College Credit by Examination

Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) recognizes the following types of college credit by examination:

  • Advanced Placement Credit (AP)
  • College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  • ADU Challenge Exam
  • International Baccalaureate Credit (IB)
  • Credit by Validation for Professional Licensure and Registry

College credit that is earned by examination:

  • Will be recorded as a credit received (CR) grade for which no quality points will be given.
  • Will not count toward residency or financial aid hours.
  • Will be awarded only in areas which fall within the regular curricular offerings of Adventist University and which are related to the student’s educational goals.
  • Must be completed within the first week of the course a student wishes to challenge.
  • Must be successfully completed before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Fees charged for CLEP and ADU Challenge Exam and recording fees are listed on the Fee Schedule in the Financial Information section of the Academic Bulletin. Applications are available in the Center for Academic Achievement and the Office of the Registrar.

Advanced Placement Credit

College-level credit may be granted to students who have completed Advanced Placement (AP) college-level courses in high school and have passed the College Board AP Examinations with a minimum score of 4. Partial credit will not be awarded for AP scores below the required minimum score of 4. Credit granted may not exceed credit for similar courses offered at Adventist University. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for a list of exams that are eligible for transfer of credit.

College Level Examination Program

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives students the opportunity to receive college credit for course content they have already mastered through previous coursework or through life experiences. The computer-based program, offered through the CollegeBoard, is available at the Center for Academic Achievement. Students must take a CLEP test rather than the ADU Challenge Examination if there is a CLEP test available.

To qualify for the CLEP test a student must:

  1. Have already taken college-level coursework or obtained equivalent knowledge and/or skill in the subject.
  2. Contact the Center for Academic Achievement for application materials.
  3. Complete the exam before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Repeat Policy: CLEP exams may not be repeated.

Adventist University of Health Sciences does not award credit for all of the CLEP exams provided by the College Board. If a student has already enrolled in a course he or she wishes to challenge, the CLEP must be completed within the first week of the course. Test credit is applied according to the University policy at the time the credit is received and posted by the University. Contact the Center for Academic Achievement to register for the exam. Information on Adventist University courses that qualify for CLEP may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Registrar or the Center for Academic Achievement.

ADU Challenge Exam

The ADU Challenge Exam may be taken if there is no equivalent CLEP test available. Other institutional challenge exams will not be recognized or transferred. The ADU Challenge Exam may only be taken once. The ADU Challenge Exam must be passed at the 80% level.

To qualify for the exam, a student must:

  1. Have already taken college-level coursework or obtained equivalent knowledge and/or skill in the subject.
  2. Petition the department in which the test will be prepared.
  3. Receive approval from the department chair and the Office of Academic Administration.
  4. Complete the exam before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Repeat Policy: ADU Challenge Exams may not be repeated.

If a student has already enrolled in a course he or she wishes to challenge, the ADU Challenge Exam must be completed within the first week of the course.

International Baccalaureate Credit

College-level credit may be granted to students who have completed International Baccalaureate (IB) college-level courses in high school and have passed the IB Examinations with a minimum score of 5. Partial credit will not be awarded for IB scores below the required minimum score of 5. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for the current policy on awarding college-level credit for successfully completed International Baccalaureate exams.

Licensure and Registry

Adventist University of Health Sciences validates college-level credit for eligible students. Students must meet the following criteria:

  1. Acceptance into one of the three Bachelor Completion programs:
    1. Diagnostic Medical Sonography (32 credits)
    2. RN-BSN Completion Program (36 Credits)
    3. BS in Radiologic Sciences (37 Credits)
  2. Current and valid professional licensure or registry in the following areas:
    1. Diagnostic Medical Sonography
    2. Nuclear Medicine Technology
    3. Nursing
    4. Radiography