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Course Credit Policies

Advanced Placement

Students achieving a minimum score of three on an Advanced Placement exam of the College Board will receive credit for the specific course covered by the test as determined by the appropriate academic department of the University. Students achieving a score of four or five may receive additional advanced credit. AP credits are not counted toward the senior-college-credit-hour minimum (60).

College-Level Examination Program

Gardner-Webb accepts credit earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) based on exams taken prior to, and through the end of, the student’s first semester of enrollment. CLEP credits are not counted toward the senior-college-credit-hour minimum (60).

Gardner-Webb University grants credit to students submitting test scores from the College-Level Examination Program on the following basis.

  1. Credit will be received on the same basis as transferred credit from accredited institutions of higher learning.
  2. Credit will not be granted in an area for which the examinee has attempted or earned college credit.
  3. Credit earned will be computed in the examinee’s academic record as “CR,” which is hours credit only.
  4. Unsatisfactory scores will not become part of the examinee’s academic record.
  5. A CLEP test on any subject may be submitted only one time.
  6. Students can only receive CLEP credit within their first semester.

The Department of English Language and Literature will grant credit for English 101 (3 hours) to students who make a score of 60 or higher on the English Composition with Essay CLEP test. To earn this credit, students must take only this specific CLEP test, which is offered, administered, and scored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Students are responsible for ensuring ETS sends official notification of the English Composition with Essay score to Gardner-Webb’s Department of English Language and Literature. CLEP credit is not available for English 102.

General examination guidelines are as follows.

  1. The student must submit a score at or above the minimum score set by the American Council on Education listed for each examination.
  2. The number of credit hours granted will be the total normally granted for the area covered by the test with the following restrictions.
    1. A maximum of six credit hours of credit may be granted for each test.
    2. A maximum of three credit hours credit may be granted on the basis of a subscore, provided the area is appropriate.
    3. Credit thus granted may be applied to the student’s course of study only as basic courses or free electives.

Subject examination guidelines are the following.

  1. The student must submit a score at or above the minimum score set by the American Council on Education listed for each examination.
  2. The number of credit hours granted will be determined by the scope of the material measured as indicated by the American Council on Education.
  3. Credit thus granted may be applied to the student’s course of study without restriction.

A detailed list of AP and CLEP equivalencies is available on the Registrar Services section of the website.

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO): The University accepts credit for Higher Level courses completed with scores of five or above. A detailed list of IBO equivalencies is available on the Registrar Services website.

Armed Service-Related Programs

Veterans who have successfully completed a course or courses under the Service School Training Program or through the United States Armed Forces Institute may submit these courses for credit consideration. Gardner-Webb recognizes the Joint Services Transcript transfer recommendations of the American Council on Education and may offer college credits for military service equivalencies. Credit may be applied or University requirement satisfied depending on the student’s specific academic program requirements.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Students having documentation of prior learning experiences that align with specific courses may submit that documentation for evaluation and may possibly gain academic credit. The policies and procedures are set in the context of the Kolb model of adult learning and in conformity with standards of the Council for Adult Experiential Learning.

Course by Arrangement

A course by arrangement is restricted to a degree- or licensure-seeking student (i.e., is not a transient student) in a Gardner-Webb University program of study and a Catalog course which is not offered by the University during a given semester or which cannot be scheduled by the student. The course may be offered to the student on a one-to-one basis, provided the option is limited to instances of extenuating circumstances.

Course by Arrangement requires junior, senior, or graduate standing and the approval of the following: the instructor offering the study, the student’s major department/school, and the appropriate Associate Provost. A course by arrangement must be scheduled before the end of the schedule modification period of each semester. It will not be used to repeat a course unless the course will not be offered within twelve months from the end date of the course to be repeated. No more than two course by arrangements may be applied toward graduation requirements. No more than one course by arrangement can be taken in any one semester.

Credit by Exam

Credit by exam is an in-depth and comprehensive assessment of the student’s ability to answer questions in course content. An acceptable grade on the examination will permit the student to receive credit for the course. To request the opportunity to receive credit by exam, the student must present, in writing, justification for such an examination to the dean of the school or chair of the department in which the course is offered. The dean of the school or chair of the department will appoint a committee to review the request. If the request is approved, the dean or chair will appoint the examining instructor or committee and inform the Student Accounts Office that the student should be charged a per-credit-hour examination fee. If the examination results are acceptable, the examining instructor or committee will report the results, via the Certification of Successful Challenge Examination Form, to the dean of the school or chair of the department. That dean or chair will send a copy of the form to the Registrar, who will credit the student with the appropriate number of hours for the course. No grade will be assigned or averaged into the quality point average.

Independent Study

The term “independent study” is reserved for those courses specifically designed as guided reading and/or for student-initiated research that includes a written project/paper. Independent study requires junior, senior, or graduate standing and the approval of the following: the instructor offering the study, the student’s major department/school, and the appropriate Associate Provost. The student’s proposal must be submitted and approved by the end of the semester preceding the study. An independent study will not be used to repeat a course and is restricted to a degree- or licensure-seeking student in a Gardner-Webb University program of study. No more than six hours of credit in independent study may be applied toward graduation requirements. No more than three hours of independent study can be taken in any one semester.