Transfer Credits and Credit by Examination

The following policies regarding the College Board’s Advanced Placement examination scores apply for the 2024-25 academic year:

Africana Studies

• African American Studies – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted.

Asian Languages and Literatures

• Chinese Language and Culture – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted if student successfully fulfills the language requirement through the Carleton Chinese placement exam.
• Japanese Language and Culture – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted if student successfully fulfills the language requirement through the Carleton Japanese placement exam.

Art and Art History – A maximum twelve credits granted from 2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, and Drawing. Credits from AP do not apply to the major. Placement awarded beyond ARTS 110, but only after departmental review of the portfolio.

• Art History – Score of 5: 6 credits granted.
• 2-D Art and Design – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted.
• 3-D Art and Design – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted.
• Drawing – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted.

Biology

• Biology
  • Score of 3 or 4: 6 credits granted, credits do not apply to the major. Both introductory courses (Biology 125 and Biology 126) are required for upper-level courses in biology.
  • Score of 5: 6 credits granted that count toward the biology major and placement is awarded into Biology 126; Biology 125 is not required for upper-level courses in biology.

Chemistry – Students receiving this AP credit cannot also get credit for Chemistry 123 or 128. The Chemistry Department strongly encourages students receiving AP credit to wait until their sophomore year to take Chemistry 233 (Organic Chemistry I).

• Chemistry
  • Score of 3: Placement is awarded into Chemistry 123 or 128. No course credit offered.
  • Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted that count toward a chemistry major and placement is awarded into Chemistry 224 or Chemistry 233. Students receiving this AP credit cannot also get credit for Chemistry 123 or 128.

Classics

• Greek – There is no Greek Advanced Placement Test, however, placement and fulfillment of the Language Requirement may be awarded to new students with the appropriate knowledge of ancient Greek. Students who need to take a Greek placement exam should contact the department chair.
• Latin
  • Score of 1-4: No credit granted. Placement determined after taking the on-line Latin exam.
  • Score of 5: 6 credits granted and the Language Requirement fulfilled either by passing the departmental on-line Latin Placement Test or by placing into and successfully completing Latin 204 with a grade of C- or above.

Computer Science

• Computer Science A – Score of 4 or 5: exemption granted for Computer Science 111; 6 credits granted which count toward a computer science major (for Computer Science 111).
• Computer Science Principles – Score of 5: 6 credits granted. Credits do not apply to toward the computer science the major.

Economics – A maximum six credits granted from Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Students receiving AP credit cannot also get credit ECON 110 or ECON 111.

• Only Macroeconomics – Score of 5: 6 credits and exemption granted from Economics 110.
• Only Microeconomics – Score of 5: 6 credits and exemption granted from Economics 111.
• Both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics – Score of 5: 6 credits and exemption granted from Economics 110 and 111.

English

• English Language and Composition – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted. Credits do not apply to toward English major.
• English Literature and Composition
  • Score of 4 : 6 credits granted. Credits do not apply to toward English major.
  • Score of 5: 6 credits granted for English major and exemption from “Foundations” requirement.

Environmental Studies

• Environmental Science – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted. Credits from AP do not apply to the major.

European Studies

• Italian Language and Culture – No course credit offered.

French and Francophone Studies

• French Language and Culture
  • Score of 1, 2, 3: No credit or placement awarded. If the Language Requirement is to be fulfilled with the French language or placement in the French course sequence is desired, take the French Placement Test.
  • Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course above Level 204; Language Requirement fulfilled.

Geology

• Human Geography – No course credit offered.

German and Russian

• German Language and Culture
  • Score of 1, 2, 3: No credit or placement awarded. If the Language Requirement is to be fulfilled with the German language, or placement with the German course sequence is desired, take the German Placement Test.
  • Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course for which the level 204 language class is a prerequisite; Language Requirement fulfilled.

History – The History department will count no more than 12 pre-matriculation credits total toward the major from approved exams (AP and/or IB), and majors are strongly encouraged to count no more than 6 such credits toward the major.

• European History – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted which count toward a history major for Modern/Modern European field.
• United States History – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted which count toward a history major for United States field.
• World History: Modern -Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted. Credits do not apply to toward history major.

Mathematics and Statistics

• Calculus AB – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted which count toward the Mathematics major (for Mathematics 111)
• Calculus BC Score of 3 and Calculus AB subscore 4: 6 credits granted which count toward the Mathematics major (for Mathematics 111)
• Calculus BC- Score of 4 or 5: 12 credits granted which count toward the Mathematics major (for Mathematics 111 and 120) 
• Precalculus – No course credit offered.
• Statistics- Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted. Credits do not apply to the Statistics major. Suggested placement into Statistics 230, but enrollment in Statistics 120 Introduction to Statistics is allowed.

