Policies & Procedures

Examinations

Undergraduate Proficiency Examination Policy - 1K4

General Provisions

Students may earn course credit by demonstrating their proficiency in certain subjects. Tests, in courses for which proficiency exams are available, are given by the academic departments and by the Testing Services Office of Instructional Services.

Students may take any available proficiency examination subject to the approval of the department with the following limitation: a proficiency examination for a specific course may not be taken more than once, nor for a course for which a grade has been earned. Additional restrictions may be developed by academic Schools or Colleges subject to the approval of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Provisions Regarding Courses in Which a Student is Registered

Proficiency examinations will be made available to undergraduate students in some classes for which they have registered. They will be administered to interested students of the class early in the academic term, and the examinations will be graded in sufficient time in order to give those who pass the tests an opportunity to add another course as a replacement on their schedule. The names of the students who have passed the early examinations will be carried on the class roll and they will receive credit for the course at the end of the term. In the meantime the successful students may add a class or merely stop attending the class in which they have passed the proficiency exam.

Those successful students who wish to add another course may do so even though the additional hours will increase their total course load to more than the normal maximum of 19 semester hours. Special permission from the appropriate dean will be necessary when the student's total load exceeds 19 semester hours.

Students who fail the proficiency exam will continue in the course as regular students.

The mechanics of the system include the following:
1. Each department teaching General Education courses or other basic courses will review these courses to determine the feasibility of offering early in-class proficiencies. The Chair will notify the Testing Services Office of Instructional Services as to which courses will offer proficiency examinations each term.
2. Each proficiency examination formulated locally will be developed by all of the faculty members who teach the course.
3. Tests will be administered to interested students during the first two days of the term.
4. The Testing Services Office of Instructional Services will be available to administer and score the objective type of test.
5. Students may elect to take some in-class proficiency examinations on a pass/no credit basis. Proficiency examinations for General Education courses may not be taken on a pass/no credit basis.
6. The adoption of this policy would not supersede the regular proficiency examinations scheduled outside of class. They will continue to be made available to students.
Provisions Regarding General Education Courses

Foundations Courses

Proficiency examinations will be available for all Foundations courses in the General Education program. "Proficiency examinations" shall refer to departmental proficiency examinations. The instrument to be used as the relevant proficiency examination will be determined by the unit involved.

Students who pass a department-administered proficiency test may be given credit for Foundations courses as well as have the credit hours count toward the 124 hours required for graduation.

Interdisciplinary Courses

Credit by proficiency examination will not be available for Interdisciplinary (IS) courses in the General Education program.

Breadth Area Courses

Proficiency examinations for Breadth Area courses in the General Education program will be available at the discretion of the Departments offering the courses. The Dean of each School or College will develop procedures to review departmental decisions about proficiency examinations for Breadth Area courses.

Proficiency examinations for General Education courses may not be taken on a pass/no credit basis. Students are allowed to meet a total of five general education requirements through course equivalency credit via proficiency examinations. This equivalency credit is allowed in the Foundations, Breadth and Experiences areas, or any combination of these.
Grading and Recording of Grades on Proficiency Examinations

Departments shall determine grades on proficiency examinations based on an A, B, C, no credit scoring option, or a Pass/no credit scoring option.

After a student has completed a proficiency examination, credits and grade points are granted as follows:
1. For a grade of A, B, or C on a proficiency examination, the academic record shows the name of the course, hours of credit granted, the grade earned, and a notation “out of class proficiency” or “in-class proficiency.” The grade earned counts in the grade point average.
2. For a Pass score, credit is given without a calculated grade. The academic record shows the name of the course, hours of credit granted, a grade of “P”, and a notation “out of class proficiency” or “in-class proficiency.” The grade earned does not count in the grade point average.
3. For a grade of D or F on a proficiency examination, no credit is awarded. The academic record shows nothing regarding the proficiency examination. However, the proficiency examination grade report forms are retained in the student’s file for reference.

Students have the option of enrolling in the course for which they have taken the proficiency examination if they are not satisfied with their proficiency examination grade.

Approved by Chancellor effective 6/14/12
This policy was issued on August 3, 2012, replacing the April 1, 2004 version.
Document Reference: 1K4
Origin: CC 2-84/85; CC 3-84/85; CC 3-85/86; OP 2/2/87; OP 8/1/91; UC #20/4; CC 23-91/92; OP 8/2/95; CC 22-97/98; CC 14-99/00; CC 7-02/03; CC 17-11/12