Credit by Examination (Proficiency Examination)

A student may petition the course instructor in writing for permission to seek course credit by examination. A maximum of 75% of the total credit hours needed for a student’s respective program can be credit by examination. To obtain permission to take a credit by examination test, students should follow these steps: 

1. Register for the course and pay the appropriate tuition and fees. 
2. By the end of the drop/add period, the student must complete the “Proficiency Examination Permission” form and submit the course instructor. Approval must be granted from the instructor, the appropriate Division Chair/Director, and the Vice President of Instruction. During this time, the student should remain in class.
3. Attend class regularly and participate fully until the student successfully passes the exam. This time should be used by both the student and the instructor to assess the student’s chance of success in challenging the course. The student should make the instructor aware on the first day of class that he/she is contemplating taking the proficiency exam. 
4. A written, oral, and/or performance examination will be administered by the instructor in a manner pertinent to the content of the course. If the student exhibits satisfactory performance on the examination, the appropriate credit hours and proficiency credit grade will be placed on the student’s transcript. The decision of the examining instructor will be final. 
5. If the student passes the proficiency exam, a grade of “CE” is assigned and the student will no longer be required to attend class. If the student does not pass the proficiency exam, the student must complete the course with a passing grade to earn credit. 

Additional considerations guiding the implementation of this policy include the following:

• Some courses may not be appropriate for Proficiency Exam and are excluded from this procedure.
• Students who earn less than a “C” on the Proficiency Exam receive no transcript notation and may complete the class for credit.
• Students who earn at least a “C” on the Proficiency Exam will receive the appropriate credit hours and proficiency grade (CE) on their transcripts.
• Students may attempt credit by proficiency only once for any given course.
• To ensure consistency in testing, each instructional department will develop a common Proficiency Exam for all eligible courses.
• Financial aid, veterans, and some third parties do not pay for credit by Proficiency Exam.
• No credit is given for experiential learning or training.

Please note that the “CE” grade assigned for a Proficiency Exam may have implications for financial aid awards, and the credit may not be accepted by all transfer institutions.