Eligibility
Before deciding to take any of the CLEP exams, please carefully read the following information. Refer to the chart below for scores, credit, GENERAL EDUCATION and University course equivalent information. For additional credit and requirement details, contact Transfer Credit Services in the University Registrar's office at (413) 545 0555 or @email
CLEP Score Reports
CLEP score reports should be forwarded to the Records Office, 213 Whitmore, University of Massachusetts Amherst (Code #3917).
Credit and Degree Requirement Guidelines
- If you have freshmen gen eds, please note that a 3 credit exam will not satisfy your 4 credit gen ed requirements. R1 and R2 can be satisfied with a 3 credit exam for all students.
- Students who have taken upper level courses in Science and/or Math may not earn credit by CLEP exams for lower level (pre-requisite) courses.
- No credit is awarded for CLEP exams when a comparable college course has been completed and passing grade earned; i.e., grades of 'D' or 'Pass' or other such designations.
- Credit awarded through CLEP and other non-University achievement or placement examinations is TRANSFER CREDIT, not 'residence' credit.
- No credit is awarded for:
- Foreign language CLEP exam or professional subject matter areas
- General Math CLEP exam
The University of Massachusetts administers its own Placement Tests for Foreign Language, and College Math, as well as its own Nursing Challenge Exam.
**IMPORTANT** Seniors taking the CLEP exams must file a "Senior Prior Approval" form with the Undergraduate Records Office. ***
*English Literature award is for English Lit exams taken 2/1/2024 or later. If the exam was taken prior to 2/1/2024, 3 credits and one AL gen ed will be awarded.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Tests (DANTES/DSST)
Score levels and credits awarded are based on College Board and/or University department recommendations.
| General Exams | Score | Credit | GenEd | UMass Equivalent |
| College Composition | 50 | 3+3 | CW | ENGLWRIT 112 (3 cr) |
| College Composition Modular | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| Humanities (Fine Arts + Literature) | 50 | 3 | I | No equivalent |
| College Math | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| Natural Science (Biology + Physical) | 50 | 3+3 | BS+PS | No equivalent (non-lab) |
| Social Science (Soc/Behav + History) | 50 | 3+3 | SB+HS | No equivalent |
Subject Exams:
| Subject Exams | Score | Credit | GenEd | UMass Equivalent |
| Algebra, College | 50 | 3 | R1 | MATH 102 |
| Algebra/Trigonometry, College | 50 | 3 | R1 | MATH 102, MATH 103 |
| American Government | 50 | 3 | SB | POLISCI 101 |
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | AL | ENGLISH electives |
| Analyzing & Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | AL | ENGLISH electives |
| Biology, General | 50 | 3+3 | BS, BS | BIOLOGY electives |
| Business Law, Introductory | 50 | 3 | -- | No equivalent |
| Calculus | 50 | 4 | R2 | Math 127 |
| Chemistry, General | 50 | 3+3 | PS, PS | CHEM 101, CHEM 102 |
| Educational Psychology, Introductory | 50 | 3 | -- | PSYCH 305 |
| *English Literature | 50 | 6 | AL, AL | ENGLISH electives |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | No equivalent | |
| French, College-Level 1 & 2 | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| German, College-Level 1 & 2 | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| History of the United States 1 | 50 | 3 | HS | HISTORY 150 |
| History of the United States 2 | 50 | 3 | HS | HISTORY 151 |
| Human Growth & Development | 50 | 3 | -- | PSYCH 350 |
| Info Systems & Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | -- | No equivalent |
| Macroeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | SB | ECON 104 |
| Microeconomics, Principles of | 50 | 3 | SB | ECON 103 |
| Management, Principles of | 50 | 3 | -- | No equivalent |
| Marketing, Principles of | 50 | 3 | -- | No equivalent |
| Precalculus | 50 | 3 | R1 | MATH 104 |
| Psychology, Introductory | 50 | 3 | SB | PSYCH 100 |
| Sociology, Introductory | 50 | 3 | SB | SOCIOL elective |
| Spanish, College-Level 1 & 2 | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| Trigonometry | -- | No Credit | -- | -- |
| Western Civilization 1 | 50 | 3 | HS | HISTORY 100 |
| Western Civilization 2 | 50 | 3 | HS | HISTORY 101 |