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Office of the University Registrar

External Exam Credit

The Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board permits high
school students to take college equivalent courses while in high school, and based on
comprehensive qualifying examinations, receive advance placement and credit at participating
universities and colleges. AP exams passed with a score of 3, 4 or 5 are granted 3 to 6
semester units of credit grades (CR) and are not calculated in the GPA.


Students may direct the Advanced Placement Program to send a copy of their exam scores
to Fresno State upon completion of the exam. If students do not request their scores be
sent to Fresno State at that time, students will need to request an official copy of their test
scores directly from the College Board at a later date. For ordering information, visit the
College Board website at https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/scorereporting.

For questions regarding exam credit, please contact the Admissions Office at 559.278.2261 or visit the Joyal Administration North lobby.


Credits earned through advanced placement are not included among the maximum of 30 units of credits by examination that may be credited toward a bachelor's degree. To view Fresno State's General Education pattern visit http://www.fresnostate.edu/catalog/general-education/index.html

 

Note: All electives are lower division

AP Exam Credits
AP Exam Articulation Units GE Area

Art History

ARTH 10
ARTH 11

3
3

Area C1

Art Studio – 2D Design

ART Elective

3

N/A

Art Studio – 3D Design

Art Elective

3

N/A

Art Studio – Drawing

Art Elective

3

N/A

Biology
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

BIOL 1A

BIOL Elective

4

2

Area B2
Area B3

Calculus AB
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

MATH 75

4

Area B4

Calculus BC
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

MATH 75
MATH 76

4
4

Area B4

Calculus BC/AB Subscore
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

MATH 75

4

Area B4

Chemistry (Score of 3)

CHEM 3A
CHEM Elective

4
2

Area B1
Area B3

Chemistry (Score of 4 or 5)

CHEM 1A
CHEM 1AL
CHEM Elective

3
2
1

Area B1
Area B3

Chinese Language & Culture
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

CHIN 1A
CHIN Elective

4
2

Area C2

Computer Science: A (Beginning with May 2019 exam)

CSCI 40

4

N/A

Computer Science Principles
(Beginning with May 2018 exam – used in GE Area B4, increase in units beginning with May 2020 exams ending Summer 2021)

CSCI Elective
CSCI Elective

3
3

Area B4

Computer Science Principles (Beginning Fall 2021 Exam)

CSCI 1

3

Area A3 or B4

Computer Science Principles
(Score of 3)
(Beginning Fall 2023 - Fall 2027 Exam)

CSCI Elective

3

Area B4

Computer Science Principles
(Score of 4 or 5) (Beginning Fall 2023 - Fall 2027 Exam)

CSCI 1

3

Area A3
or
Area B4

Economics: Microeconomics

ECON 40

3

Area D

Economics: Macroeconomics

ECON 50

3

Area D

English Language & Composition*

ENGL 10
ENGL 2

3
3

Area A2

English Literature & Composition*

ENGL 10
ENGL 20

3
3

Area A2
Area C2

*English Language & Literature
(Maximum of 9 units allowed if both ENGL Lang and ENGL Lit exams passed)

ENGL 10
ENGL 2
ENGL 20

3
3
3

Area A2

Area C2

Environmental Science
(Beginning with May 2001 exam, unit increase in SP 2020)

EES 4

4

Area B1
Area B3

European History
(Beginning with May 2018 exam – used in Ge Area D)

HIST 2
HIST Elective

3
3

Area D

French Language and Culture

(Beginning with May 2020 exam)

FREN 2A
FREN 2B

3
3

Area C2

German Language and Culture

(Beginning with May 2020 exam)

GERM 2A
GERM 2B

3
3

Area C2

Government & Politics: Comparative
(Beginning with May 2018 exam – used in GE Area D)

PLSI Elective

3

Area D

Government & Politics: US
(Beginning with May 2015 exam – Clears Federal Government)

PLSI Elective

3

Campus Requirement
US - 2

Human Geography
(Beginning with May 2018 exam – used in GE Area D)

GEOG Elective

3

Area D

Japanese Language & Culture
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

JAPN 2A
JAPN 2B

3
3

Area C2
Area C2

Italian Language and Culture

(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

ITAL 2A
ITAL 2B

3
3

Area C2

Latin

(Beginning with May 2018 exam)

LATIN 1B
LATIN Elective

3
3

Area C2

Music: Theory

MUSIC Elective

6

N/A

Physics C: Mechanics

PHYS 4A
PHYS 4AL

3
1

Area B1
Area B3

Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism

PHYS 4B
PHYS 4BL

3
1

Area B1
Area B3

Physics 1
(Beginning with May 2014 exam)

PHYS Elective

4

Area B1
Area B3

Physics 2
(Beginning with the May 2014 exam)

PHYS Elective

4

Area B1
Area B3

Physics 1 & 2
(Beginning with the May 2017 exam)

PHYS 2A
PHYS 2B

4
4

Area B1
Area B3

Precalculus

MATH 6

4

Area B4

Psychology

PSYCH 10

3

Area D

Research
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

ENGL 10

3

N/A

Spanish Language & Culture

SPAN 2A
SPAN 2B

3
3

Area C2

Spanish Literature & Culture
(Beginning with May 2013 exam)

SPAN 3
SPAN Elective

3
3

Area C2

Statistics
(Beginning with May 2017 exam – used to meet GE Area B4)

MATH 11

3

Area B4

US History

HIST 11
HIST 12

3
3

Area D1
Area D1

World History
(Beginning with May 2019 exam)

HIST 21

3

Area D

Credit is granted for International Baccalaureate Higher Level examinations passed with a score of 4 or higher (some exams require a score of 5 or higher). International Baccalaureate examinations taken spring 2018, or later, will be applied to general education areas as noted below. 

