Advanced Placement (AP)
Students requesting Credit for Prior Learning using Advanced Placement (AP) shall receive credit for completing a satisfactory score on an advanced placement exam offered by the College Board per the following policy:
- AP test scores of 3, 4 or 5 are considered satisfactory for earning college credit. No credit will be given for scores of 1 or 2.
- AP credit can be used to certify general education requirements for transfer to the California State University and University of California under the California Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
- AP credit units granted at MSJC do not necessarily align in the same ways for transfer to other colleges and universities. The transferability of AP credit outside of MSJC is determined by each four-year college or university according to their policies. For further information, please refer to each college or university’s own catalog.
- Students will not be given duplicate credit for college courses that align to AP exams.
- Students must submit a copy of their AP test scores to the Enrollment Services Office. Exams and courses for which AP credit is granted will be posted on the student’s transcript.
- AP credit can be used to meet MSJC graduation requirements for local degrees.
Advanced Placement Examinations for California State University
Per CSU Statewide Credit for External Examinations policy, it provides systemwide information regarding credit awarded for external examinations including the College-Level Examination Program, the International Baccalaureate, and the College Board Advanced Placement Tests. This policy also provides information regarding credit awarded through Associate Degrees for Transfer.
It is important to note that:
- Each CSU campus still determines how it will apply external examinations toward credit in the major pursuant to CSU Credit for Prior Learning Policy
- Each CSU campus determines how to apply credit from such exams toward the local degree requirements.
- This CSU-approved list of external examinations does not apply to Cal-GETC certification areas. Refer to the Cal-GETC Standards for Credit by Exams.
- Students must score a 3, 4, or 5 on an Advanced Placement examination to receive credit.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | ||
| African American Studies | 3 semester units | |
| Art History | ||
| Art History | 6 semester units | |
| Biology | ||
| Biology | 6 semester units | |
| Chemistry | ||
| Chemistry | 6 semester units | |
| Computer Science | ||
| Computer Science A | 3 semester units | |
| Computer Science AB | 6 semester units | |
| Computer Science Principles | 6 semester units | |
| Economics | ||
| Macroeconomics | 3 semester units | |
| Microeconomics | 3 semester units | |
| English | ||
| English Language | 6 semester units | |
| English Language and Composition | 6 semester units | |
| English Literature | 6 semester units | |
| English Literature and Composition | 6 semester units | |
| Environmental Science | ||
| Environmental Science | 4 semester units | |
| Government and Politics | ||
| Comparative | 3 semester units | |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 semester units | |
| History | ||
| European History | 6 semester units | |
| United States History | 6 semester units | |
| World History- Modern | 3 semester units | |
| Geography | ||
| Human Geography | 3 semester units | |
| Language Other Than English | ||
| Chinese Language and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| French Language and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| German Language and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| Latin | 6 semester units | |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 6 semester units | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 6 semester units | |
| Mathematics | ||
| Calculus AB | 3 semester units | |
| Calculus BC | 6 semester units | |
| Calculus BC/AB Subscore | 3 semester units | |
| PreCalculus | 3 semester units | |
| Statistics | 3 semester units | |
| Physics | ||
| Physics 1 | 4 semester units | |
| Physics 1: Algebra Based | 4 semester units | |
| Physics 2 | 4 semester units | |
| Physics 2: Algebra Based | 4 semester units | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 semester units | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 semester units | |
| Psychology | ||
| Psychology | 3 semester units | |
| Seminar | ||
| Seminar | 3 semester units | |
| Studio Arts | ||
| 2-D Design Portfolio | 3 semester units | |
| 3-D Design Portfolio | 3 semester units | |
| Drawing | 3 semester units | |
For information on how AP exams can be applied to Cal-GETC requirements see the MSJC Advanced Placement Exam Table.
Advanced Placement Examinations for University of California
UC may grant credit for AP exams.
It is important to note that:
- For transfer students, AP exams can also be used to meet transfer admission subject requirements in English (UC-E), Math (UC-M) and 4 other courses chosen from the humanities (UC- H), behavioral/social sciences (UC-B) and biological/physical sciences (UC-S).
- Students must score a 3, 4, or 5 on an Advanced Placement examination to receive credit.
- The credit may be subject credit, graduation credit or credit toward general education requirements, as determined by evaluators at each UC campus.
- Students should be aware that college courses taken prior to or after enrolling at the University may duplicate the content of AP examinations. In these cases, the University may not award credit for both the course and the AP exam.
