Alternative Credit

George Fox University provides options for students to earn alternative credit for some programs at the institution. Undergraduate students may earn a maximum of 30 semester credits through examination or other non-classroom credit procedures.

Please see the following policies for more information about such credit:

Advanced Placement Coursework

Advanced Standing

Some courses for which students have completed prior preparation, but for which there are not standardized exams, may be eligible for credit or for waiver. Awarded credit reduces the student's program requirements as credit is awarded for the equivalent course at the institution. Course waiver indicates that, while a specific course may not be required, a student must take an alternative course(s) to replace the credit hours of the waived course.

The university requires that the basis for the credit, as well as the credit hours awarded or waived, be specified. The credit must be approved by the program director/chair and registrar. Forms for advanced standing are available in the registrar’s office.

Portland Seminary allows students to pursue advanced standing for prior college coursework. Specific assessment is required and may not be based solely on completion of college coursework. Master of Social Work (MSW) offers an advanced standing program.

CLEP Credit

College credit may be granted in several subject areas for successful completion of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests sponsored by the College Board. Students must request official test scores be sent to George Fox University. The registrar’s office processes credit for sufficient scores as test credit on each student’s academic transcript. Course equivalencies and credit hours awarded are maintained by the registrar’s office.

Testing through the CLEP general examinations is designed to verify competency in general education. These examinations are to be taken prior to the completion of the first semester of enrollment as a freshman at George Fox University, and may not be taken if a student has already completed the course or is registered past the add/drop deadline in an equivalent course.

Testing through the CLEP subject examinations provides verification of competency in selected academic fields. These may be taken at any time (unless concurrently enrolled past the add/drop deadline in or have already taken an equivalent course) and assume competency has been gained in non-classroom settings.

For local testing sites, please refer to the CLEP Test Center Search webpage.

Credit By Exam

Some courses for which students have completed prior preparation but for which there are not standardized exams may be eligible for credit. In many cases, academic departments will offer credit by exam. The university requires that the basis for the credit (i.e., by exam, proficiency, etc.), the score attained on the assessment, as well as the credit hours awarded by successful completion of the exam, be specified. Forms for credit by exam are available in the registrar’s office and require approval of an instructor of the course, the department chair, and the registrar.

An administrative fee is required for credit to be posted to a student’s academic record. Credit by exam coursework has no impact on GPA and the student is awarded credit for the equivalent course at the institution, as determined by the instructor and department chair.

International Baccalaureate Coursework

College credit may be granted in several subject areas for successful completion of university-level work through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Students must request official test scores be sent to George Fox University. The registrar’s office processes credit for sufficient scores as test credit on each student’s academic transcript. Course equivalencies and credit hours awarded are maintained by the registrar’s office.

Waiver of Required Courses

Some programs at the university do not allow advanced standing credit but do allow students to demonstrate proficiency for coursework and waive the program requirement with an alternative course. A student can waive a required course provided he or she:

1. has academic credit for a similar course (in exceptional cases noncredit, self-study courses or extensive experience may qualify), and
2. provides the registrar’s office with the proper form signed by an instructor of the course, the department chair or program director, and the registrar.

Each program has the ability to allow or disallow waived courses. Students should contact their faculty advisor or department chair/program director for more information.