Using your AP, IB, PSEO and CLEP credits at St.Cloud State University
You can save time and money: Using AP, IB, PSEO, and CLEP at SCSU
There are a number of ways for students to earn college-level credits in high school. They offer opportunities for ambitious students to move quickly into more advanced levels of study, and to receive baccalaureate credit upon entering college.
St. Cloud State University participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) program, International Baccalaureate (IB) program, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and accepts credits earned through the Minnesota Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program.
St. Cloud State University is a formal participant in the Advanced Placement Program administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. The Advanced Placement Program provides for college level work during the high school years. Credit is awarded to any student enrolled at St. Cloud State University who provides evidence of earning a score of three (3) or higher on an advanced placement examination.
AP Subject | Course | AP Score |
Credit | SCSU Equivalent |
Art | Art History | 3-5 | 6 | ART LEP G6 & ART Elective Studio |
Art Drawing | 3-5 | 6 | ART LEP G6 & ART Elective | |
Studio Art 2-D Design | 3-5 | 6 | ART LEP G6 & ART Elective | |
Studio Art 3-D Design | 3-5 | 6 | ART LEP G6 & ART Elective | |
Biology | Biology | 3 | 6 | BIOL LEP G3 & BIOL Elective 4-5 8 BIOL 151 & 152 |
Chemistry | Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM 160 |
4 | 8 | CHEM 160 & CHEM 210 | ||
5 | 12 | CHEM 160, CHEM 210 & CHEM 211 | ||
Chinese | Chinese Language & Culture | 3-5 | 11 | LC 101, 102, 110 |
Computer Science | Computer Science A | 3-5 | 3 | CSCI 200 |
Computer Science AB | 3-5 | 6 | CSCI 200 & CSCI 262 | |
Comp. Science Principles | 3-5 | 3 | CSCIT Elective | |
Economics | Macroeconomics | 3-5 | 3 | ECON 205 |
Microeconomics | 3-5 | 3 | ECON 206 | |
English | English Language & Composition | 3 | 6 | ENGL LEP G6 & ENGL 100 4-5 7 ENGL 191 & ENGL 184 |
English | Literature & Composition | 3 | 6 | ENGL 184 & ENGL 100 |
4-5 | 7 | ENGL 191 & ENGL 184 | ||
Environmental Science | Environmental Science | 3-5 | 3 | ETS 260 |
French | French Language & Literature | 3 | 10 | FREN 201, FREN 202, FREN 220 |
4 | 13 | FREN 201, FREN 202, FREN 220, FREN 301 | ||
5 | 16 | FREN 201, FREN 202, FREN 220, FREN 301, FREN 302 | ||
German | German Language & Literature | 3 | 10 | GER 201, GER 202, GER 220 |
4 | 13 | GER 201, GER 202, GER 220, GER 301 | ||
5 | 16 | GER 201, GER 202, GER 220, GER 301, GER302 | ||
Government & Politics | Comparative Government | 3-5 | 3 | LEP G5 |
Government & Politics | 3-5 | 3 | POL 111 | |
History | United States History | 3-5 | 6 | HIST 140 & HIST 141 |
World History | 3-5 | 6 | HIST LEP G5 & HIST Elective | |
European History | 3-5 | 6 | HIST LEP G5 & HIST Elective Human Geography Human Geography ‘3-5 3 GEOG 270 | |
Italian | Italian Language & Culture | 3-5 | 18 | LC 101, LC 102, LC 201, LC 202, LC 250 or LC G6 |
Japanese | Japanese Language & Culture | 3-5 | 16 | JPN 101, JPN 102, JPN 201,JPN 202 |
Latin | Latin Vergil or Literature | 3-5 | 3 | Humanities LEP G6 |
Mathematics | Calculus AB | 3 | 8 | MATH 115 & 211 |
4-5 | 9 | MATH 115 & 221 | ||
Calculus BC | 3 | 9 | MATH 221 & 115 | |
4-5 | 13 | MATH 221, 222 & 115 | ||
Music | Music Theory | 3-5 | 6 | MUSM 101 & MUSM Elective |
Physics | Physics 1: Alg-based | 3-5 | 4 | PHYS 231 |
Physics 2: Alg-based | 3-5 | 4 | PHYS 232 | |
Physics C-Electricity & Mag. | 3-5 | 3 | PHYS 235 | |
Physics C-Mechanics | 3-5 | 3 | PHYS 234 | |
Psychology | Psychology | 3-5 | 3 | PSY 115 |
Spanish | Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN 201 |
4 | 10 | SPAN 201, SPAN 202, SPAN 222 | ||
5 | 13 | SPAN 201, SPAN 202, SPAN 222, SPAN 310 | ||
Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 10 | SPAN 201, SPAN 202, SPAN 222 | |
4 | 13 | SPAN 201, SPAN 202, SPAN 222, SPAN 310 | ||
5 | 16 | SPAN 201, SPAN 202, SPAN 222, SPAN 310, SPAN 345 | ||
Statistics | Statistics | 3 | 3 | STAT 193 |
4-5 | 3 | STAT 239 |
SCSU grants three credits for each score of three or higher on qualifying exams. (Specific courses may award more.) If the equivalent class at SCSU is more than three credits, the student has completed the course requirement, but is not granted additional credit.
