COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP)
The following policy regarding the College Level Examination Program, having been adopted by the University previously and, with current review completed, is effective July 1, 2010. Any deviation in policy must be with the approval of the Registrar's Office.
At a May 1972 meeting, the Faculty approved the policy of giving credit for Subject Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). As a part of the approval, it was noted that some examinations are not acceptable for Bucknell credit: College Algebra Examination, College Mathematics Examination, and the Pre-calculus Examination. Others have been added based on recent departmental review.
A maximum of six BU course credits may be earned from credit granted for achievement on comparable CLEP subject examinations, from credit by examination, or from nontraditional study courses.
Credit for CLEP examinations will not be granted when an individual has previously received credit for the same subject material by any of the following means:
- transfer credit through course completion at another college/university
- through Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (IB)/General Certificate of Education (GCE) credit
- through previously completed Bucknell coursework
Many departments have limits on the number of 100 level courses a student may complete. Credit will not be granted when the CLEP examination would exceed the established academic department limit. Use of a CLEP transfer credit within the requirements of a major will only occur with the consent of the department chair.
Bucknell students (current or returning) must complete the Permission for College Level Examination Program Form, available in the Registrar's Office (102 Marts Hall) and have the necessary approval before scheduling any CLEP examination. This is to insure individuals do not complete an examination for which credit could not be earned.
Bucknell will grant course credit for CLEP Subject Examinations as noted herein. Course credit will be awarded in the form of department "1TR", i.e. ENGL 1TR for the American Literature exam.
The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a credit-granting score of 50 for each CLEP examination. This is a scaled score, equivalent to earning a C (C-Level Recommendation) in the relevant course. The same group of faculty that developed the ACE standard also established a scaled score that is equivalent to a grade of a B (B-Level Recommendation). During an April1987 review of CLEP, the university adopted the following change in policy on the acceptable minimum granting score for BU acceptance of credit.
"Bucknell course credit will be given for CLEP Subject Examinations, if approved by the department, at the 80th percentile or above."
Qualifying minimum scores consistent with this criterion are provided below.
CLEP Exams - Minimum Credit Granting Score - Bucknell University
| Exam | Minimum Grade for Credit | BU Credit* Awarded | BU Course Awarded |
| American Governance | 58 | 1 | POLS 1TR |
| American Literature | 58 | 1 | ENGL 1TR |
| Biology | 59 | 1 | BIOL 1TR (No Lab) |
| Calculus | 64 | 1 | MATH 201 |
| Chemistry | 59 | 1 | CHEM 1TR (no Lab) |
| College Composition | 59 | 1 | ENGL 1TR |
| College French-Level 1 | 50 | 1♦ | FREN 1TR |
| College French-Level 2 | 58 | 1♦ | FREN 1TR |
| College German-Level 1 | 50 | 1♦ | GRMN 1TR |
| College German-Level 2 | 63 | 1♦ | GRMN 1TR |
| College Mathematics | -- | -- | -- |
| College Spanish-Level 1 | 54 | 1♦ | SPAN 1TR |
| College Spanish-Level 2 | 63 | 1♦ | SPAN 1TR |
| English Literature | 59 | 1 | ENGL 1TR |
| Financial Accounting | 59 | 1 | MGMT 161 |
| History of the United States-I | 58 | 1 | HIST 1TR |
| History of the United States-II | 58 | 1 | HIST 1TR |
| Human Growth and Development | 59 | 1 | PSYC 207 |
| Humanities | -- | -- | -- |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | -- | -- | -- |
| Introductory Business Law | 61 | 1 | MGMT 220 |
| Introductory Education Psychology | 59 | 1 | EDUC 201 |
| Introductory Psychology | 59 | 1 | PSYC 100 |
| Introductory Sociology | 59 | 1 | SOCI 1TR |
| Natural Sciences | -- | -- | -- |
| Pre-Calculus | -- | -- | -- |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 54 | 1 | ECON 1TR (See Note) |
| Principles of Management | 59 | 1 | MGMT 1TR |
| Principles of Marketing | 59 | 1 | MGMT 380 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 54 | 1 | ECON 1TR (See Note) |
| Social Sciences and History | -- | -- | -- |
| Western Civilization I: Acient Near East to 1648 | 59 | 1 | HIST 1TR |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present | 58 | 1 | HIST 1TR |
Note: Credit awarded for only one Economics examination. ECON 103 granted if both exams are taken and passed.
*A BU Credit is the equivalent of 4 semester hours.
♦Students will not be granted CLEP credit for an exam taken in the individual's native language.
