College-Level Examination Program Credit Policies

March 2021 to February 2022

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a credit-by-examination program that offers the opportunity to earn college credit by taking examinations. CLEP exams cover material taught in courses that most students take as requirements in the first two years of college. We recommend that you consult with admissions staff before registering for an exam. The university’s code number for score reporting is 6681. For more information about CLEP, including testing centers, go to http://clep.collegeboard.org.

Some policies regarding credit for specific CLEP exams are the same for the Tippie College of Business and the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Education, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and University College; see the first chart below. Policies that differ by college (including the College of Engineering) are shown in the additional charts.

UI CLEP Credit Policies

  • CLEP credit becomes part of your permanent record at the end of your first session of enrollment.
  • If you want to earn CLEP credit and are currently enrolled in a course in that area, the exam must be taken on or before the last day to register or add courses.
  • Credit for CLEP tests cannot be earned if you have already received credit for an equivalent course or if you have been enrolled for more than three weeks in an equivalent college-level course, except for the CLEP Subject Test: Social Sciences & History. Students in a social sciences course may earn credit for the “History” portion of the exam and vice versa.
  • CLEP credit will count toward hours earned for graduation, but letter grades are not assigned and the credit is not included when your grade-point average is computed.
  • CLEP credit brought to the University of Iowa on transcripts from other institutions is evaluated by the Office of Admissions under the same rules used for other transfer credits. Once 12 (or more) semester hours of graded classroom credit are accepted by transfer, any accompanying CLEP credit is accepted without reevaluation by the university.
  • CLEP tests may be taken only once.
Colleges of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and University College

CLEP Exam Title

Score

 Credit Awarded

Other Information

American Government

 65 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates POLI:1100 Introduction to American Politics. Duplicates AP Test: Government & Politics (US). May be applied to General Education Program: Social Sciences hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or applied to requirements for the Political Science major or minor; or used as elective hours.

Analyzing & Interpreting Literature

57 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ENGL:1200 Interpretation of Literature. Duplicates AP Test:  English Literature & Composition. Duplicates the higher-level IB Test: English A: literature. Duplicates Cambridge International Examination: English Literature. NOTE: Credit is awarded only if the essay portion is submitted and receives a passing grade.

Biology
EXCEPT PHARMACY—SEE BELOW

51 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates BIOL:1140 Human Biology. Nonmajors. Duplicates AP Test: Biology. May be applied to General Education Program: Natural Sciences (nonlab) hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in science (biology); or used as elective hours.

Calculus
EXCEPT  BUSINESS & PHARMACY—SEE BELOW

61-69

4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1020 Elementary Functions. May be applied to General Education Program: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning hours; or used as elective hours.

70 or above

4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1550 Engineering Mathematics I and MATH:1850 Calculus I. Duplicates AP Test: Calculus AB; and 4 s.h. of AP Test: Calculus BC. May be applied to General Education Program: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning hours; or used to satisfy calculus competency for many majors; or used as elective hours.

Chemistry
EXCEPT  NURSING & PHARMACY—SEE BELOW

63 or above

3 s.h.

May be applied to General Education Program:  Natural Sciences (nonlab) hours; or used to satisfy 1 high school course deficiency in science (chemistry); or used as elective hours.

College Algebra

50 or above

N/A

No credit awarded, but may be used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in algebra.

Educational Psychology       (Intro to)

55 or above

3 s.h.

May be used as elective hours.

Macro­economics (Principles of)
EXCEPT  BUSINESS —SEE BELOW

63 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1200 Principles of Macroeconomics. Duplicates AP Test: Macroeconomics. May be applied to General Education Program: Social Sciences hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Micro­economics (Principles of);
EXCEPT  BUSINESS & PHARMACY—SEE BELOW

62 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1100 Principles of Microeconomics. Duplicates AP Test: Microeconomics. May be applied to General Education Program: Social Sciences hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Natural Sciences
EXCEPT  PHARMACY—SEE BELOW

51-57

3 s.h.

May be applied to General Education Program: Natural Sciences (nonlab) hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in science (natural science); or used as elective hours.

58-70

6 s.h.

