Introduction
Upon admission, the Office of the Registrar evaluates previous college coursework using the student’s submitted official transcripts. During their first semester of attendance, all undergraduate degree candidates will have access to their Titan Degree Audit.
The TDA is a fluid, dynamic tool that serves as the official tracker for a student’s remaining degree requirements. It details how transfer credits have been applied and will automatically adjust if a student changes their major, adds a minor or declares a certificate. (Note: Quarter units transferred to the university are converted to semester units by multiplying the quarter-unit totals by two-thirds.)
Catalog Rights and Continuous Attendance: The specific graduation requirements a student must meet are governed by their catalog rights. As long as a student maintains continuous attendance and pursues their specified educational objective, their catalog rights remain secure. They will not be held to additional graduation requirements unless those updates become universally mandatory due to changes in the California Code of Regulations or the California Education Code.
Breaks in Attendance: If a student does not maintain continuous attendance and has not been granted an official Leave of Absence, they will lose their original catalog rights. Upon readmission to the university, the student’s transfer credits will be re-evaluated, and their TDA will be updated to reflect the new curriculum and graduation requirements in effect for their new term of admission.
Acceptance of Credit
Credit earned at accredited institutions will be accepted toward the satisfaction of baccalaureate degree and credential requirements at the university within limitations of residence requirements and community college transfer maximums. However, coursework designated as remedial or non-baccalaureate level by those institutions will not be eligible for transfer credits. Additionally, if the credits were not earned or officially granted by the sending institution, they will not be accepted as transfer credit.
Transfer of Credit from a Community College
Upper-division credit is prohibited for courses taken at a community college. Credential credit is also not permitted for courses in professional occupational education taken in a community college. However, this does not negate credit for preprofessional courses taken at a community college, such as introduction to education, art or design, arithmetic or music for classroom teachers. Once a student has attained 70 units of college credit at a community college, no additional community college units will be accepted towards baccalaureate degree completion.
Credit for Examinations
Students may request to take campus-originated challenge examinations (as differentiated from placement examinations) developed at Cal State Fullerton. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully.
Credit for Standardized Examinations
Cal State Fullerton awards credit to be applied toward the degree requirement for students who pass a standardized examination such as Advanced Placement (AP) Tests, International Baccalaureate (IB) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Please refer to the Credit by Standardized Examinations Chart.
Advanced Placement
Cal State Fullerton 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 3 or better will be granted up to six semester units (nine quarter units) of college credit.
Students who have successfully completed courses in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board (defined as receiving a score of 3, 4 or 5) shall be granted credit for each Advanced Placement course toward graduation, advanced placement in the university’s sequence of courses and credit for curriculum requirements.
International Baccalaureate Program
Cal State Fullerton recognizes the high scholastic quality of the International Baccalaureate diploma program. High school graduates who have participated in the program are encouraged to apply for admission, and those who have received the International Baccalaureate diploma will be given special consideration for admission. Advanced placement and/or university credit for International Baccalaureate subject examinations may be awarded at the discretion of individual departments.
Credit by College-Level Examination Program
Cal State Fullerton accepts three semester units of credit for approved College Level Examination Program examinations, subject to minimum passing scores, provided the examination was not taken previously within one calendar year and that degree credit has not been granted for previous coursework at the equivalent or at a more advanced level than for the examination in question.
Cal State Fullerton may be able to grant additional credit or advanced standing based upon CLEP examination results. Contact the Office of the Registrar for additional information and for listings of approved exams.
Credit for Extended Education and Correspondence Courses
The maximum number of credits through correspondence and Extension courses that may be allowed toward the bachelor’s degree is 24 units, if otherwise applicable.
Credit by Examination
Students may challenge courses by taking examinations developed at Cal State Fullerton. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully. According to UPS 310.000 Credit for Prior Learning, students may earn degree credit and fulfill curriculum requirements by successfully completing campus-originated challenge examinations for specific courses designated by academic units. The examinations, which are distinct from placement exams, must be requested two weeks prior to the start of the semester using the appropriate university form and require approval from the chair of the offering academic unit. To ensure students have the option to complete the standard course if they do not pass, challenge exams are administered no later than the end of the second week of the semester. Upon successfully completing the exam, the student is excused from the course, and the instructor will report a grade of “CR” to the Office of the Registrar using the originally approved form.
Credit for Non-Collegiate Instruction
Cal State Fullerton grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The number of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.
Credit for Prior Learning
Cal State Fullerton grants up to 30 units of credit for learning, knowledge or skills-based experience that has been documented and evaluated according to university policy. Students should be aware, however, that policies for earning credit for prior learning vary from university to university in the CSU. Requests for credit for prior learning will be evaluated individually.
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