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1998-1999 Catalog

Undergraduate


Applying for Admission

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 may receive local advanced placement credit in English. If you're an incoming freshman with an English ACT score of 30 or higher or a verbal SAT score of 680 or higher, you may receive credit for ENGL 111X by enrolling in a 200- or 300-level literature course at UAF and completing it with a grade of "C" or better, or 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 Admissions at the end of the semester in which you completed an advanced English course.

Foreign Language

After completing the course in which you were placed (above 101) and earning a grade of "B" 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 Advanced Placement national tests or credit transfer from another college). Bonus credit will not be 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 201X, 202X 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 Admissions. When you enroll, you will be awarded appropriate credit. You may receive credit for more than one Advanced Placement examination.

CEEB ExaminationUAF Course EquivalentCredits
American Gov't & PoliticsPS 101 3
American HistoryHIST 131/1326
Art: HistoryART 261/2626
Art: Studio (drawing)ART electives6
Art: Studio (gen portfolio)ART electives6
BiologyBIOL 105X/106X 8
ChemistryCHEM 105X/106X 8
Classics: Virgil (Level 3)LANG electives8
Classics: Latin LyricLANG electives8
Comparative Gov't & PoliticsPS 2013
Computer Science ACS 2013
Computer Science ABCS 201/2026
Economics -- MicroECON 2013
Economics -- MacroECON 2023
English Lit & CompENGL 111X3
English Lang & CompENGL 111X3
European HistoryHIST 101/1026
French LanguageFREN 101/10210
French LiteratureFREN elective (200 level)2
FREN 2013
German LanguageGER 101/10210
German LiteratureGER electives2
GER 2013
Math: Calculus ABMATH 200X4
Math: Calculus BCMATH 200X/201X8
Music Listening & LiteratureMUS 1233
MUS electives3
Music TheoryMUS 131/132/133/1348
Physics BPHYS 103X/104X8
Physics C: MechanicsPHYS 211X4
Physics C: Elec & MagPHYS 212X4
PsychologyPSY 1013
Spanish LanguageSPAN 101/10210
Spanish LiteratureSPAN elective (200 level)2
SPAN 2013
StatisticsSTAT 2003

X = Course meets baccalaureate core requirement.

Students should consult the "Table of Substitutions" to determine what other courses may meet baccalaureate core requirements.

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.

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 -- 3 credits for ENGL 111X are granted for a 500 score.
    Humanities -- 6 humanities elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
    Mathematics -- 3 mathematics elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
    Natural Sciences -- 6 natural science elective credits are granted for a 500 score.
    Social Sciences/History -- 6 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 is 50; German Level I is 44; Level II is 55; Spanish Level I is 45; Level II is 55.

CLEP Subject Exams Currently Accepted

Test NameUAF CourseCredits
American GovernmentPS 101 (s)3
American History IHIST 131 (s)3
American History IIHIST 132 (s)3
General BiologyBIOL 105X/106X (n)8
Calculus w/ Elem. FunctionsMATH 200 (m)4
College AlgebraMATH 107 or 161 (m)3
College Algebra/Trig.MATH 107/108 5
Intro. Educ. Psych.ED 330 3
* College FrenchFREN 101/102 (h)10
FREN 201/202 (h)6
General ChemistryCHEM 105X/106X (n)8
Introductory PsychologyPSY 101 (s)3
* College GermanGER 101/102 (h)10
GER 201/202 (h)6
Human Growth & Devmt.PSY 240 (s)3
Info. Syst. & Computer Apps.AIS 310 3
Intro. AccountingACCT 1013
Intro. Business LawBA 3304
Principles of MarketingBA 3433
Intro. MicroeconomicsECON 201 (s)3
Intro. MacroeconomicsECON 202 (s)3
Intro. SociologySOC 101 (s)3
* College SpanishSPAN 101/102 (h)10
SPAN 201/202 (h)6
TrigonometryMATH 108 (m)2
Western Civilization IHIST 101 (s)3
Western Civilization IIHIST 102 (s)3

* Two to four years language training required -- total score determines credit award.

DANTES-DSST (Standardized Subject Tests)

DSST is a national testing program that 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.

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, rein-statement, 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; email: 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 advisor or registration staff.

Credit for Prior Learning

In acknowledging that individuals learn a great deal outside the walls of educational institutions, certificate, associate or bachelor degree students may have up to 25 percent of the total program requirements granted for prior learning.

Credentials are reviewed by faculty from participating departments who make recommendations for awarding prior learning credit. Review is made based on equivalency to courses listed in the UAF catalog. Credit received for prior learning doesn't impact your GPA and is not considered as residence credit.

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. For further information or assistance, contact the Academic Advising Center, 506 Gruening Building, UAF Campus, (907) 474-6396.