Credit and Evaluation
- Awarding Transfer Credit
- Calculation of Transferred Semesters Based on the Number of Transferred Credit Hours
- Credit by College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or SAT Subject Examinations
- Credit by Departmental Examination
- Global Language Placement Credit
- Hours of Credit
- Independent Studies for Credit
- Modes of Instruction
- Policy on Credit for Internships — The College of Arts and Sciences
- Semester Schedule
Awarding Transfer Credit
The University must receive an official transcript from the college or university with final grades for courses before transfer credit for approved courses is posted on the UNC-Chapel Hill record. In some cases, additional supporting documentation, such as course descriptions, syllabi, reading list, and assignments may be required from the student for approval of course credits and applicability to the student’s UNC-Chapel Hill record. For students who have applied to graduate at UNC-Chapel Hill and expect to have transfer credit applied to final degree requirements, coursework must be completed in the comparable semester or term of graduation and the official transcript received within graduation clearance deadlines. Other sections of the University catalog provide additional details on the application of transfer credit to academic standing, degree requirements, and other relevant academic criteria.
Undergraduate transfer students can expect a review of the domestic transfer transcripts, accurate transfer equivalency information, and an initial transfer credit evaluation 15 business days after the offer of admission and UNC-Chapel Hill receiving all required official transcripts. Undergraduate transfer students with international transfer credit and/or those with four or more domestic transcripts, can expect a review of the domestic transfer transcripts, accurate transfer equivalency information, and an initial transfer credit evaluation 30 business days after the offer of admission and UNC-Chapel Hill receiving all required official transcripts. Final transfer credit evaluations will be completed once all official transcripts are received.
Current undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill seeking to have future transfer credits applied towards their UNC degree, need to submit a course pre-approval form. Courses are reviewed for a specific term and preliminary evaluations are provided. It is recommended that students discuss the preliminary course approvals with their academic advisor to understand how the transfer credit fits into their degree requirements.
The following transfer credit rules apply to undergraduate students:
-
Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in all external courses to be approved for undergraduate transfer credit.
-
Grades and quality points earned elsewhere are not computed into the UNC-Chapel Hill cumulative grade point average (GPA).
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The semester credit hours awarded by the external institution are transferred. Quarter hours or other credit scales will be converted into semester credit hours.
-
Students should only submit a course approval request for the term in which they plan to attend and complete the course. Approved courses taken outside of the term for which they were approved will not be honored in the event a transfer credit update or change is made.
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No additional transfer credit is posted to the student’s record after the student has transferred the maximum limit of 75 hours. No substitutions of transfer credit will be allowed. Transfer courses with no credit hours will not be granted.
Overall Guidelines for Evaluations of Undergraduate Transfer of Credit
The following guidelines align with the University’s goals, national best practices, and AACRAO recommendations. The administrative offices such as Undergraduate Admissions and Undergraduate Curricula use these guidelines for the course content evaluation of undergraduate transfer credit.
A. The mode of instruction (e.g., online, asynchronous, in person) is not a factor in determining course equivalency.
B. A threshold of 70% content matching is used to determine UNC-Chapel Hill equivalency, unless otherwise needed for specific accreditation factors, discipline content (e.g., language or STEM courses in a sequence), or other discipline requirements.
- Language or STEM courses in a pre-requisite sequence at UNC-Chapel Hill may require additional justification of course rigor, on-campus equivalency test, or other supporting documentation before a direct course equivalency is approved.
- Focus Capacity Gen Ed courses at UNC-Chapel Hill require 1.) writing, 2.) presenting, and 3.) collaboration (“recurring capacities”). Checking for these “recurring capacities” is not a determining factor when evaluating a transfer course for equivalent credit. The content, learning objectives, and readings are weighted more heavily.
- Departments may require that specific upper-level major courses be taken at UNC-Chapel Hill, e.g. capstone course.
C. Credit Levels and Initial Credit Review. The administrative office overseeing undergraduate transfer credit awards UNC-Chapel Hill equivalent credit for lower division (e.g. 100- and 200-level courses) for all departments in the College of Arts and Sciences using the 70% criterion. The administrative office at UNC-Chapel Hill awards equivalent credit for upper division (e.g. 300-level and above) courses for all departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and requires academic departments to review the recommendation of equivalency for upper division courses before the credit is posted to the student’s record. If there is not an upper division equivalent, departmental elective credit can be awarded.