- UC does not accept projected scores for AP exams.
- Credit awarded for Advanced Placement tests is described by campus (see appropriate UC AP credits).
UC NOTES: All AP exams are reevaluated by the UC at time of application for acceptance into majors.
A maximum of 5.3 semester/8 quarter units is allowed in each of the following Art (Studio) Exams: 2-D Design; 3-D Design; Drawing.
A maximum of 5.3 semester/8 quarter units is allowed in each of the following English Exams: Language and Composition; Literature and Composition.
A maximum of 5.3 semester/8 quarter units is allowed in each of the following Mathematics Exams: Calculus AB; Calculus BC.
A maximum of 5.3 semester/8 quarter units is allowed in each of the following Physics Exams: Physics 1; Physics 2; Physics C Mechanics; Physics C Electricity and Magnetism
UC grants credit for the full Music Theory exam. Students who earn only a subscore will not receive exam credit.
AB subscore on Calculus BC examination
- Students who take the Calculus BC examination and earn a subscore of 3 or higher on the Calculus AB portion will receive 4 quarter units for the Calculus AB examination, even if they do not receive a score of 3 or higher on the BC examination (note that the maximum credit awarded for both exams is 8 quarter units). Note: No credit is awarded for the Precalculus exam offered in 2024 and beyond.
Duplication with college courses
- Students should be advised that college courses taken before or after attending UC may duplicate AP, IB and/or other external exams. Additionally, exams may duplicate each other (for example, an AP or IB exam in the same subject area).
- If the student does duplicate an exam with another exam of the same subject content, and/or an exam with a college course, we will award credit only once.
| Subject | Score |
|---|---|
| African American Studies | 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Art, Studio | 2-D Design: 5.3 1 |
| 3-D Design: 5.31 | |
| Drawing: 5.31 | |
| Art History (UC-H) | 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| Biology (UC-S) | 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| Chemistry (UC-S) | 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| Computer Science | Computer Science A: 5.3 semester 8 quarter 3 |
| Computer Science Principles: 5.3 semester 8 quarter 3 | |
| Economics (UC-B) | Microeconomics: 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Macroeconomics: 2.6 semester 4 quarter | |
| English | Language and Composition (UC-E): 5.3 semester 8 quarter 4 |
| Literature and Composition (UC-E/H): 5.3 semester 8 quarter 4 | |
| Environmental Science (UC-S) | 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Government and Politics (UC-B) | United States: 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Comparative: 2.6 semester 4 quarter | |
| History (UC-B/H) | United States History: 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| European History: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| World History: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Human Geography (UC-B) | 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Language Other than English (UC-H) | Chinese Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| French Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| German Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Italian Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Latin: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Japanese Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Spanish Language and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture: 5.3 semester 8 quarter | |
| Mathematics (UC-M) | Calculus AB: 2.6 semester/ 4 quarter 2 |
| Calculus BC: 5.3 semester 8 quarter2 | |
| Music Theory (UC-H) | 5.3 semester 8 quarter |
| Physics (UC-S) | Physics B: 5.3 semester 8 quarter5,6 |
| Physics 1: 5.3 semester 8 quarter 5,6 | |
| Physics 2: 5.3 semester 8 quarter 5,6 | |
| Physics C Mechanics: 2.6 semester 4 quarter 5,6 | |
| Physics C Electricity and Magnetism: 2.6 semester 4 quarter5,6 | |
| Psychology (UC-B) | 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
| Statistics (UC-M) | 2.6 semester 4 quarter |
- 1
UC unit limitation: 5.3 semester/8 quarter unit maximum for all three Art and Design AP exams.
- 2
Calculus AB Subscore on BC exam: Students who take the Calculus BC examination and earn a subscore of 3 or higher on the Calculus AB portion will receive 4 quarter/2.7 semester units for the Calculus AB examination, even if they do not receive a score of 3 or higher on the BC examination (maximum credit awarded for both exams is 8 quarter/5.3 semester units from UC and 6 semester from CSU)
- 3
Computer Science A: 5.3 semester/ 8quarter units (beginning May 2018, students entering UC prior to fall 2018)
Computer Science Principles: 5.3 semester 8 quarter units
- 4
Maximum credit for one AP English exam may be used toward transfer and maximum 6 semester/9 quarter units can be applied towards general education.
- 5
Physics 1 and Physics 2 AP exams were replaced Physics B in 2015.
- 6
Maximum UC transfer credit for ALL Physics exams is 5.3 semester/8 quarter units.