Credit for Prior Learning
Undergraduate students may receive credit for prior learning through the following means:
Credit By Assessment
Undergraduate students may receive credit for courses evaluated and approved for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE). Listings of ACE approved courses and credit recommendations are contained in two publications: A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces and The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs. Credits received are subject to the same policies as those of any other transfer credit.
Undergraduate students who are active military or reservists and participated in the off-duty, voluntary education programs of the Department of Defense, may receive credit for coursework taken while active military or in reserves.
Credit By Exam
Undergraduate students may earn credit by exam only through qualifying scores on the following examinations:
- Cambridge International A Level
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
- College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
- Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)
- Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI)
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL)
An examination for credit cannot be taken while enrolled in, after enrollment or after withdrawing from the course in which the examination for credit is requested.
The Office of University Registrar may award credit only upon receipt of official results directly from the testing service.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
| Area | Test Name | SLU Equivalent | Score Needed | Credit Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | Principles of Biology | BIOL 1100 | 60 | 4 |
| Education | Psychology of Teaching | EDF 4800 | 50* | 3 |
| Financial Accounting | Introduction to Accounting | ACCT 2200 | 52 | 3 |
| History | History of U.S. I | HIST 1600 | 60* | 3 |
| History | History of U.S. II | HIST 1610 | 60* | 3 |
| History | West. Civ. I | HIST 1110 | 60* | 3 |
| History | West. Civ. I | HIST 1120 | 60* | 3 |
| Psychology | General Psychology | PSY 1010 | 51 | 3 |
| Sociology | Introduction to Sociology | SOC 1100 | 51 | 3 |
| * | Departmental exam also required; may be taken fall or spring semester. |
College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
| Area | Test Name | SLU Equivalent | Score Needed | Credit Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | Principles of Biology | BIOL 1100 | 4 | 4 |
| Computer Science | Computer Sci. Principles | CSCI 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Computer Science | Computer Sci. A | CSCI 1300 | 4 | 4 |
| Chemistry | General Chemistry | CHEM 1110, CHEM 1115, CHEM 1120, CHEM 1125 | 5 | 8 |
| Earth Sciences | Intro, Enviro. Science | EAS 1080 | 4 | 3 |
| Economics | Principles of Microeconomics & Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 1900, ECON 1ELE | 4 (on both tests) | 6 |
| English | Lang. & Comp. | ENGL 1900 | 4 | 3 |
| English | Lit. and Comp. | ENGL 2020 | 4 | 3 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Art History | ARTH 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Studio Art (Drawing) | ART 2000 | 4 | 3 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Studio Art (2-D Design) | ART 2100 | 4 | 3 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Studio Art (3-D Design) | ART 2120 | 4 | 3 |
| French | French Language^ | FREN 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| French | French Language^ | FREN 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| French | French Literature^ | FREN 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| French | French Literature^ | FREN 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| German | German Language^ | GR 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| German | German Language^ | GR 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| History | U.S. History | HIST 1600 | 4 | 3 |
| History | World History | HIST 1120 | 4 | 3 |
| History | European History | HIST 1120 | 4 | 3 |
| Italian | Italian Lang. & Culture^ | ITAL 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| Italian | Italian Lang. & Culture^ | ITAL 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| Latin | Latin Literature^ | LATN 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| Latin | Latin Literature^ | LATN 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| Latin | Vergil^ | LATN 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| Latin | Vergil^ | LATN 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| Mathematics | Calculus AB (or AB subtest of BC)* | MATH 1510 | 4 | 4 |
| Mathematics | Calculus BC | MATH 1510, MATH 1520 | 4 | 8 |
| Mathematics | Statistics | MATH 1300 | 4 | 3 |
| Physics | Physics I | PHYS 1220 | 4 | 4 |
| Physics | Physics II | PHYS 1240 | 4 | 4 |
| Physics | Physics C | PHYS 1610, PHYS 1620 | 5 | 4 |
| Political Science | U.S. Government & Politics | POLS 1100 | 4 | 3 |
