Credits & Grades
The regulations published in the Undergraduate Catalog are a digest of the rules of the institution. Changes may be made in the regulations at any time to promote the best interests of the university and its students. Students are responsible for knowing the published regulations, policies, and standards of the university and of their college or school.
Credit by Examination
A student may be granted college-level credit for the following types of learning, examinations, or experiences:
- Advanced Placement
- Cambridge International
- College Level Examination Program
- International Baccalaureate
The total number of hours one may earn through credit by examination is no more than half of the total hours required for the degree program. The grade of Z is granted for these credits. The credits will be posted to a student’s academic record upon enrollment.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Students who participate in the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Program offered through their high school, and who earn appropriate scores on the AP examination, will receive the following academic credit:
| Examination | Score | UM Course | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art History | 3-5 | AH 101 | 3 |
| Biology | 3-5 | Bisc 102, 103 | 4 |
| Chemistry | 4-5 | Chem 105 | 3 (no lab credit) |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | Chin 102 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Chin 201, 202 | 6 | |
| Computer Science A | 3 | Csci 103 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Csci 111 | 3 | |
| Computer Science AB | 4-5 | Csci 112 | 3 |
| Economics: Macro | 4-5 | Econ 203 | 3 |
| Economics: Micro | 4-5 | Econ 202 | 3 |
| English Lit/Comp or Lang/Comp | 3-4 | Writ 101 | 3 |
| 5 | Writ 101, 102 | 6 | |
| Environmental Science | 3-5 | 100-level Bisc | 3 |
| European History | 4-5 | Hst 120 | 3 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | Fr 111 | 6 |
| 4-5 | Fr 211 | 6 | |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | Germ 111 | 6 |
| 4-5 | Germ 211 | 6 | |
| Government and Politics: Comparative | 3-5 | Pol 102 | 3 |
| Government and Politics: United States | 3-5 | Pol 101 | 3 |
| Human Geography | 4-5 | 100-level Geog | 3 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | Ital 102 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Ital 201, 202 | 6 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | Japn 102 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Japn 201, 202 | 6 | |
| Latin | 3 | Lat 299 | 3 |
| 4-5 | Lat 299 | 6 | |
| Mathematics: Statistics | 4-5 | Math 115 | 3 |
| Mathematics: Calculus AB | 4-5 | Math 261 | 3 |
| Mathematics: Calculus BC | 4-5 | Math 261, 262 | 6 |
| Mathematics: AB Subscore | 4-5 | Math 261 | 3 |
| Music Theory | 3-5 | Mus 102 | 3 |
| Physics 1 | 4-5 | Phys 213 | 3 |
| Physics 2 | 5 | Phys 214 | 3 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4-5 | Phys 211 | 3 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4-5 | Phys 212 | 3 |
| Psychology | 4-5 | Psy 201 | 3 |
| Spanish Language | 3 | Span 111 | 6 |
| 4-5 | Span 211 | 6 | |
| Spanish Literature | 4-5 | Span 331 | 3 |
| Studio Art: 2-D Design | 4-5 | Art 101 | 3 |
| Studio Art: 3-D Design | 4-5 | Art 103 | 3 |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 4-5 | Art 111 | 3 |
| U.S. History | 4-5 | Hst 130 | 3 |
| World History | 4-5 | 100-level Hst | 3 |
Cambridge International
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) offers many subjects at both the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level and the Advanced (A) level, with credit given at UM as indicated in the table below.
| Cambridge International Exam | Level | Student Score | UM Credit | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | A | C or higher | Arab 111 | 5 |
| Arabic Language | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Art & Design | A | C or higher | see department | variable |
| Art & Design | AS | C or higher | see department | variable |
| Biology | A | C or higher | Bisc 102, 103, 104, 105 | 8 |
| Biology | AS | C or higher | 100-level Bisc | 4 |
| Chemistry | A | B or higher | Chem 105, 115 | 4 |
| Chemistry | AS | B or higher | Chem 101 | 4 |
| Chinese | A | C or higher | Chin 111 | 5 |
| Chinese Language | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Classical Studies | A | E or higher | Clc 101, Clc 102 | 6 |
| Classical Studies | AS | E or higher | 100-level Clc | 3 |
| Economics | A | C or higher | Econ 202, 203 | 6 |
| Economics | AS | C or higher | Econ 101 | 3 |
| English Language | A | C or higher | Writ 101, 102 | 6 |
| English Language | AS | C or higher | Writ 101 | 3 |
| English Language & Literature | AS | C or higher | WRIT 101 | 3 |
| French | A | C or higher | Fr 111 | 6 |
| French Literature | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| French Language | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Further Mathematics* | A | E or higher | Math 261, 262, 319 | 9 |
| Geography | A | C or higher | Geog 101 | 3 |
| Geography | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| German | A | C or higher | Germ 111 | 6 |
| German Language | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Japanese Language | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Global Perspectives & Research | A | C or higher | 100-level Inst | 3 |
| Global Perspectives & Research | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| History | A | C or higher | 100-level Hst | 3 |
| History | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Mathematics** | A | E or higher | Math 261, 262 | 6 |
| Mathematics | AS | E or higher | Math 125 | 3 |
| Music | A | C or higher | Mus 102, 103 | 6 |
| Music | AS | C or higher | Mus 103 | 3 |
| Portuguese | A | C or higher | Port 111 | 6 |
| Portuguese Language | AS | C or higher | Port 101 | 3 |
| Portuguese Literature | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Psychology | A | C or higher | see department | 3 |
| Psychology | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Sociology | A | C or higher | Soc 101 | 3 |
| Sociology | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Spanish | A | C or higher | Span 111 | 6 |
| Spanish Language | AS | C or higher | Span 101 | 3 |
| Spanish Literature | AS | no credit | no credit | 0 |
| Spanish-First Language | AS | C or higher | Span 101 | 3 |
| Thinking Skills | A | E or higher | Phil 101, Phil 103 | 6 |
| Thinking Skills | AS | E or higher | Phil 101 | 3 |
* If the optional statistics portion of the course is completed, then student should contact the Department of Mathematics. In no case will a student earn more than 9 hours of credit for Further Mathematics Exam.
** If the optional statistics portion of the course is completed, then student should contact the Department of Mathematics. In no case will a student earn more than 6 hours of credit for Mathematics A Level Exam.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Receiving CLEP credit in a specific degree program requires the approval of the dean and department chair concerned prior to taking the examination.
Students who earn appropriate scores on selected CLEP examinations will receive the following academic credit:
| Examination | Minimum Score | UM Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | Pol 101 | 3 |
| Biology | 50 | Bisc 102 | 3 |
| Calculus | 50 | Math 261 | 3 |
| Chemistry | 50 | Chem 105, 106* | 6 |
| CLEP Precalculus | 50 | Math 125 | 3 |
| College Algebra | 50 | Math 121 | 3 |
| College Composition | 50 | Writ 101 | 3 |
| French Language | 50 | Fr 111 | 6 |
| French Language | 63 | Fr 111, 211 | 12 |
| German Language | 50 | Germ 111 | 6 |
| German Language | 63 | Germ 111, 211 | 12 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | Psy 301 | 3 |
| Humanities | 50 | Liba 202 | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | Bus 250 | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | Psy 201 | 3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | Soc 101 | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | Liba 205 | 3 |
| Principles of Accounting | 50 | Accy 201, 202 | 6 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 52 | Econ 203 | 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 53 | Econ 202 | 3 |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | Liba 201 | 3 |
| Spanish Language | 50 | Span 111 | 6 |
| Spanish Language | 63 | Span 111, 211 | 12 |
| U.S. History I: Early Colonization to 1877 | 50 | Hst 130 | 3 |
| U.S. History II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | Hst 131 | 3 |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | Hst 120 | 3 |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present | 50 | Hst 121 | 3 |
* Credit is granted in chemistry only if the student also submits a passing score on the American Chemical Society Test administered by the university’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. No credit is granted for chemistry lab courses.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit
The University of Mississippi accepts credit by examination from the International Baccalaureate program as indicated in the following table:
| IB Course | IB Score | UM Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | SL: 5,6,7; HL: 4, 5 | Bisc 102, 103, Bisc 104, 105 (8 hours) |
| Biology | HL: 6, 7 | Bisc 160, 161, 162, 163 (8 hours) |
| Business Management | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | 100 Level Business (3 hours) |
| Chemistry | HL: 4 | Chem 101 (4 hours) |
| Chemistry | HL: 5, 6 | Chem 105, 115, and 100 Level Chemistry (7 hours) |
| Chemistry | HL: 7 | Chem 105, 115, 106, 116 (8 hours) |
| Classical Languages | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | Lat 201, 202 or Gr 201, 202 (6 hours) |
| Computer Science | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | Csci 103 (3 hours) + 100 Level Computer Science (1 hour) |
| Dance | HL: 4,5,6,7 | 100-level Danc (2 hours) |
| Economics | HL: 4,5,6,7 | Econ 202 and 203 (6 hours) |
| Economics | SL: 5,6,7 | Econ 101 (3 hours) |
| Environmental Systems and Societies (SL) | SL: 4,5,6,7 | Bisc 104 (3 hours) |
| Film | HL: 5,6,7 | 100-level Cine (3 hours) |
| Geography | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | Geog 101 (3 hours) |
| Global Politics | HL: 5,6,7 | 100-level Pol (3 hours) |
| History | HL: 4 | 100-level Hst (3 hours) |
| History | HL: 5,6,7 | 100-level Hst (6 hours) |
| Language A | HL: 4,5,6,7 | Contact Department of Modern Languages (maximum of 12 hours) |
| Language ab initio | SL & HL: 5,6,7 | Contact Department of Modern Languages (maximum of 12 hours) |
| Language B | SL: 5,6,7 | Arab or Kor 112 (5 hours); Fr, Germ, Russ, or Span 111 (6 hours); Chin, Ital, Japn, or Port 101 and 102 (6 hours) |
| Language B | HL: 4 | Arab or Kor 112 (5 hours); Fr, Germ, Russ, or Span 111 (6 hours); Chin, Ital, Japn, or Port 101 and 102 (6 hours) |
| Language B | HL: 5,6,7 | Arab or Kor 112, 212 (10 hours); Fr, Germ, Russ, or Span 111 and 211 (12 hours); Chin, Ital, Japn, or Port 101, 102, 201, 202 (12 hours) |
| Mathematics | SL: 4,5,6,7 | Math 267 (3 hours) |
| Mathematics | HL: 4 | Math 267 (3 hours) |
| Mathematics | HL: 5,6,7 | Math 267, 268 (6 hours) |
| Further Mathematics (HL) | HL: 4,5,6,7 | Math 261 (3 hours) |
| Mathematical Studies (SL) | SL: 4 | Math 115 (3 hours) |
| Mathematical Studies (SL) | SL: 5,6,7 | Math 115 (3 hours) |
| Music | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | Contact Department of Music. |
| Philosophy | SL: 6, 7; HL: 4,5,6,7 | Phil 101 (3 hours) |
| Physics | SL: 7; HL 4 | Phys 213, 223 (4 hours) |
| Physics | HL: 5,6,7 | Phys 213 + 223 + 214 + 224 (8 hours) |
| Psychology | HL 4,5,6,7 | Psy 201 (3 hours) |
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | SL & HL: 4,5,6,7 | Anth 101 (3 hours) |
| Theatre | SL: 5,6,7; HL: 4,5,6,7 | Thea 201 (3 hours) |
| Visual Arts | SL: 5,6,7; HL: 4,5,6,7 | Art 101, Art 111 (6 hours) |
| World Religions (SL) | SL: 6,7 | Rel 101 (3 hours) |
As students present transcripts for other International Baccalaureate courses taken at the Higher Level (HL), then the appropriate department will review the course/exam and decide the appropriate University of Mississippi credit.
Advanced Standing Examination
An advanced standing examination is one taken by a student who has had the equivalent of the course under competent instruction but cannot secure credit by transcript. An Application for Special Examination Form, provided by the registrar, must be approved by the instructor giving the examination and the student’s academic dean. A fee is assessed for an advanced standing examination.
No more than 6 semester hours may be credited through advanced standing examinations. Credit by examination will not be given on work completed in high school (except for the Advanced Placement Program), or on work in excess of 65 semester hours transferred from a junior college. If a student enters a more advanced course in the subject, the advanced standing examination should precede registration for the course, and in no case may the examination be given for credit later than three weeks after entering the more advanced course.
Credit for Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces
Credit toward a degree may be granted to those students who submit to the Office of Admissions a certified copy of either D.D. Form 295 or D.D. Form 214, which indicates an honorable discharge and a period of continuous active duty for at least 90 days. Four semester hours in one of the university ROTC programs, or as physical education or elective credit, will be granted for basic training or its equivalent. Upon successful completion of 18 months with the Army National Guard/Active Army Reserve, an additional 6 hours will be awarded in the Army ROTC program. An additional 12 semester hours of credit in one of the ROTC programs may be granted to students who earned a commission while in service. Additional credit for training in formal service schools will be granted on the basis of recommendations published in Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services or the recommendations of the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences to the extent that the recommended credit can be evaluated as equivalent to a specific university course. The maximum credit allowed from these sources is 40 semester hours.
Credit also may be granted for correspondence courses completed through a United States Armed Forces Institute program up to the maximum of 33 semester hours for credit from all correspondence courses. Credit is not granted for correspondence courses administered by the armed services.