3 s.h. may be applied to General Education Program: Natural Sciences (nonlab) hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in science (natural science); the remaining credit may be used as elective hours.

Precalculus

50 or above

N/A

No credit awarded, but is equivalent to MATH:1010 Trigonometry and may be used to satisfy a prerequisite for other courses; or to satisfy a trigonometry competency requirement for some majors.

Psychology (Introductory)

59 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates PSY:1001 Elementary Psychology. Duplicates the AP Test: Psychology. May be applied to General Education Program: Social Sciences hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or applied to requirements for the Psychology major or minor; or used as elective hours.

Sociology (Introductory)

59 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates SOC:1010 Introduction to Sociology. May be applied to General Education Program: Social Sciences hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

 

College of Business

CLEP Exam Title

Score

 Credit Awarded

Other Information

Calculus

61-69

4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1020 Elementary Functions and MATH:1340 Mathematics for Business. May be applied to General Education Program: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning hours; or used as elective hours.

70 or above

4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1380 Calculus & Matrix Algebra; and MATH:1550 Engineering Mathematics I. Duplicates AP Test:  Calculus AB; and 4 s.h. of AP Test:  Calculus BC. May be used to satisfy calculus competency for business; or used as elective hours.

Macro­economics (Principles of)

63 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1200 Principles of Macroeconomics. Duplicates AP Test:  Macroeconomics.

Micro­economics (Principles of)

62 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1100 Principles of Microeconomics. Duplicates AP Test:  Microeconomics.

 

College of Engineering

CLEP Exam Title

Score

 Credit Awarded

Other Information

American Government

65 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates POLI:1100 Introduction to American Politics. Duplicates AP Test: Government & Politics (US). May be applied to General Education Program: social science hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Analyzing & Interpreting Literature

57 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ENGL:1200 Interpretation of Literature. Duplicates AP Test:  English Literature & Composition. NOTE: Credit is awarded only if the essay portion is submitted and receives a passing grade.

Calculus

70 or above

4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1550 Engineering Mathematics I. Duplicates AP Test:  Calculus AB and AP Test:  Calculus BC.

Macro­economics (Principles of)

63 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1200 Principles of Macroeconomics. Duplicates AP Test: Macroeconomics. May be applied to General Education Program: social science hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Micro­economics (Principles of)

62 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates ECON:1100 Principles of Microeconomics. Duplicates AP Test: Microeconomics. May be applied to General Education Program: social science hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Psychology (Introductory)

59 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates PSY:1001 Elementary Psychology. Duplicates the AP Test:  Psychology. May be applied to General Education Program: social science hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

Social Sciences & History

50-54

3 s.h

May be used to complete the General Education Program:  lower-level social science component.

55-80

3 - 6 s.h.

May be used to complete the General Education Program: lower-level social science component; and 3 s.h. may be used to complete the General Education Program: lower-level humanities component.

Sociology (Introductory)

59 or above

3 s.h.

Duplicates SOC:1010 Introduction to Sociology. May be applied to General Education Program: social science hours; or used to satisfy one (1) high school course deficiency in social studies; or used as elective hours.

 

College of Nursing

CLEP Exam Title

Score

 Credit Awarded

Other Information

Chemistry

63 or
above

N/A

No credit awarded.

 

College of Pharmacy

CLEP Exam Title

Score

 Credit Awarded

Other Information

Biology

51 or above

 N/A

No credit awarded.

Calculus

61-69

 N/A

No credit awarded.

70 or above

 4 s.h.

Duplicates MATH:1550 Engineering Mathematics I; and MATH:1850 Calculus I. Duplicates AP Test: Calculus AB; and 4 s.h. of AP Test: Calculus BC. Satisfies the pharmacy calculus requirement.

Chemistry

63 or above

 N/A

No credit awarded.

Micro-economics

62 or above

 N/A

No credit awarded.

Natural Sciences

51-57

 N/A

No credit awarded.

58-70

 N/A

No credit awarded.

Social Sciences & History

50-54

 3 s.h.

May be used to complete Pharmacy General Education Program elective hours.

55-80

 6 s.h.

May be used to complete Pharmacy General Education Program elective hours.