Credits earned through the international baccalaureate program are not included among the maximum of 30 units of credits by examination that may be credited toward a bachelor's degree. To view Fresno State's General Education pattern visit 

http://www.fresnostate.edu/catalog/general-education/index.html

For questions regarding exam credit, please contact Admissions at 559.278.2261 or visit the Joyal Administration Building, North lobby.

 

IB Exam Credits
IB Exam Score Articulation Units GE Area

Biology HL

5 or higher

BIOL 10
BIOL Elect

3
3

Area B2*

Business and Management HL

5 or higher

BA Elective

6

N/A

Chemistry HL

5 or higher

CHEM 1A
CHEM 1B

5
5

Area B1*

Design Technology HL

5 or higher

IT Elective (eff SP21)

3

N/A

Economics HL

(Increase in units awarded beginning in SP 2020)

score of 5

score of 6 or 7

ECON 50 +
ECON Elective
ECON 40 + 50

3
3
6

Area D*

Film HL

5 or higher

HUM Elective

3

N/A

Geography HL

5 or higher

GEOG 4
GEOG 7

3
3

Area D*

History (Any Region) HL

5 or higher

HIST Elective
HIST Elective

3
3

Area D*

Information Technology in a Global Society HL

5 or higher

CSCI Elective

3

N/A

Language A English: Literature HL

4 or higher

ENGL Elective
ENGL Elective

3
3

Area C2*

Language A English: Language and Literature HL

4 or higher

ENGL 20
ENGL Elective

4
2

Area C2*

Language B (any language) HL

4 or higher

ENGL Elective

6

N/A

Mathematics HL (Ending effective Fall 2022)

4 or higher

MATH Elective
MATH Elective

3
3

Area B4*

Mathematics HL: Analysis and Approaches    (Beginning Fall 2022)

4 or higher

MATH Elective
MATH Elective

3
3

Area B4*

Mathematics HL: Applications and Interpretation
(Beginning Fall 2022)

4 or higher

MATH Elective
MATH Elective

3
3

Area B4*

Music HL

4 or higher

MUSIC 40

3

N/A

Physics HL

5 or higher

PHYS Elective
PHYS Elective

3
3

Area B1*

Psychology HL

(Effective SP 2019)

5 or higher

PSYCH 10

3

Area D*

Theatre HL

4 or higher

DRAMA 32
DRAMA 62

3
3

Area C1*

Visual Arts HL

4 or higher

ART Elective

6

N/A

* Only three units of credit is applied to the noted GE Area for these exams. 

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is designed to be a means through which recognition, academic credit, and placement may be given for less conventional forms of educational experience or learning. 

Within the restrictions of systemwide policy, this university awards up to 6 units of credit for successfully completed CLEP examinations. Such credit is applied to the total units required for the baccalaureate degree. Effective with exams taken spring 2018, some exam credit is applied to the General Education requirements as detailed in the chart below. Not all CLEP examinations are acceptable under system policy. It is the responsibility of the student to check with the appropriate department to determine whether it accepts CLEP credit to meet any degree requirement. This should be done prior to taking the CLEP exam.

Credits earned through CLEP are included among the maximum of 30 units of Credit by Examination that may be credited toward a bachelor's degree. 

CLEP Exam Credits
Clep Exam Score Units Articulation GE Area

American Government

50

3

Not Articulated

Campus requirement, Federal Government only

American Literature

50

3

Not Articulated

Area C2

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

50

3

Not Articulated

Area C2

 

Biology

50

3

Not Articulated

Area B2

Business Law

50

3

Not Articulated

N/A

Calculus

50

3

MATH 75

Area B4

Chemistry

50

3

CHEM 1A (eff SP 21)

Area B1

College Algebra

50

3

MATH 3

Area B4

College Composition

50

3

No Equivalent Course

N/A

College Math

50

3

Math 3 (eff SP 21)

N/A

English Literature

50

3

ENGL 20 (eff SP 21)

Area C2

Financial Accounting

50

3

Not Articulated

N/A

French Level I

50

6

FREN 1A + FREN ELECT (2) 

N/A

French Level II

59

9

FREN 1A + FREN 1B + FREN ELECT (1)

Area C2

German Level I

50

6

GERM 1A + GERM ELECT (2)

N/A

German Level II

59

9

GERM 1A + GERM 1B + GERM ELECT (1)

Area C2

History of the United States I

50

3

HIST 11

Area D, US-1

History of the United States II

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D, US-1

Human Growth and Development

50

3

CFS 38 (eff SP 21)

Area E

Humanities

50

3

Not Articulated

Area C2

Information Systems

50

3

IS 52 (eff SP 21)

N/A

Pre-Calculus

50

3

Math 6 (eff SP 21)

Area B4

Principles of Macroeconomics

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D

Principles of Microeconomics

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D

Natural Sciences

50

3

Not Articulated

Area B1

Introductory Psychology

50

3

PSYCH 10 (eff SP 21)

Area D

Introductory Sociology

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D

Spanish Level II

63

9

Not Articulated

Area C2

Western Civilization I

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D

Western Civilization II

50

3

Not Articulated

Area D