The College Level Examination Program is designed to allow people who have gained knowledge outside the classroom to take examinations and receive college credit for what they have learned.

Procedures for VCU students

Students should obtain CLEP approval forms, information about CLEP general and/or subject examinations, VCU course equivalency information, optional essay requirements and CLEP applications from the Testing Center in the University College, Virginia Commonwealth University, Hibbs Hall, First Floor, P.O. Box 842500, Richmond, VA 23284-2500; (804) 827-8108.
Students should discuss the examination(s) to be taken with an adviser, and obtain permission signatures from the adviser and dean of the school of the major on each of the three approval forms. If the optional essay is required for a subject examination, it should be indicated on the CLEP approval forms and on the CLEP application.
Students should return the completed CLEP approval forms, the completed CLEP application and the proper fee to the Testing Center. After receipt of these materials and fees, the examination time(s) will be scheduled.
The examination score and the result of the optional essay are sent to the dean’s office in which the student is a major for final action. The dean then sends formal notification to the student, the Office of Records and Registration and the student’s adviser.

Regulations for VCU students

CLEP credit is officially awarded only to students who are fully accepted into a VCU degree program.
A student may not attempt a subject or general examination if it duplicates in part, or full, any VCU course or combination of courses that the student has already completed or enrolled in for credit. For example, a student who has completed courses in U.S. and European history, sociology, anthropology and psychology, or similar courses, is not eligible to take the social sciences and history general examination. The dean’s office of the school in which the student is a major makes the decision about the appropriateness of taking a particular examination.
If a student has earned CLEP subject examination credit, the student may not take a VCU course for credit that would duplicate the CLEP credits already earned.
The CLEP general examination in English composition is not acceptable for VCU credit. Students may take the CLEP Freshman College Composition with essay subject examination for credit equivalent to UNIV 111. There is no CLEP exam equivalent for ENGL 200. In order to receive credit for the CLEP general examination in mathematics, the student must take the Mathematics Placement Test and test at the STAT 208, 210 or MATH 200 level. To make arrangements to take this placement test, contact the Testing Center at (804) 827-8108. Results should be reported to the dean of the school in which the student is a major.
A maximum of 54 semester credits can be earned through CLEP examinations.

Undergraduate credit by examination

Recognizing that VCU enrolls students of varying backgrounds and experiences, the university provides its students the opportunity to accelerate their education through credit by examination. The following outline describes conditions under which credit by examination may be given and the procedure for doing so.

With the approval of the dean, each department or program shall:

a. Determine which, if any, courses shall be available for credit by examination. The student should check with the department offering course work in the area in which he or she wishes to take credit by examination for a list of the courses so designated.
b. Determine the types of examinations, standards of evaluation and evaluators for the courses so designated.
c. Determine the qualifications for students to be eligible to take the examinations.
The examinations, if available, may be taken by any enrolled student during the fall and spring semesters and during the summer session.
The student wishing to take credit by examination must meet the following requirements:

a. Not have received a grade listed in this bulletin, including “AU” or “W” for the course for which credit by examination is sought. Also, the student should not have been granted transfer credit for a similar course taken elsewhere.
b. Be a currently enrolled student as certified by the examining department.
c. Meet departmental and school eligibility requirements as evidenced by the written approval of the chair of the examining department.
After consultation with the major adviser and within the first four weeks of a semester or the first week of a summer session, the student must complete the Credit by Examination Approval Form with the department chair. The form, available from the department, should be left with the chair when it is completed.
Within two weeks, the student is notified by the dean’s office of the time and place of examination.
After notification, but before taking the exam, the student must pay the university cashier the fee established by VCU for each credit being sought. As verification of payment, the student presents the receipt to the department chair before the examination is taken.
After the examination is taken, the results and the examination are sent to the dean’s office, which notifies the student of the results. If the student passes the examination, the course title, credits earned and the grade “CR” are recorded on the student’s permanent academic record. Credits so earned are applied toward the graduation requirement for total credits. However, these credits are not included in the computation of the student’s GPA.

Military service and ROTC courses

The university may grant credit for formal military service school courses offered by the various branches of the U.S. Armed Services. The guidelines for granting such credit include:

The positive recommendation of the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences of the American Council on Education as stated in the most recent edition of “A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.”
The applicability of such credit toward the student’s degree program as interpreted by the department or school in which the student seeks a degree. Credits accepted are counted as credits earned toward the degree, but are not used in the computation of the student’s GPA. The student should consult with the dean of the school or college for further details about the procedures for awarding credit for military service school courses.

Army ROTC is open to any VCU student. Advanced standing may be granted to veterans, junior ROTC graduates or members of the Reserves/National Guard after the department chair’s review of academic records and verification of ROTC academic alignment. The number of credits accepted toward graduation requirements is determined by each school. See Military Science and Leadership in the “College of Humanities and Sciences” section of this bulletin.

Credits earned through the International Student Exchange Program

Credits earned by a VCU student through ISEP appear on the student’s transcript, but are not included in the computation of the student’s cumulative GPA. See the “Education Abroad” section of this bulletin. This policy became effective July 1990.