Credit By Exam
Get Credit for What You Know
Want to get a collegiate degree but don’t want to spend time learning things you already know? Then credit-by-exam is the program for you!
Gain credit for courses by taking an exam that covers concepts that you would spend a semester in the classroom learning about. Find the exam you’re looking for, schedule an appointment and get your degree your way!
COLLEGE LEVEL PROGRAM (CLEP)
The College-Level Examination Program® or CLEP provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. By receiving a satisfactory score, students can earn from 3 to 12 college credits toward a college degree for each CLEP exam taken, depending on the exam subject and the policy of the college or university.
WHY TAKE A CLEP EXAM?
- Save time. Get college credit for what you’ve learned through independent study, advanced high school courses, noncredit adult courses, or professional development.
- Save money. Compare the cost of a CLEP exam to hundreds — even thousands — of dollars in tuition. (CLEP exams are free to military service members. For more information contact the Testing Center.)
- Make college more interesting. Move right into advanced courses.
- Mostly multiple-choice. With the exception of English Composition with Essay, exams are composed primarily of multiple-choice questions. Some mathematics exams include fill-in type questions.
- Exams are available at Texas A&M in 34 college-level courses.
- CLEP is administered on computers and exams are available year-round by appointment.
- You will know your score right away.
Refer to this list of CLEP exams awarded credit at A&M-Commerce.
Make an Appointment
Before calling to create an appointment, register for your CLEP
Bring your registration email from CLEP with you on the day of your scheduled exam. You must have your registration number with you in order to take your exam.
- Fees
- CLEP registration: $90
- Testing Center proctoring services: $35
(payable to the TAMUC through Marketplace and is non-refundable) - Total: $125
- CLEP exam fees are subject to change without notice
- Test Times
- All testing appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance of your desired testing date and time. We cannot accommodate same-day testers or walk-ins.
- Appointments are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday
- Testing Center number: 903.886.5122
Exam Day Breakdown
- Valid photo ID
Bring any of the following- Driver’s license with signature
- State-issued ID with signature
- Military ID
- Passport
- CLEP Registration
- Register for your CLEP
- Bring the registration email sent to you by CLEP upon completion of your registration
- Test Length
- Exams are approximately 90 minutes long
- Exams are scored on a scale of 20-80
Test Prep Resources
Two ways to find your CLEP study guide:
- TAMUC Gee Library
- CLEP– Here you can find
- Exam descriptions
- Downloadable individual study guides
- Paperback CLEP study guide
CLEP Exams at A&M-Commerce
TAMUC LOCAL CREDIT-BY-EXAM
Credit-by-Exam for some courses is granted through departmental exams. By receiving a satisfactory score, you can earn 3 college credits toward a college degree for each exam taken.
Local Exams Offered for Credit at A&M-Commerce
| Exam Name | Course Credit |
| Business Computing Systems | BUSA 1305 |
For more information on any of the exams listed above, call 903.886.5122 or visit the Testing Center located in the One Stop Shop.
Make an Appointment
Exam Day Breakdown
Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
The DSST program is a nationally recognized testing program that provides you the opportunity to receive college credit for learning acquired outside a traditional college classroom. The DSST test taker audience has changed over the years, but as of 2006, DSST exams are available to anyone who is seeking college credit outside the traditional classroom, including college students, adult learners, high school students and military personnel.
DSST’s are credit-by-examination tests originated by the United States Department of Defense's Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). Prometric, a test administration company, administers Internet-based versions of DSST exams under contract with the Defense Department (for military personnel) or on a fee basis.
Make an Appointment
Exam Day Breakdown
Test Prep Resources
Be ready to ace the DSST by browsing for test preparation.
DSST Exams for Credit at A&M-Commerce
| DSST Exam | Course Equiv. | Semester Hours | Score Needed |
| Art of the Western World | DANT 001 | 3 | 400 |
| Astronomy | ASTR 1303 | 3 | 400 |
| Business Mathematics | MATH 1324 | 3 | 434 |
| Criminal Justice | CJ 101 | 3 | 400 |
| Environment and Humanity | DANT 007 | 3 | 400 |
| Ethics in America | PHIL 1301 | 3 | 400 |
| Fundamentals of College Algebra | MATH 1314 | 3 | 400 |
| Fundamentals of Counseling | DANT 015 | 3 | 400 |
| General Anthropology | ANTH 2351 | 3 | 400 |
| Health and Human Development | HHPK 200 | 3 | 400 |
| History of the Soviet Union | DANT 013 | 3 | 400 |
| History of the Vietnam War | DANT 014 | 3 | 400 |
| Human Cultural Geography | DANT 011 | 3 | 400 |
| Human Resource Management | MGT 394 | 3 | 400 |
| Introduction to Law Enforcement | CJ 201 | 3 | 400 |
| Introduction to World Religions | DANT 020 | 3 | 400 |
| Math for Liberal Arts | MATH 179 | 3 | 400 |
| Money and Banking | DANT 017 | 3 | 400 |
| Personal Finance | DANT 018 | 3 | 400 |
| Principles of Advanced English Composition | ENG 333 | 3 | 400 |
| Principles of Finance | DANT 012 | 3 | 400 |
| Principles of Physical Science | DANT 006 | 3 | 400 |
| Principles of Public Speaking | COMS 1315 | 3 | 400 |
| Principles of Statistics | MATH 1342 | 3 | 400 |
| Substance Abuse | DANT 019 | 3 | 400 |
| Technical Writing | ENG 341 | 3 | 400 |
| The Civil War and Reconstruction | DANT 016 | 3 | 400 |
Effective Fall 2017, credit for the DSST exams listed in the above table (with the exception of Human Growth and Development) can only be awarded to Newly Enrolled/Admitted students for Fall 2017 and onward. Credit for DSST exams cannot be retroactively applied to a student’s account if they were enrolled/admitted prior to Fall 2017.
Advanced Placement Program (AP)
The College Board’s® Advanced Placement Program® (AP) enables you to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. AP offers more than 30 exams in multiple subject areas.
The AP Program is open to students in high schools with AP programs who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous curriculum. AP exams are given nationally at designated high schools during the month of May. AP exams are graded on a scale of 0-5. A score of 3 or higher is needed for credit.
Send Your AP grade report to A&M-Commerce
At the time of the test, you can request to send your scores to Texas A&M University-Commerce. If you did not request to send your scores in this manner or if you just need an additional score report, please visit the AP Score Center.
Scores for exams taken in May do not arrive at A&M-Commerce until mid-July.
Find more information about the AP Program.
AP Exams for Credit at A&M-Commerce
Refer to this list of AP Exams awarded credit at A&M-Commerce.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) PROGRAM
The IB Diploma Program is a challenging two-year curriculum leading to assessment in six subject areas: Best Language, Second Language, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, and the Arts. The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a rigorous pre-university program, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19, available worldwide through the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
Assessment
At the end of the two-year program you will be assessed in two ways
Grading
Credit
In compliance with SB111, TAMUC offers at least 24 hours of credit to all IB diploma candidates with subject exam scores of 4 or higher. Students with IB certificates or courses are evaluated on a subject by subject basis upon receipt of an IB transcript. TAMUC must have an official score report sent directly from IB to award credit.
Contact Us
- Testing Center
- 903.886.5122
- 903.468.3210
- The Welcome Center
- 2200 Campbell St., Commerce, TX 75428
Hours of Operation
8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday