1996-1997 catalog

Alternative Ways to Earn Credit

Advanced Placement Credit

Advanced placement credit is awarded based on national or departmental placement examinations. Methods and standards for awarding advanced placement credit are listed below.

Local Advanced Placement Credit

English - Only freshmen with appropriate test scores (taken since October 1989) may receive local advanced placement credit in English. If you're an incoming freshman with:

1. an English ACT score of 30 or higher or
2. a verbal SAT score of 680 or higher,

you may receive credit for ENGL 111X by:

1. enrolling in a 200- or 300-level literature course at UAF and completing it with a grade of "C" or better or
2. waiting until you have sophomore standing (30 credits or more) and completing ENGL 211X or 213X with a grade of "C" or better.

You must submit an "application for ENGL 111X credit" form to the Office of The Registrar at the end of the semester in which you completed an advanced English course.

Foreign Language - If you have previous exposure to a language outside of college, and want to continue studying that language, you will need to take a placement test. See Course Placement.

After completing the course in which you were placed (above 101) and earning a grade of "C" or higher, you may ask to receive "bonus credit" for the two immediately preceding prerequisite courses, if any. However, credit cannot be awarded for such courses if university credit has already been granted for them (for example, through College Board A.P. national tests or credit transfer from another college). Bonus credit will not awarded for special topics courses, individual study courses, literature or culture courses.

Mathematics - If you are placed in an advanced math course and you complete MATH 201, 202, 273 or 302 at UAF with a grade of "C" or better, you may also receive credit for any prerequisite calculus course. See "Course Placement."

College Board Advanced Placement

UAF grants advanced credit, with waiver of fees, for a score of three or higher in the College Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Tests. Normally, you take these tests during your senior year in high school.

To receive CEEB Advanced Placement credit, you must request that an official report of your examination scores be sent to the Office of The Registrar. When you enroll, you will be awarded appropriate credit. You may receive credit for more than one Advanced Placement examination.

Credit by Examination

There are several ways that you can earn college credit by receiving a passing score on an exam. For any of the credit by exam options, grades are not computed in the GPA. Credit by examination is not considered UAF residence credit, and is not considered as part of the semester course load for full-time classification. You will only be awarded credit by examination if you're currently enrolled, or if you were previously enrolled at UAF as a degree student. The credit by examination options are briefly outlined below. More information can be obtained from the UAF Testing Services Office.

1. CLEP (College Level Examination Program) CLEP is a national testing program that awards college credit for some introductory courses. The exams cost $52 each, and are administered one day each month. To register for a CLEP exam or to receive more information, contact Testing Services.

   The following criteria apply to CLEP General Exams:

   1. If you've earned as many as six semester credits in an area covered by a CLEP General Exam, no credit will be awarded for successfully completing that exam.
   2. UAF currently accepts credit for all five CLEP General Exams listed below.
      English Composition w/Essay -- Three credits for ENGL 111X are granted for a 500 score.
      Humanities -- Six humanities elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
      Mathematics -- Three mathematics elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
      Natural Sciences -- Six natural science elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
      Social Sciences/History -- Six social science elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
   The following criteria apply to CLEP Subject Exams:
   1. You may not duplicate a course for which you've already been given credit, or for which you're currently enrolled.
   2. If you've audited a course, you can't take the CLEP Subject Exam for that course for one year.
   3. The minimum passing scores for approved CLEP Subject Exams is 50 with the exception of the listed foreign languages. French Level I minimum score is 42; Level II - 50; German Level I - 44; Level II - 55; Spanish Level I - 45; Level II - 55.

   CLEP Subject Exams Currently Accepted

   Test Name	UAF Course	Credits
   American Government	PS 101	3
   American History I	HIST 131	3
   American History II	HIST 132	3
   Biology	BIOL 105X/106X	8
   Calculus w/Elem. Functions	MATH 200	4
   College Algebra	MATH 107 or 161	3
   College Algebra/Trig.	MATH 107/108	5
   Educational Psychology	ED 330	3
   French/Level I	FREN 101/102	10
   French/Level II	FREN 201/202	6
   General Chemistry	CHEM 105X/106X	8
   General Psychology	PSY 101	3
   German/Level I	GER 101/102	10
   German/Level II	GER 201/202	6
   Human Growth & Devmt.	PSY 240	3
   Info. Syst. & Computer Apps.	AIS 310	3
   Intro. Accounting	ACCT 101	3
   Intro. Business Law	BA 330	4
   Intro. Marketing	BA 343	3
   Intro. Microeconomics	ECON 201	3
   Intro. Macroeconomics	ECON 202	3
   Intro. Sociology	SOC 101	3
   Spanish/Level I	SPAN 101/102	10
   Spanish/Level II	SPAN 201/202	6
   Trigonometry	MATH 108	2
   Western Civilization I	HIST 101	3
   Western Civilization II	HIST 102	3
   * Laboratory experience required ** Minimum score required varies on each subject level

