PRP 3450 - Undergraduate Credit by Department Examination

  1. About
  2. University Senate and Governance
  3. Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines
  4. PRP 3450 - Undergraduate Credit by Department Examination

Issued By: Patrick J. Schloss Ph.D., Acting President, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Effective Date: Fall 2004
NOTES: Approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, 8/28/75. Amended at BUCC 4/26/95. Presented at the University Forum September 20, 1995. Amended at BUCC 9/17/03. Reported to the University Forum 9/24/03. Amended at BUCC 2/11/04. Reported to the University Forum 3/3/04.

A student may petition for the privilege of establishing credit in a course or courses listed in the undergraduate catalogue through a comprehensive examination given by the department instead of through registration and class attendance or through independent study of the course content.

The student's petition must be approved in sequence by the department chairperson and the dean of the college. Approval in either case is not automatic. A department or college may decline to award credit by examination in certain courses.

A student may not petition for an examination in a course audited, nor in a course in which a failing grade has been recorded.

A student must present evidence of equivalent experience if the course involves laboratory or studio work.

The administration of the examination is the responsibility of the department that offers the course.

The examination must cover the course syllabus in a comprehensive manner. Suitable standardized examinations may be used. The examination must be written or, if oral, subject to transcription. Where skill, such as laboratory technique or artistic performance, is a course requirement, the written and oral aspects must be supplemented by demonstration of skill. A copy of the completed approval form must be placed in the student's advisement file and the original forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.

A maximum of fifteen (15) credit hours may be earned by credit by examination. Credit hours earned by examination are not included in the thirty (30) credit hours that a student must take at the University (PRP 3604 - Graduation Requirements).

A fee is charged for courses challenged by institutional examination taken for credit, regardless of the number of credits awarded for that course. Upon receipt of approval, this fee is payable at the Business Office. Evidence of payment must be presented to the department before the examination can be administered.

If the student passes the examination, the grade of "P" is assigned for the course. If he/she fails, no record is made. This course does not count in the student's normal quota of pass-fail courses.

Suitable adaptations of the above procedures may be used to validate transfer courses taken in non-accredited colleges. No fee is charged for examination to validate such credit. Examinations may be based upon the syllabi of the courses taken in the previous institution or, in case the student wishes to establish equivalency with courses in this university, upon the syllabi of courses offered in this institution.