SP 01-37 - Policy on Acceleration of University Studies (Formerly “SP 37-01”)

Approved By: Academic Senate
Approve Date: December 10, 2001
Policy File:
SP 01-37 Policy on the Acceleration of University Studies

Policy:
The University provides several means by which students may accelerate their studies; these are discussed below. Each of the following options may be subject to restrictions and regulations within individual academic programs. Therefore, students interested in any of these options should consult with the coordinator of the concerned program.

Advanced Placement
California State University Channel Islands grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of advanced placement examinations. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to six semester units of college credit for each AP course.

Unit Credit bv Examination
California State University Channel Islands may grant unit credit to those students who pass examinations that have been approved for credit system-wide. These are: the CSU English Equivalency Examination; the College Level Entrance Program (C.L.E.P.) general examination in Mathematics; the C.L.E.P. Subject Examinations in College Algebra and Trigonometry, in Calculus and Analytic Geometry, in Statistics, in General Chemistry, and in German; the College Entrance Examination Board (C.E.E.B.) Advanced Placement examinations; and the American Chemical Society Cooperative Examination.

Students may also challenge some courses by taking examinations developed at the campus. Credit will be awarded to those who pass them successfully. Credits earned in this manner will be recorded as “CR” (credit) on the student’s transcript and will be counted toward the total number of units required for the degree although they will not be included in calculation of the grade-point average. Credit by examination may not be used to fulfill the minimum residence requirement.

Substitution of Courses
Students who believe that a course they have taken (or intend to take) may be appropriate to their program and that this course could substitute for a specified course may request that a substitution of courses be made by the program advisor. Course substitutions are normally limited to cases where the required course cannot be offered or where the student has taken a similar, but not identical course elsewhere.

Waiver of Course Riquirement
In addition, students who believe that previous training has sufficiently prepared them in a certain area may request a waiver of a specific course requirement (subject credit only). A waiver of specific course requirements does not reduce the total number of credits required for the major or the degree nor does it reduce the residence requirement.