You can find information about transferring previously earned college credits in the Transferring Credits section of this Web site.
Here are a few additional options for earning credits toward your Penn State degree program. In order for the credit to appear on your transcript, you will need to be in degree status or have completed at least one 3-credit course at Penn State.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Penn State awards credits to students who achieve scores equivalent to the American Council on Education (ACE) recommended score to receive credit as indicated in the schedule at the Penn State Undergraduate Admission CLEP site. Contact us for more information, or visit the Penn State Undergraduate Admissions CLEP site.
Credit Acquisition by Validation
Students who have earned a grade of C (2.0) or better in a course at an institution outside the United States or at an institution that is not regionally accredited (but is licensed to offer associate or higher degrees) may seek credit by validation. Credit is validated by the Penn State department in which an equivalent course is taught. Contact us for more information.
Credit by Examination
If you are a Penn State resident instruction (on-campus) student who is interested in credit by examination, please contact the department that offers the course at your Penn State campus and ask them about credit-by-examination opportunities.
World Campus students who have completed at least one Penn State course for 3 or more credits may earn additional credits, to fulfill degree requirements, through successful completion (C or better) of a comprehensive examination, which is a substitute for completing the usual requirements of a course. This is called "credit by examination." There is a per-credit fee assessed for this option.
The World Campus has approved the following courses for credit by examination: CAS 283, D S M 101 (1 credit), D S M 105, D S M 205, D S M 250, D S M 260, HRIM 204, HRIM 250, HRIM 310, and MUSIC 008.
Credit by examination may not be used to earn credit for a course previously completed with a quality letter grade (including courses that were failed) and may not be attained on the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading system. Grades of C or above are recorded on your transcript. No notation is made if a grade of D or F is earned (and the fee will not be refunded).
Contact us for the most up-to-date list of approved courses and a credit-by-examination application form, which includes further instructions and procedures. Exam preparation materials are available through MBS Direct.