2. DANTES-DSST (Standardized Subject Tests)
   DSST is a national testing program which offers exams in traditional academic, vocational/technical and business subject areas. Although UAF doesn't administer the exams, credit is awarded for successfully completing DANTES tests as recommended by the American Council of Education. Acceptance of the DANTES exam for a specific catalog course or as a major/minor requirement is subject to departmental approval.
3. Local Credit by Exam Program
   You can be awarded credit through the local credit by exam program if you're currently enrolled. Subject to departmental approval, most courses are available for credit by exam, except those with numbers ending -90 through -99 (193, 292, 497, etc.). A course challenged for credit can't duplicate a course for which you've already been granted credit, or for which you are currently enrolled. If you've audited a class, you can't request credit by examination for that class until one year has passed since the end of the semester in which you audited the course.

   As part of the application process, you and your instructor will agree on the topics to be covered, the type of exam, the date of the exam and the grading method. You must complete the examination within 90 days of applying. If you miss this deadline, you'll have to reapply and pay an additional fee.

   The non-refundable fee is $40 per credit hour for undergraduate and graduate courses. Contact the Testing Services Office to obtain credit by examination forms or for more information on challenging a course.

Independent Learning

The Independent Learning Program, administered by the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, offers an alternative for people who seek a college education but cannot attend classes. The unique advantage of independent learning (correspondence study) is its flexibility. You select your own hours of study and work at your own pace in surroundings you choose. Independent learning offers you the freedom to structure a personal academic schedule and continue educational progress even when personal circumstances make it impossible to attend scheduled classes.

For UAF students, UAF independent learning courses count as residence credit. When you enroll in an independent learning course during the regular semester enrollment period and complete the course during the same semester, the course may be used in determining full-time/part-time status, consolidated tuition, and eligibility for financial aid and scholastic action. The grade will average in the semester and cumulative grade point averages. When you enroll in an independent learning course at other times of the year, the credit and grade will not impact the credit load or semester grade point average for any other UAF semester enrollments.

An Independent Learning Program catalog detailing policies regarding enrollment, transfer, withdrawal, extension, reinstatement, fees, materials and course descriptions is available from the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, 130 Harper Building, (907) 474-5353; fax (907) 474-5402; Internet: SYCDE@orca.alaska.edu.

Learning Cooperative

The University of Alaska Learning Cooperative coordinates the university's distance education programs. Through the use of instructional technology and by encouraging collaborative delivery of these programs among UA units, the cooperative is helping to make more courses and programs available to students away from Alaska's urban centers. The UALC also supports the use of alternative methods of instruction to meet the needs of students for whom regular campus-based programs are impossible, due to the demands of employment, family or community commitments. The UALC publishes a Distance Education Bulletin which contains information about programs available to students throughout the state. A selection of electronically delivered courses is also available through the UALC. Students may register locally for these courses, even if the courses originate from another unit within the university system. UALC courses are designed to supplement students' curricular options. For information, ask your adviser or registration staff.

Credit for Prior Learning

In acknowledging that individuals learn a great deal outside the walls of educational institutions, some UAF departments participate in a program where up to 25 percent of the total credit requirements may be granted to you for prior learning if you're an enrolled certificate, associate or bachelor's degree student. Credentials are reviewed by faculty from participating departments who make recommendations for awarding prior learning credit for specific courses that will apply toward certificate, associate or baccalaureate degree requirements. Credit received for prior learning doesn't impact your GPA and is not considered as residence credit. For further information concerning credit for prior learning, contact the Advising Center at the Fairbanks campus. The university will award transfer credit for specified national and state authorizations, certificates, credentials and/or examinations (see "Transfer of Credit.") which don't need to be reviewed for credit for prior learning.