CLEP Exams
CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program. CLEP Exams are offered by the College Board to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in academic subjects through a national, standardized exam. If you receive a score of at least 50 on a CLEP exam, you can send in your scores to be awarded academic credit.
- Request your official CLEP scores to be sent from “My CLEP Account” on the College Board website to the Shasta College Admissions and Record Office, P.O. Box 496006 | Redding, CA 96049-6006
- Upon receipt of your official CLEP scores, the Admissions and Records Office will determine course/unit equivalencies according to the Shasta College CLEP Credit Matrix (see below), and post coursework and units to your Shasta College transcripts.
- Grades and Grade Points will not be assigned to CLEP Credit.
- If you haven’t yet taken any CLEP exams, are interested in doing so, but think you might want to refresh your knowledge in a particular subject, Modern States offers free, online courses that align with CLEP exams.
Please note the following limitations with CLEP exams:
- The University of California (UC) does not accept credit awarded through CLEP.
- The California State University (CSU) has its own CSU CLEP exam policy.
- Private colleges and out of state universities will have their own CLEP exam policies. If you have specific colleges/universities you are interested in, please look at those institutions’ websites for more information.
Please Note: If Shasta College awards Credit for Prior Learning coursework and units, they will be used to fulfill your Shasta College graduation requirements. This coursework and associated units will be added to your Shasta College transcript.
If you plan to transfer to another institution, please be aware that every college/university has their own policies about Credit for Prior Learning. What was accepted at Shasta College may not be accepted at another institution.
Credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
A student may submit official College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test results to Shasta College from the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Contact the CEEB for a testing center location (Shasta College is not a testing center). CEEB established the program to serve students who have a college-level education developed outside of the classroom (e.g. military experience/training). The following restrictions apply:
- A scaled score of 50 or higher on a CLEP examination will earn credit for most exams. See chart below for exceptions. (For the older General Exams, a score of 500 or better will earn credit).
- Units awarded for satisfactory completion of CLEP examinations will post as electives, except as noted by departmental policy referenced below.
- Grades and grade points will not be assigned to CLEP units.
- Units awarded through CLEP will not apply toward the 12-unit residency requirement for Shasta College.
- The University of California (UC) does not currently accept credit awarded through CLEP.
- Where considered by the appropriate department and division, CLEP Examinations may satisfy specific courses or a specific course prerequisite. Contact the appropriate department or Division to determine which, if any, of the examinations may satisfy specific courses or course prerequisites. Minimum scores for Shasta College course equivalencies, where established, may be obtained from Admissions and Records.
- Contact the Admissions and Records Office or Counseling for more information.
- Shasta College will grant credit for the following CLEP Subject Exams in accordance with the CSU system-wide policy:
- College Algebra – Trigonometry/Passing Score: 50/3 semester units
- Calculus/Passing Score: 50/3 semester units
- Chemistry/Passing Score: 50/3 semester units
- For CLEP tests in the same language other than English:
- Only one exam score may be applied toward the CSU degree.
- A passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit.
- A passing score higher than 50 is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth.
All CSU campuses will accept the exams shown below toward fulfillment of the designated General Education-Breadth area if the examination is included in a full or subject-area certification. The CSU campus to which the student is transferring determines the total number of units awarded for successful completion of a CLEP examination and the applicability of the examination to other graduation requirements.
Please note that transfer institutions may not allow and/or may limit CLEP credit.
| CLEP Exam | Passing Score | Equivalent Shasta College Course | Min. Sem. Credits Earned Toward CSU Admssn* | Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth Cert. | CSU GE Area | Removal Date for GE Breadth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | POLS 2 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 11A or ENGL 11B | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Biology | 50 | BIOL 10 | 3 | 3 | B2 | |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 3A | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Chemistry | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | B1 | |
| College Algebra | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| College Algebra – Trigonometry | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| College Composition | 50 | ENGL 1A♦♦ | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| College Composition – Modular | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| College Mathematics | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Composition (no essay) | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Composition with essay | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL 13A or ENGL 13B | 3 | 3 | C2 | F11** |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | ACCT 2 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| French Level I | 50 | N/A | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| French Level II | 59 | N/A | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| Freshman College Composition | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| German Level I | 50 | N/A | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| German Level II | 60 | N/A | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| History, United States I | 50 | HIST 17A | 3 | 3 | D + US-1 | |
| History, United States II | 50 | HIST 17B | 3 | 3 | D + US-1 | |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | ECE 1 | 3 | 3 | E | |
| Humanities | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | N/A | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | N/A | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | BUAD 6 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | PSYC 1A | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | SOC 1 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | B1 or B2 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | MATH 2 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Principles of Accounting | 50 | N/A | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 1B | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Principles of Management | 50 | BUAD 91 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | BUAD 77 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 1A | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| Spanish Level I | 50 | N/A | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| Spanish Level II | 63 | N/A | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| Trigonometry | 50 | N/A | 3 | 3 | B4 | F06** |
| Western Civilization I | 50 | HIST 2 | 3 | 3 | C2 or D | |
| Western Civilization II | 50 | HIST 3 | 3 | 3 | D |
* These units count toward eligibility for admission to CSU. The units may not apply towards Associate Degrees for Transfer (AD-T) or the baccalaureate degree. The units may not all apply toward certification of the corresponding GE-Breadth area. See Executive Orders 1036 and 1100 Revised for details.
** Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date.
♦♦ The CLEP-equivalent course at Shasta College course differs from what a CSU system school would award for CSU GE area credit. Check with a counselor for restrictions.
See Board Policy/Administrative Procedure 4235 for more information.
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