LEP - Liberal Education Program
Students who complete an IB diploma shall be granted six (6) lower division course credits for scores of 4 or higher on each Higher Level IB examinations and two (2) lower division course credits for scores of 4 or higher on each Standard Level IB examination.
Students who complete individual Higher Level IB examinations shall receive three (3) or more course credits for scores of 4 or higher on individual Higher Level IB examinations.
Students who complete individual Standard level examinations shall receive two (2) or more credits for scores of 4 or higher on individual Standard Level IB examinations.
IB Subject | IB Grade | Credits | SCSU Equivalent |
Arts (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | ART LEP G6 |
Biology (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | BIOL LEP G3or see department |
Business Management (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | MKTG 100 |
Chemistry (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | CHEM LEP G3 or see department |
Classical Languages (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | Humanities LEP G6 |
Computer Science (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | CSCI 169 |
Economics (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | ECON 201 |
English (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | Humanities LEP G6 |
English: Lang and Lit (HL) | 4 or above | 3 | LEP G6 |
Foreign Languages (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | LEP G6 or G8 |
Geography (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | GEOG LEP G5 |
German: Literature (HL) | 4 or above | 3 | LEP G8 |
Global Politics | 4 or above | 3-6 | University Elective |
History (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | HIST LEP G5 |
Info Tech Global (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | University Elective |
Language B (HL) | 4 or above | 3 | German 101 |
Mathematics (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | MATH 105 |
Further Mathematics (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | University Elective |
Music (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | MUSM 100 |
Philosophy (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | PHIL 194 |
Physics (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | PHYS LEP G3 or see department |
Psychology (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | PSY 115 |
Sociology Cultural Anth. (HL) | 4 or above | 3-6 | ANTH 150 |
World Cultures (HL) | 4 or above | 3 | University Elective |
The College Level Examination is a nationwide service made available to colleges and universities bythe College Board in Princeton, N.J. Every month examinations are given at various locations throughout the United States. St. Cloud State University will grant credit for scores at or above the 50th percentile.
CLEP Subject Examinations | Accepted Score | Credits | SCSU Equivalent |
Accounting, Principles of | 50 | 6 | University Elective |
Business Law, Introductory | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | CSCI 169 |
Management, Principles of | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
Marketing, Principles of | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
American Literature | 50 | 6 | ENGL184&ENGL T** Alternates: ENGL 201 or ENGL G6 |
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature | 50 | 6 | ENGL184&ENGL T** Alternates: ENGL 201 or ENGL G6 |
English Composition with Essay | 50 | 6 | ENGL 100 |
English Composition without essay | 50 | 6 | ENGL 100 |
English Literature | 50 | 6 | ENGL 184 plus 3 cr. Univ. El. Alternates: ENGL 201 |
College Composition | 50 | 4 | ENGL 191 |
College Composition Modular | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
Humanities | 50 | 6 | ENGL 184 & Univ. El. Alternates: ENGL 201 or ENGL G6 |
French Language, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | FREN 101 & 102 |
French Language, Level 2 | 62 | 12 | FREN 101, 102 & 201 |
German Language, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | GER 101 & 102 |
German Language, Level 2 | 63 | 12 | GER 101, 102 & 201 |
Spanish Language, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | SPAN 101 & 102 |
Spanish Language, Level 2 | 66 | 12 | SPAN 101, 102, & 201 |
American Government | 50 | 3 | POL 111 |
Educational Psychology, Introduction to | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
History of the US I: Early Colon. to 1877 | 50 | 3 | HIST 140 |
History of the US II: 1865 to Present | 50 | 3 | HIST 141 |
Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | PSY 240 |
Macroeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | ECON 205 |
Microeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | ECON 206 |
Psychology, Introductory | 50 | 3 | PSY 115 Alternate: CPSY 101 |
Social Sciences and History | 50 | 6 | SSCI LEP G5 plus University Elective |
Sociology, Introductory | 50 | 3 | SOC 160 |
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | 3 | HIST LEP G5 |
Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present | 50 | 3 | HIST LEP G5 |
Biology | 50 | 6 | BIOL LEP G3 plus University Elective |
Calculus | 50 | 6 | MATH 221 plus University Elective |
Chemistry | 50 | 6 | CHEM 160 plus University Elective |
College Algebra | 50 | 3 | MATH 112 |
College Mathematics | 50 | 6 | MATH 193 plus University Elective |
Natural Sciences | 50 | 6 | NSCI LEP G3 plus 3 cr. Univ. Elec. |
Precalculus | 50 | 5 | MATH 115 |
Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | University Elective |
The Minnesota Post Secondary Education Act (PSEOA) enables students enrolled in Minnesota Public Schools to enroll in college classes during their junior and senior years. These classes are paid for by the student’s home school district, and must be approved by high school officials. Interested students should begin by talking with their high school guidance counselors to assure that they meet requirements and that classes will satisfy graduation requirements. Juniors must be in the top third of their high school class; seniors in the top half. Test scores may also be accepted for admission. Please contact the Office of Admissions for further details. SCSU accepts PSEO credits earned at other institutions with a grade of “C” or higher. Admissions to the PSEO program does not constitute admission to the university as a degree-seeking student, so those planning to continue at SCSU should follow regular freshman application procedures during their senior year. All completed coursework will become a part of a student’s college transcript and may be used to satisfy appropriate requirements. SCSU admits both full-and part-time PSEO students.