CUNY Baccalaureate allows students to earn a maximum of 30 non-classroom credits. CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) offers 90-minute computer-based exams in introductory college-level subjects.
Three credits will be awarded per exam when the earned score is at least 50; 6-12 credits are granted for the language exams (higher scores are required for languages, level 2).
There are three CLEP exams the program does not accept: Humanities, Social Science and History, and Natural Science.
Students should be careful not to take exams in subjects for which they have already earned college credit.
Students can earn a maximum of 30 non-collegiate credits. CLEP exams are non-collegiate/non-CUNY credit and therefore are not counted toward residency. Consult your CUNY Baccalaureate academic advisor before registering for these exams to ensure that you have room for non-classroom and non-CUNY credits in your degree program.
CLEP brochures are available in the CUNY Baccalaureate office. More information can be found at www.collegeboard.com/highered/clep.
Refer to the CUNY Baccalaureate Catalog for addition credit-by- exam options and information.
CLEP exams accepted for credit by CUNY BA/BS 7/1/09
| Exam | Minimum Score | Credits | CUNY BA Core Distribution |
| Composition and Literature (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | Literature or Humanities |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | Literature or Humanities |
| English Composition WITH ESSAY* | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| English Literature | 50 | 3 | Literature or Humanities |
| Freshman College Composition | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| Foreign Languages (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| French (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| French (Level 2, first four semesters) | 59 | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| German (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| German (Level 2, first four semesters) | 60** | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| Spanish (Level 1, first two semesters) | 50 | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| Spanish (Level 2, first four semesters) | 63 | 6 | Foreign Language, 2 Semesters |
| History and Social Sciences (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| American Government | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| History U.S. I: Early Colonization to 1877 | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| History U.S. II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Western Civiliz. I: Anc. Near East-1648 | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Western Civiliz. II: 1648 – Present | 50 | 3 | Humanities |
| Science and Mathematics (all Liberal Arts) | |||
| Biology | 50 | 3 | Science |
| Chemistry | 50 | 3 | Science |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | Math |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 3 | Math |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | Math |
| Calculus | 50 | 3 | Math |
| Business (Non-Liberal Arts) | |||
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| Info Systems/Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | N/A |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | N/A |
*Effective Fall 2009, the optional essay must be completed with the English Composition exam in order to receive credit from CUNY BA/BS.
** The required score for German 2 was lowered from 63 to 60 effective July 1, 2008.
