Transfer Credit Policies, AP, CLEP, IB, and UMBC Administered Examinations

Transfer Credit Policies

“In Maryland, a student may be able to progress from one segment of the public higher education system to another without loss of time or duplication of courses. To help accomplish this, Maryland’s public colleges and universities follow certain statewide policies.” For detailed information please review the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Transfer Policies and Student Guide to Transfer among Maryland Colleges and Universities.

Specific to UMBC, the Policy on the Awarding of Undergraduate Transfer Credit articulates the standards for the assessment and awarding of undergraduate transfer credit including academic credit for coursework earned at other institutions, competency-based education, and military training, experience, education and coursework. 

Maryland Community College Recommended Transfer Programs

The Recommended Transfer Programs (RTP) provides a list of community college courses that will best prepare students for UMBC’s course of study. Transfer students with acceptable grades in courses specified in the UMBC Recommended Transfer Program Guide are assured transfer with no loss of credit. These program guides are available in the transfer advisors’ offices at all Maryland community colleges or via the web at ARTSYS. More information can also be found through the Maryland TransPort web site. 

Credit for Competency-Based Education 

Students may pursue as many as 60 credits of competency-based education toward a baccalaureate degree through the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, or through UMBC administered examinations.

AP, CLEP, and IB 

Each academic department determines whether credits earned through AP, CLEP, or IB may be applied to major requirements. Please refer to the test score charts below for more information.

Credits earned through AP, CLEP, or IB may be used to fulfill General Education Requirements, when equivalent to a UMBC general education course. 

Credits earned through AP, CLEP, and IB tests have no effect on the calculation of the UMBC grade point average, nor are they applied to the minimum number of credits needed to qualify for honors at graduation. 

Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations

UMBC will award credit and/or placement based on the scores indicated below in the approved Advanced Placement (AP) examinations listed. To receive credit for AP exams, students must have an official Advanced Placement score report sent to the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions. They may request an official score report by writing to:

Advanced Placement Service
P.O. Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671

Please remember to include UMBC’s College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) code number (5835) in the request.

Credit earned through Advanced Placement examinations may be used to satisfy the General Education Requirements, satisfy course prerequisite, as elective credit or toward major requirements in many instances (please consult the academic department).

*Students who are exempt from BIOL 141  should wait until their sophomore year to take BIOL 302 - Molecular and General Genetics ; BIOL 301  can be taken during the spring semester of the freshman year.

** Not equivalent to PHYS 122L  

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Examinations

UMBC will award credit for successful completion of the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests listed below. CLEP examinations may be used to satisfy General Education Requirements, satisfy course prerequisites, as elective credit or toward a major requirement in many instances (please consult the academic department). To receive credit, official scores must be sent to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
UMBC
1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, MD 21250

Students can request that scores be sent to UMBC by writing to:

CEEB
CLEP Transcripts
P.O. Box 6600
Princeton, NJ 08541

Or call: 609-771-7865

Please include UMBC’s CODE (5835) in the request.

Acceptability of CLEP examinations and scores required are subject to change based on modifications to exam content by the College Board. For the most recent information on CLEP examinations accepted at UMBC, please visit www.umbc.edu/registrar/CLEP.htm

For more information about CLEP, visit the College Board at www.collegeboard.org.

General Examinations*

Subject Matter Examinations

* General examinations and MATH electives do not satisfy general requirements.

**Must include essay section provided by CLEP and scored by UMBC

International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations

UMBC will award credit according to the listing below to students who sit for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations. To receive credit for IB exams, students must have official examination results sent to the UMBC Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Credit earned through IB examinations may be used to satisfy General Education Requirements, satisfy course prerequisites, as elective credit or toward major requirements in many instances (please consult academic department).

* Students who have taken the IB SL Computer Science exam will not receive course credit, but with a score of 5 or higher on the exam, appropriate placement would be CMSC 201 .

SL = Standard Level

UMBC Administered Examinations 

Students may request consideration for competency-based education credit through UMBC administered examinataions. UMBC administered examinations are subject to availability as determined by the appropriate academic department.  To request consideration, students must submit a UMBC administered examination request form. 

UMBC administered examinations may be available once a student has completed at least 12 UMBC credits with an average of 2.0 or better. Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher to establish credit through a UMBC administered examination. P/F is permissible within regulations applying to P/F courses at UMBC. Grades of “D” or “F” are posted, even though no credit is earned. UMBC administered examinations may not be used to repeat a course nor do they apply toward general education requirements.