Music

• Music Theory – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted. This does not grant students automatic exemption from Music 103 (Musicianship Lab I) and/or Music 110 (Theory I); exemption in these courses is determined by departmental placement exam. Credits earned via the AP exam do not count for elective credit in the major or minor.

Physics – No more than 6 total credits can be granted for AP Physics exams.

• Only Physics 1: Algebra-Based – Score of 3, 4, or 5: 3 credits granted.
• Bother Physics 1: Algebra-Based and Physic 2 Algebra-based – Score of 3, 4, or 5 on both exams: 6 credits granted. Score of 3 suggested placement into Physics 131 (five weeks course) or Physics 143 or Physics 145 (ten week courses). Score of 4 or 5 suggested placement into Physics 144 (10 week course) with appropriate math preparation.
• Only Physics C: Mechanics – Score of 3, 4, or 5: 3 credits granted.
• Only Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Score of 3, 4, or 5: 3 credits granted.
• Both Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Score of 3, 4 or 5 on both exams: 6 credits granted. Score of 4 or 5 suggested placement into Physics 144 (10 week course). Placement into higher courses possible, but will be determined individually upon consultation with the department.

Political Science and International Relations

• United States Government and Politics – Score of 5: 6 credits granted.
• Comparative Government and Politics – Score of 5: 6 credits granted.

Psychology

• Psychology – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits and exemption from Psychology 110 requirement.

Spanish

• Spanish Language and Culture – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course above Level 204; Language Requirement fulfilled.
• Spanish Literature and Culture – Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted and placement awarded into any course above Level 204; Language Requirement fulfilled.

Carleton’s policy for the 2024-25 academic year on awarding credit for International Baccalaureate higher level examinations is as follows:

Asian Languages and Literatures

• Chinese A: Language and Literature – Score of 5, 6 or 7: 6 credits granted if student successfully fulfills the language requirement through the Carleton Chinese placement exam.
• Japanese A: Language and Literature – Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted if student successfully fulfills the language requirement through the Carleton Japanese placement exam.

Art and Art History

• Studio Art, General: Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted. Placement awarded beyond ARTS 110, but only after departmental review of the portfolio. Credits do not apply to the major.

Biology

• Biology
  • Score of 4 or 5: 6 credits granted, both introductory courses are required for upper-level courses in biology.
  • Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted that count toward the biology major and placement is awarded into Biology 126, Biology 125 is not required for upper-level courses in biology.

Chemistry

• Chemistry – Students receiving this IB credit cannot also get credit for Chemistry 123 or 128. The Chemistry Department strongly encourages students receiving IB credit to wait until their sophomore year to take Chemistry 233 (Organic Chemistry I)
  • Score of 4: Placement is awarded into Chemistry 123 or 128.
  • Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits are granted that count toward the chemistry major and placement is awarded into Chemistry 224 Principles of Chemistry II or CHEM 233 Organic Chemistry I.

Economics

• Economics – Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits and exemption granted from Economics 110 and 111.

English

• English Language A: Language and Literature – Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted.
• English Language A: Literature – Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted for English major and exemption from “Foundations” requirement.

French and Francophone Studies

• French: Language B —Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course for which the level 204 language class is a prerequisite; Language Requirement fulfilled.

German and Russian

• German: Language B – Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course for which the level 204 language class is a prerequisite; Language Requirement fulfilled.

History – The History department will count no more than 12 pre-matriculation credits total toward the major from approved exams (AP and/or IB), and majors are strongly encouraged to count no more than 6 such credits toward the major.

• History—Score of 5, 6 or 7 in any test, 6 credits granted, which may be applied toward a major field and/or total major credits with approval by the History Department Chair.

LATIN—No course credit offered. Placement subject to Carleton Placement Exam.

MATHEMATICS and STATISTICS—Analysis and Approaches Higher Level: Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits are granted which count toward the Mathematics major (for Mathematics 111).

MUSIC—Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted. This does not grant students automatic exemption from Music 103 (Musicianship Lab I) and/or Music 110 (Theory I); exemption in these courses is determined by departmental placement exam. Credits earned via the IB exam do not count for elective credit in the major or minor.

PHILOSOPHY—Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted.

PHYSICS—Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted. Placement into courses will be determined individually upon consultation with the Department.

PSYCHOLOGY—Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits and exemption from Psychology 110.

RUSSIAN—Score of 5, 6, or 7: 6 credits granted if student successfully fulfills the language requirement through the Russian placement exam.

SPANISH—Score of 6 or 7: 6 credits granted; placement awarded into any course for which the level 204 language class is a prerequisite; language requirement fulfilled.

Carleton will grant credit for selected High-Level (HL) A-Level (Cambridge) examinations with grades of B or higher. A laminated score card must be presented to the Registrar’s Office for credit to be awarded; the Office will make a copy of your card and return the card to you.

Students who have completed international college-level examinations comparable to AP or IB exams may be eligible for course placement. To determine eligibility, please contact the Registrar’s Office.