| Political Science | Comparative Politics | POLS 1500 | 4 | 3 |
| Psychology | General Psychology | PSY 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Sociology | Human Geography | SOC 1180 | 4 | 3 |
| Sociology | Introduction to Sociology | SOC 1100 | 4 | 3 |
| Spanish | Spanish Language^ | SPAN 1020 | 3 | 3 |
| Spanish | Spanish Language^ | SPAN 2010 | 4 | 3 |
| * | Students who receive 1818 Mathematics credit by examination in this course are not eligible to receive AP credit. |
| ^ | For each College Board Advanced Placement (AP) score, credit will be given only for the level indicated. |
International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL)
| Area | Test Name | SLU Equivalent | Score Needed | Credit Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology | Anthropology and Geography | ANTH 1200 | 5 | 3 |
| Biology | Biology | BIOL 1240, BIOL 1245, BIOL 1260, BIOL 1265 | 5 | 8 |
| Chemistry | Chemistry | CHEM 1110, CHEM 1115, CHEM 1120, CHEM 1125 | 5 | 8 |
| Computer Science | Computer Science | CSCI 1010, CSCI 1300 | 5 | 7 |
| Economics | Economics | ECON 1900 | 5 | 3 |
| English | Language A: language and literature | ENGL 1900, ENGL 2020 | 6 | 6 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Visual Arts | ARTH 1000 | 5 | 3 |
| Fine and Performing Arts | Theatre | THR 1000 | 5 | 3 |
| French | French Language A^ | FREN 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| French | French Language A^ | FREN 1020 | 5 | 3 |
| French | French Language A^ | FREN 2010 | 6 | 3 |
| Geography | Physical Geography | EAS 1170 | 5 | 3 |
| German | German Language A^ | GR 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| German | German Language A^ | GR 1020 | 5 | 3 |
| German | German Language A^ | GR 2010 | 6 | 3 |
| Greek | Greek Language A^ | GK 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Greek | Greek Language A^ | GK 1020 | 5 | 3 |
| Greek | Greek Language A^ | GK 2010 | 6 | 3 |
| History | American History | HIST 1600, HIST 1610 | 6 | 6 |
| Latin | Latin Language A^ | LATN 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Latin | Latin Language A^ | LATN 1020 | 5 | 3 |
| Latin | Latin Language A^ | LATN 2010 | 6 | 3 |
| Political Science | Global Politics | POLS 1000 | 6 | 3 |
| Mathematics | Mathematics^ | MATH 1510 | 5 | 4 |
| Mathematics | Mathematics (with Topic 9 Calculus)^ | MATH 1510, MATH 1520 | 6 | 8 |
| Spanish | Spanish Language A^ | SPAN 1010 | 4 | 3 |
| Spanish | Spanish Language A^ | SPAN 1020 | 5 | 3 |
| Spanish | Spanish Language A^ | SPAN 2010 | 6 | 3 |
| Philosophy | Philosophy | PHIL 1050 | 6 | 3 |
| Physics | Physics | PHYS 1220, PHYS 1240 | 5 | 8 |
| Psychology | Psychology | PSY 1010 | 5 | 3 |
| * | Saint Louis University departmental exam also required; may be taken fall or spring semester. |
| ^ | For each International Baccalaureate (IB) score, credit will be given only for the level indicated. |
High School Dual Enrollment
1818 Advanced College Credit Program
Transfer Credit
Students who have completed (or plan to complete) coursework at regionally accredited colleges or universities may request an evaluation for transfer credit.
Coursework may be considered for transfer credit if all of the following conditions are met:
- The coursework is completed at a regionally accredited institution or dean approved international institution.
- The final grade posted for each potential transfer course is a C letter grade (or above).
- The Office of the University Registrar has received either
- a sealed official transcript, sent to the Office of the University Registrar, One Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103, or
- an official electronic transcript sent to registrar@slu.edu.
Students may be asked to provide a syllabus containing a written description of the course(s) from the other institution.
Transfer credit may be awarded for which Saint Louis University has no equivalent course. This credit may be accepted as Requirements (#REQ) Elective (#ELE).
- Courses articulated as #ELE will apply to General Elective requirements only†.
- Courses articulated as #REQ will apply toward requirements in General Electives, College/School Cores., Majors, Minors and Concentrations.
| † | Elective (ELE) courses may satisfy College/School Core requirements if a requirement lists all course in a range of courses (e.g. the A&S Social Science requires any Political Science course (POLS xxxx). |
Students seeking to transfer coursework taken more than 10 years previously may, at the discretion of the dean, be required to complete proficiency exams, take additional courses or repeat selected courses if the student’s ability to progress through the program of studies would be jeopardized without such remediation. This policy also may apply to coursework fewer than 10 years old for disciplines in which, in the judgment of the faculty and the dean, the body of knowledge (or its interpretation) has undergone significant or rapid change.