CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations
(as of March 2025)
| College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Tests | Passing Score | Minimum Semester Credits Earned1 | Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth Certification | American Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area2 | Removal Date for GE Breadth3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art History | 3 | 6 | 3 | C1 or C2 | |
| Biology | 3 | 6 | 4 | B2 and B3 | |
| Calculus AB4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Calculus BC4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | B4 | |
| Calculus BC/AB Subscore4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Chemistry | 3 | 6 | 6 | B1 and B3 | F'09 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 6 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Computer Science A4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Computer Science AB4 | 3 | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 6 | 3 | B4 | |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 6 | 3 | A2 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 6 | 6 | A2 and C2 | |
| Environmental Science5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B2 and B3 | F'09 |
| Environmental Science5,7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| European History | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 or D | |
| French Language | 3 | 6 | 6 | C2 | F'09 |
| French Language | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | F'11 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| French Literature | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | F'09 |
| German Language | 3 | 6 | 6 | C2 | F'09 |
| German Language | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | F'11 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Latin Literature | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | F'09 |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Latin: Vergil | 3 | 3 | 3 | C2 | F'12 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Music Theory | 3 | 6 | 3 | C1 | F'09 |
| Physics B6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | B1 and B3 | F'09 |
| Physics B6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | B1 and B3 | F'15 |
| Physics 16 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| Physics 26 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| Physics C (electricity/magnetism)6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| Physics C (mechanics)6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | B1 and B3 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Spanish Language | 3 | 6 | 6 | C2 | S'14 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | 6 | 6 | C2 | S'13 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 6 | 3 | C2 | |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Studio Art — 2D Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Studio Art — 3D Design | 3 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Studio Art — Drawing | 3 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| U.S. Government & Politics | 3 | 3 | 3 | D and US-2 | |
| U.S. History | 3 | 6 | 3 | (C2 or D) and US-1 | |
| World History - Modern | 3 | 3 | 3 | C2 or D |
| 1 | These units count toward eligibility for admission. 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. |
| 2 | Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1100 REVISED. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 1061, and at assist.org. |
| 3 | Student seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date. |
| 4 | If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. |
| 5 | Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply to either B1+B3 or B2+B3 of GE Breadth. Fall of 09 or later, those credits may only apply to B1+B3. |
| 6 | If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units of credit may be applied to a certification in GE Breadth. |
| 7 | CSU Credit for Prior Learning Policy (Article 1, B, 2, c): Credit for passage of standardized examinations shall not be awarded if equivalent degree credit has been previously earned for regular coursework, prior learning assessment, or other instructional processes”. |
CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations (as of March, 2021)
| College Level Examination Program (for CSU only) | Passing Score | Minimum Semester Credits Earned1 | Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth Certification | American Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area2 | Removal Date for GE Breadth3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Biology | 50 | 3 | 3 | B2 | |
| Calculus | 50 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Chemistry | 50 | 3 | 3 | B1 | |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| College Algebra – Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| College Composition | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| College Composition – Modular | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Composition (no essay) | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Composition with Essay | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| English Literature | 50 | 3 | 3 | C2 | F'11 |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| French3 Level I | 50 | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| French3 Level II | 59 | 12 | 3 | C2 | F'15 |
| French3 Level II | 59 | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| Freshman College Composition | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| German3 Level I | 50 | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| German3 Level II | 60 | 12 | 3 | C2 | F'15 |
| German3 Level II | 60 | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| History, United States I | 50 | 3 | 3 | D and US-1 | |
| History, United States II | 50 | 3 | 3 | D and US-1 | |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | 3 | E | |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | 3 | C2 | |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | 3 | 3 | B1 or B2 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | 3 | B4 | |
| Principles of Accounting | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | 0 | N/A | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | 3 | D | |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | 0 | 0 | N/A | |
| Spanish3 Level I | 50 | 6 | 0 | N/A | |
| Spanish3 Level II | 63 | 12 | 3 | C2 | F'15 |
| Spanish3 Level II | 63 | 9 | 3 | C2 | |
| Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | 3 | B4 | F'06 |
| Western Civilization I | 50 | 3 | 3 | C2 or D | |
| Western Civilization II | 50 | 3 | 3 | D |
| 1 | These units count toward eligibility for admission. 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. |
| 2 | Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1100 REVISED. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections 1A and 1B of EO 1061, and at assist.org. |
| 3 | If a student passes more than 1 CLEP test in the same language other than English (e.g., two exams in French), then only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. For each test in a language other than English, a passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit; the higher score listed for each test is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth, as noted. |
CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations (as of March, 2021)
| International Baccalaureate Exam (CSU and IGETC) | Passing Score | Minimum Semester Credits Earned1 | Semester Credits Toward CSU GE Breadth Certification | American Institutions and/or CSU GE Breadth Area2 | IGETC Semester/Quarter Units Earned | IGETC Area (Passing score of 5, 6 or 7 | Removal Date for GE Breadth3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | B2 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 5B (without lab) | |
| Chemistry HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | B1 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 5A (without lab) | |
| Economics HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | D | 3 sem/4 qrt | 4B | |
| Geography HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | D | 3 sem/4 qrt | 4E | |
| History (any region) HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | C2 or D | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3B or 4F5 | |
| Language A1 (any language) HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | C2 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3B and 6A | F'13 |
| Language A2 (any language) HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | C2 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3B and 6A | F'13 |
| Language A Literature HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | C2 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3B | |
| Language A Language and Literature HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | C2 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3B | |
| Language B (any language) HL4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | N/A | 3 sem/4 qrt | 6A | |
| Mathematics HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | B4 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 2A | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | B4 | 3 sem/4 qtr | 2A | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | B4 | 3 sem/4 qtr | 2A | |
| Physics HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | B1 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 5A (without lab) | |
| Psychology HL | 5 | 6 | 3 | D | 3 sem/4 qrt | 4I | |
| Theater HL | 4 | 6 | 3 | C1 | 3 sem/4 qrt | 3A |
| 1 | These units count toward eligibility for admission. 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. |
| 2 | Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1033. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 405, and at assist.org. |
| 3 | Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date. |
| 4 | The IB Curriculum offers language at various levels for the native and non-native speakers. Language B courses are offered at the intermediate level for non-natives. Language A1 and A2 are advanced courses in literature for native and non-native speakers, respectively. |
| 5 | IB exam may be used in either area of IGETC regardless of where the certifying CCC’s discipline is located. |