Testing for Credit

Credit by Exam

You can earn credit by exam by taking national tests and departmental exams.

1. Nationally-Recognized Tests

A. College Board Advance Placement (AP) Exams
AP Test Score Credit Course
Art History 3 3 ARTS 1303
Biology 3 4 BIOL 1406
Calculus AB 3 4 MATH 2413
Calculus BC 3 4 MATH 2414
Chemistry 3 4 CHEM 1411
Drawing 3 3 ARTS 1316
English Language & Composition 3 3 ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1302
English Language & Composition 4 6 ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302
English Literature & Composition 3 3 ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1302
English Literature & Composition 4 6 ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302
European History 3 3 HIST 2311
French Language & Culture 3 4 FREN 1411 or FREN 1412
French Language & Culture 4 8 FREN 1411 and FREN 1412
German Language & Culture 3 4 GERM 1411 or GERM 1412
German Language & Culture 4 8 GERM 1411 and GERM 1412
Macroeconomics 3 3 ECON 2301
Microeconomics 3 3 ECON 2302
Psychology 3 3 PSYC 2301
Spanish Language & Culture 3 4 SPAN 1411 or SPAN 1412
Spanish Language & Culture 4 8 SPAN 1411 and SPAN 1412
Spanish Literature & Culture 3 3 SPAN 1300
Spanish Literature & Culture 4 6 SPAN 1300
United States Government and Politics 3 3 GOVT 2305
United States History 3 3 HIST 1301

Physics and Chemistry Note: Course and number of hours credited depend on exams successfully completed. May require chairperson’s evaluation of scores and your credentials, including high school transcript and record of laboratory work.

B. ACT/SAT

The Department of English and Philosophy will award credit for ENGL 1301 when any of the following conditions are met:

  1. Have an ACT English score of 31/SAT verbal score of 680 or
  2. Have an ACT English score of 28–30/SAT verbal score of 670 and predominantly "A" grades in four years of high school English or
  3. Have an ACT English score of 26–27/SAT verbal score of 660 and all "A" grades in four years of high school English.

Scores cannot be more than five years old.

C. College Board Achievement Exams (SAT II)
Del Mar Course Examination Passing Score
CHEM Chemistry (see "Chemistry Note" below)
ENGL 1301 English Composition Achievement Exam (DMC Essay required) 620
ENGL 1302 English Literature and Composition (DMC Essay Required) 620

Chemistry Note: Course and number of hours credited depend on exams successfully completed. May require chairperson’s evaluation of scores and student’s credentials, including high school transcript and record of laboratory work.

D. DANTES (DSST, DANTES Subject Standardized Test)
Del Mar Course Examination Passing Score
ARTS 1301 Art Appreciation 44
BMGT 1301 Supervision 46
BUSI 1301 Intro to Business 46
CRIJ 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice 50
GEOG 1303 Geography 60
ITSC 1301
COSC 1301
Computing and Information Technology 46
ITSY 1300 Fundamentals of Cybersecurity 46
E. CLEP (College Level Examination Program) Subject Examination
Del Mar Course Examination Passing Score
ACCT 2301 Financial Accounting 50
BIOL 1406 Biology 50
BIOL 1407 Biology 50
BMGT 1327 Principles of Management 47
CHEM Chemistry (see "Chemistry Note" below)
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics 50
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics 50
ENGL 1301 College Composition (Essay section required) 55
ENGL 2326 American Literature (Essay section required) 50
FREN 1411, FREN 1412 Level I 44
FREN 2311, FREN 2312 Level II 55
GERM 1411, GERM 1412 Level I 44
GERM 2311, GERM 2312 Level II 58
GOVT 2305 American Government 52
MRKG 1311 Principles of Marketing 48
PSYC 2301 Introduction to Psychology 55

Chemistry Note: Course and number of hours credited depend on exams successfully completed. May require chairperson’s evaluation of scores and student’s credentials, including high school transcript and record of laboratory work.

F. International Baccalaureate (IB)
SL = Standard Level exam HL = Higher Level exam
IB Examination Score Del Mar College Course(s)
Biology (HL) 4,5,6,7 BIOL 1406
Business Management 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in Business
Chemistry (SL) 4,5,6,7 CHEM 1411 and CHEM 1412
Computer Science 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in Computer Science
Economics (SL) 4,5,6,7 ECON 2301 and ECON 2302
Economics (HL) 4,5,6,7 ECON 2301 and ECON 2302
English (SL)
Language A1 or A2 4,5,6,7 ENGL 1301 and ENGL 2332
English (HL)
Language A1 or A2
Extended Essay
4,5,6,7 ENGL 1301, ENGL 1302 and ENGL 2332
Environmental Systems and Socieities 4,5,6,7 4 hrs. credit in science
Geography 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in geography
Greek, Classical 4,5,6,7 14 hrs. credit in foreign language
Information Technology
in a Global Society
4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in social science
Latin 4,5,6,7 14 hrs. of foreign language credit
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (HL) 4,5,6,7 6 hrs. credit in math
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL) 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in math
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (SL) 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in math
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (HL) 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in math
Modern Languages
Language A1 or A2
(SL) or (HL)
French 4,5,6,7 FREN 1411, FREN 1412, FREN 2311, FREN 2312
German 4,5,6,7 GERM 1411, GERM 1412, GERM 2311, GERM 2312
Spanish 4,5,6,7 14 hrs. of foreign language credit
Music 4,5,6,7 MUSI 1306
Philosophy 4,5,6,7 3 hrs. credit in philosophy
Physics (SL) and (HL) 4,5,6,7 PHYS 1401 and PHYS 1402
Psychology 4,5,6,7 PSYC 2301
Theatre 4,5,6,7 DRAM 1310
Visual Arts 4,5,6,7 ARTS 1301

2. Departmental Exams

Each department chairperson sets the requirements to meet in order to take a departmental examination for credit. Generally, you are eligible to apply for this exam if you earned predominantly “A” grades in the subject in high school and scored exceptionally high on a nationally-recognized test and/or if you can demonstrate to the department chairperson significant and relevant experience in the subject area.

Departmental exams will not be given for developmental courses, nor for any course in which you are presently enrolled. Arrangements for testing are made through the department chairpersons.