 3 | 0 | CST 231 | |
| AP Computer Science AB* | 3 | 6 | 0 | CST 231 | |
| AP Computer Science Principles* | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| AP Drawing | 3 | 3 | 0 | VPA 215 | |
| AP English Language and Composition | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1A | |
| AP English Literature and Composition | 3 | 6 | 6 | 1A+3B | |
| AP Environmental Science** | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C or 5B+5C | F09 |
| AP Environmental Science** | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C | |
| AP European History | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B or 4A | |
| AP French Language | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3B; LANG 102 | F09 |
| AP French Language | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3B; LANG 202 | F09 |
| AP French Language | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 102 | F11 |
| AP French Language | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | F11 |
| AP French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 102 | |
| AP French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| AP French Literature | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B | F09 |
| AP German Language | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3B; LANG 102 | F09 |
| AP German Language | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3B; LANG 202 | F09 |
| AP German Language | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 102 | F11 |
| AP German Language | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | F11 |
| AP German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 102 | |
| AP German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| AP Human Geography | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4A | |
| AP Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; ITAL 102 | |
| AP Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; ITAL 202 | |
| AP Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; JAPN 102 | |
| AP Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; JAPN 202 | |
| AP Latin Literature | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B | F09 |
| AP Latin | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 102 | |
| AP Latin | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| AP Latin: Virgil | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3B | F12 |
| AP Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4A; BUS 201 | |
| AP Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4A; BUS 202 | |
| AP Music Theory | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3A; MPA 101 | F09 |
| AP Physics 1*** | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C; PHYS 220 | |
| AP Physics 2*** | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C; PHYS 221 | |
| AP Physics B*** | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5A+5C | F09 |
| AP Physics B*** | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5A+5C | F15 |
| AP Physics C***(Electricity/Magnetism) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C; PHYS 221 | |
| AP Physics C***(Mechanics) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5A+5C; PHYS 220 | |
| AP Precalculus | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| AP Precalculus | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2; MATH 130 | |
| AP Psychology | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4A; PSY 100 | |
| AP Seminar | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP Spanish Language**** | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3B; SPAN 102 | S14 |
| AP Spanish Language**** | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3B; SPAN 202 | S14 |
| AP Spanish Language and Culture**** | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; SPAN 102 | |
| AP Spanish Language and Culture**** | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; SPAN 202 | |
| AP Spanish Literature**** | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3B; SPAN 102 | S13 |
| AP Spanish Literature**** | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3B; SPAN 202 | S13 |
| AP Spanish Literature and Culture**** | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B; SPAN 102 | |
| AP Spanish Literature and Culture**** | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B; SPAN 202 | |
| AP Statistics | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2; STAT 100 (Effective 8/1/2023) | |
| AP Statistics | 4 | 3 | 3 | STAT 100 | |
| AP Studio Art- 2D Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP Studio Art- 3D Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| AP Studio Art- Drawing | 3 | 3 | 0 | VPA 215 | |
| AP U.S. Government & Politics | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4B+US2 | |
| AP U.S. History | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B or 4A +US1 | |
| AP World History | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3B or 4A; GS 214 | |
| AP World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3B or 4A; GS 215 |
*If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one exam may be applied to the baccalaureate.
**Environmental Science exams prior to Fall 2009 may apply to either GE areas 5A+5C or 5B+5C. Exams completed Fall of 2009 or later may only apply to 5A+5C.
***If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units may be applied to CSU GE.
****Students who pass both a Spanish Language and a Spanish Literature exam will be issued 3B credit for the second exam.
| College Level Examination Program (CLEP) | Passing Score | Total Credits | GE Credits | GE Area or Articulation | GE Removal Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLEP American Government | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4B + US2 | |
| CLEP American Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | 3B | |
| CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | 3B | |
| CLEP Biology | 50 | 3 | 3 | 5B | |
| CLEP Calculus | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| CLEP Chemistry | 50 | 3 | 3 | 5A | |
| CLEP College Algebra | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| CLEP College Algebra & Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| CLEP College Composition | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP College Composition- Modular | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP College Mathematics | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP English Composition (No Essay) | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP English Composition (With Essay) | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP English Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | 3B | F11 |
| CLEP Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | 0 | BUS 203 | |
| CLEP French Level I* | 50 | 6 | 0 | ||
| CLEP French Level II* | 59 | 12 | 3 | 3B | F15 |
| CLEP French Level II* | 59 | 9 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| CLEP Freshman College Composition | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP German Level I* | 50 | 6 | 0 | ||
| CLEP German Level II* | 60 | 12 | 3 | 3B | F15 |
| CLEP German Level II* | 60 | 9 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| CLEP History, United States I | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A + US1 | |
| CLEP History, United States II | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A + US1 | |
| CLEP Human Growth & Development | 50 | 3 | 3 | ||
| CLEP Humanities | 50 | 3 | 3 | 3B | |
| CLEP Info Systems & Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 | 0 | BUS 206 | |
| CLEP Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A; PSY 100 | |
| CLEP Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A; SOC 100 | |
| CLEP Natural Sciences | 50 | 3 | 3 | 5A or 5B | |
| CLEP Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| CLEP Principles of Accounting | 50 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A; BUS 201 | |
| CLEP Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A; BUS 202 | |
| CLEP Social Sciences and History | 50 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Spanish Level I* | 50 | 6 | 0 | ||
| CLEP Spanish Level II* | 63 | 12 | 3 | 3B | F15 |
| CLEP Spanish Level II* | 63 | 9 | 3 | 3B; LANG 202 | |
| CLEP Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | 3 | 2 | F06 |
| CLEP Western Civilization I | 50 | 3 | 3 | 3B or 4A | |
| CLEP Western Civilization II | 50 | 3 | 3 | 4A |
*If a student passes more than one exam in the same language (other than English), only one exam score may be applied to the baccalaureate.
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | Passing Score | Total Credits | GE Credits | GE Area or Articulation | GE Removal Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IB Biology HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5B | |
| IB Chemistry HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5A | |
| IB Economics HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4A | |
| IB Geography HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4A | |
| IB History (any region) HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3B or 4A | |
| IB Language A Literature HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B | |
| IB Language A Language & Literature HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B | |
| IB Language A1 (any language) HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B | F13 |
| IB Language A2 (any language) HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3B | F13 |
| IB Language B (any language) HL | 4 | 6 | 0 | ||
| IB Mathematics HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| IB Mathematics HL: Analysis and Approaches | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| IB Mathematics HL: Applications and Interpretation | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | |
| IB Physics HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5A | |
| IB Psychology HL | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4A; PSY 100 | |
| IB Theatre HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3A |
Student should have their official scores sent directly to CSUMB. More information about ordering scores is available at the links below.
If sending scores by mail, address to: Office of Admissions, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955.
Departments may develop and provide challenge exams for major and elective courses only; GE courses are not available for challenge. Only undergraduate courses may be made available for challenge exam, and those courses available for challenge shall be identified in the catalog. Students who wish to take an exam should consult with the department office well in advance. Not all exams are available all semesters.
Prior Learning Assessment
Prior learning assessment is the evaluation of college-level knowledge or skills an individual has gained outside of the classroom for college credit. Undergraduate students may request prior learning assessment; the department may not be able to provide for review in the term requested. Students who wish to request prior learning assessment should consult with the department office well in advance.