Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
CSUN grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to six semester units (nine quarter units) of college credit.
Students should have their official AP course transcripts and test scores sent to Admissions and Records as part of their application for university admission. To report test scores, use the CSUN school code 4707.
The following table lists the required AP test scores, units of credit allowed, and CSUN General Education (GE) or Title 5 application. Any CSUN courses considered equivalent to some AP exams are also shown. Note that course equivalencies often cannot be accepted for students majoring in the AP exam subject area.
| Examination | Score | Units Allowed | CSUN Course Equivalent (Do not enroll in these courses) |
GE Plan R Application in GE or Title 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art: History | 3,4,5 | 6 units | ART 110 | 6 units in Arts and Humanities (not ART majors) |
| Art: Studio Drawing | 3,4,5 | 3 units | No Equivalency | 3 units in Arts and Humanities |
| Art: 2D Design Portfolio | 3,4,5 | 3 units | No Equivalency | 3 units in Arts and Humanities |
| Art: 3D Design Portfolio | 3,4,5 | 3 units | ART 141 | 3 units in Arts and Humanities (not ART majors) |
| Biology | 3,4,5 | 6 units | BIOL 106 and 107 | 6 units in Natural Sciences (not BIOL majors) (does not meet Lab requirement) |
| Chemistry | 3 | 6 units | CHEM 100 | 3 units Natural Sciences (includes CHEM majors) (does not meet Lab requirement) |
| Chemistry | 4,5 | 6 units | CHEM 101/101L | 5 units Natural Sciences with Lab (includes CHEM majors) |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3,4,5 | 6 units | CHIN 201 and 202 | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 6 units | Consult Computer Science Chair | 3 units in Lifelong Learning |
| Computer Science A | 4,5 | 6 units | COMP 110/110L | 3 units in Lifelong Learning (includes COMP majors) |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 6 units | No Equivalency | N/A |
| Computer Science Principles | 4, 5 | 6 units | COMP 108 | N/A |
| Economics, Macro | 3,4,5 | 3 units | ECON 161 | 3 units in Social Sciences (not ECON majors) |
| Economics, Micro | 3,4,5 | 3 units | ECON 160 | 3 units in Social Sciences (not ECON majors) |
| English Language and Composition |
3,4,5 | 6 units | ENGL 115 | 3 units Basic Skills–Written Composition; exempt from EPT and Lower Division writing skills requirement |
| English Literature and Composition1 |
3,4,5 | 6 units | ENGL 255 | 3 units Basic Skills Written Composition and 3 units Arts and Humanities (includes ENGL majors); exempt from EPT and Lower Division writing skills requirement |
| Environmental Science | 3,4,5 | 4 units | No Equivalency | 4 units in Natural Sciences, with Lab |
| European History | 3,4,5 | 6 units | HIST 150 and 151 | 6 units Arts and Humanities (not HIST majors) |
| French Language and Culture | 3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies (includes FREN majors) |
| German Language and Culture | 3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Human Geography | 3,4,5 | 3 units | GEOG 107 | 3 units Social Sciences (includes GEOG majors) |
| Italian Language and Culture |
3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Japanese Language and Culture |
3,4,5 | 6 units | JAPN 201 and 202 | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Latin | 3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Government and Politics: United States |
3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult Political Science Chair | 2 units Title 5 U.S. Constitution requirement (Take POLS 490CA to satisfy California government requirement) |
| Government and Politics: Comparative |
3,4,5 | 6 units | POLS 156 | 3 units Social Sciences (not POLS majors) |
| Math: Calculus AB2 | 3 | 3 units | MATH 103 or Consult Math Dept. if another course is required in major |
3 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Math: Calculus AB2 | 4,5 | 5 units | MATH 150A | 5 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Math: Calculus AB+BC2 | 4,5 | 10 units | MATH 150A and 150B | 5 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Math: Calculus BC2 | 3,4,5 | 6 units | MATH 150A | 5 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Math: Calculus BC/ AB Subscore2 |
3 | 3 units | MATH 103 or Consult Math Dept. if other coursework is required in major |
3 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Math: Calculus BC/ AB Subscore2 |
4,5 | 5 units | MATH 150A | 5 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam |
| Music: Theory | 3,4,5 | 6 units | No Equivalency | 6 units Arts and Humanities (includes MUS majors) |
| Physics 13 | 3,4,5 | 4 units | PHYS 100A/100AL | 4 units Natural Sciences (includes PHYS majors) |
| Physics 23 | 3,4,5 | 4 units | PHYS 100B/100BL | 4 units Natural Sciences (includes PHYS majors) |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism3 | 3,4,5 | 4 units | PHYS 220B/220BL | 4 units Natural Sciences (includes PHYS majors) |
| Physics C: Mechanics3 | 3,4,5 | 4 units | PHYS 220A/220AL | 4 units Natural Sciences (includes PHYS majors) |
| Psychology | 3,4,5 | 3 units | PSY 150 | 3 units Social Sciences (includes PSY majors) |
| AP Seminar | 3,4,5 | 3 units | No Equivalency | N/A |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies (includes SPAN majors) |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3,4,5 | 6 units | Consult MCLL Chair | 6 units Comparative Cultural Studies (includes SPAN majors) |
| Statistics | 3,4,5 | 4 units | MATH 140 | 4 units Basic Skills A.3; exempt from ELM exam (includes MATH majors) |
| U.S. History | 3,4,5 | 6 units | HIST 270 and 271 | 3 units Title 5, U.S. History requirement (includes HIST majors for HIST 270 or 271) |
| World History | 3,4,5 | 6 units | HIST 110 and 111 | 6 units Social Sciences (not HIST majors) |
Footnotes:
1Students with credit for AP English Literature and Composition should not take ENGL 115 or equivalent course.
2Maximum of 10 units allowed for completion of both Mathematics Calculus AB and BC examinations.
3Maximum of 8 units allowed for completion of Physics examinations.