Currently registered students in good standing may receive course credit by taking an examination without formally enrolling in a course under certain prescribed conditions. Credit by examination is an option for students who have strong academic backgrounds or who have studied on their own. Students must be registered in the current semester in which the exam is taken to be eligible for credit by examination. Credit by examination may be applied for in any course listed in the current academic catalog.
The examination is created by the appropriate academic department and administered by appointment with the instructor. The examination must be completed in a three (3) hour period and taken within thirty (30) days of approval. A passing grade on an examination is recorded with a grade of P for Passing on the student’s academic record. The credits for the course count toward graduation but neither the credits nor the grade is used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.
Examinations that are attempted but not passed are not recorded. Examinations for course credit may only be taken once.
The Petition for Credit by Examination form (available on the Registrar’s webpage) is completed by the student and identifies the course the student wants to petition. The form is subject to the approval of the instructor, the chair of the department involved and the Dean of Instruction or Career and Technical Education Director. The student is responsible for submitting the approved form, with all of the signatures, to the Registrar with the $10 non-refundable fee. The completed petition and fee must be submitted to Registrar before the examination is scheduled.
The final result of a student’s work in an examination for credit shall be reported to the Registrar in terms of a “pass/fail”. Students are not eligible to take a credit by examination in a semester in which they are not currently enrolled.
Exclusions
Credit by examination may not be used to:
- Duplicate any credit already earned by the student towards their degree.
- Repeat any course a student has taken previously, regardless of the grade earned.
Petition for Credit by Examination Form Instructions
The student will:
- Enter the course information from the course schedule and indicate how you intend to prepare for the examination.
- Seek signature approval from the instructor who will administer the examination and specify the examination date.
The department chair who has oversight of the petitioned course must also sign the form.
- Obtain signature approval of either the Dean of Instruction or the Career and Technical Education Director.
- Submit the approved Petition form to the Registrar with the $10 non-refundable fee.
- Make an appointment to take the examination within 30 days of when the Petition for Credit by Examination form is approved.
- Complete the examination within a two (2) hour period.
After the examination, the instructor will submit the P/F grade to the Registrar. If a passing grade is entered, the graduation requirement for the course is considered met. Credits earned by examination may not be accepted for transfer to other institutions. The student is advised to check with that school for their policy on transfer of credits from a course marked as “pass/fail”.
3315 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: 701.255.3285
Toll Free: 888.643.8882
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