D. The administrative office overseeing undergraduate transfer credit awards general elective credit for professional school courses, in which UNC- Chapel Hill has a comparable professional school/ competitive admission program (completed at an accredited college or university) during the initial review process.
E. Transfer courses taken 10 years ago or more must be reviewed by academic departments to determine if course content is still relevant and is applicable to a student’s current program of study.
F. Credit is awarded to current students participating in UNC-Chapel Hill approved study abroad programs by the Study Abroad Office and other UNC global programs offices. The administrative office overseeing undergraduate transfer credit only awards transfer credit to students for study-abroad and international courses if the courses were completed prior to enrolling at UNC-Chapel Hill or for current UNC students who plan to take courses in their home countries abroad. For transcripts from an international institution, a course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services (WES) is required. The transfer credit hours are based upon the WES evaluation. If WES is unable to provide an evaluation, the course(s) will be denied transfer credit at UNC-Chapel Hill.
See policy on Grades Earned At Other Institutions here.
Calculation of Transferred Semesters Based on the Number of Transferred Credit Hours
Several academic procedures, including the determination of academic eligibility, depend on the tally of semesters that students have completed. When credit hours are transferred, a calculation must be made as to the number of semesters the student is regarded as having used up. This calculation is based on the number of credit hours accepted by UNC–Chapel Hill for transfer, not on the number of semesters in which the student was enrolled at other colleges. Excluded from this calculation are transfer hours awarded for courses taken concurrent with high school.
Students are regarded as having used up one semester for every full multiple of 15.0 semester credit hours accepted for transfer. When credits are transferred from a college that operates on the quarter-term system, one quarter-term credit hour equals two-thirds of a semester credit hour.
See “Transfer Candidates” in the “Undergraduate Admissions” section of the Catalog for additional information.
The same formula is applied to credit hours that a student earns while enrolled in a part-time program of study at UNC–Chapel Hill, with 90 hours regarded as six semesters and 105 hours regarded as seven semesters. Note: Hours earned in any UNC–Chapel Hill summer term are not included in this formula.
The formula also applies to transfer credit hours awarded for any courses taken at other institutions during a fall or spring semester (but not during summer terms) after a student matriculates at UNC–Chapel Hill.
Credit by College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or SAT Subject Examinations
Students who meet UNC–Chapel Hill standards on certain approved College Board Advanced Placement examinations, examinations of the International Baccalaureate Program, certain SAT Subject Tests (e.g., foreign language), and other tests as listed below, may receive academic credit for comparable University coursework. Each year the Office of Undergraduate Admissions publishes the minimum scores necessary for the awarding of course credit (also listed below for AP and IB exams); however, final authority for awarding this placement credit lies with the chair of the department or curriculum in which credit is to be received. Minimum scores for placement may change from year to year. Regulations for credit in the year in which the student began study at UNC–Chapel Hill as a full-time student determine the standards that apply, not the year in which the student took the examination. Such credit will not be contingent upon the completion of further work in the subject unless specified by an academic department.
By-Examination (BE) credit awarded based on a student’s scores on the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, SAT Subject Tests, other tests as listed below, or departmental examinations may be used to fulfill General Education requirements. For students admitted as new first-year or transfer students beginning in fall 2009 or later, the following limitations apply to the use of By-Examination (BE) credit in a major or minor:
- No more than two courses (six to eight credit hours) of BE credit may be used as part of the major core.
- No more than one BE credit course (three to four credit hours) may be used as part of a minor.
- No more than five BE credit courses may be used to fulfill the general education Focus Capacities requirements.
Students who wish to enroll in a course for which they have By-Examination credit should discuss their decision with an academic advisor. In the event that a student takes a course for which Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, SAT Subject Test, or other tests as listed below, credit is awarded, the By-Examination credit will be forfeited when the course is completed.
Advanced Placement Exam Scores
| Exam | Minimum Score | Awarded Credit for the Following Courses | Credit Hours Awarded |
| African American Studies | 3 | AAAD General Elective | 3 |
| African American Studies | 4 | AAAD 231 | 3 |
| Art 2D | 4 | ARTS 102 | 3 |
| Art 2D | 3 | Studio Art General Elective | 3 |
| Art 3D | 4 | ARTS 103 | 3 |
| Art 3D | 3 | Studio Art General Elective | 3 |
| Art History | 3 | ARTH 152 | 3 |
| Art Studio Drawing | 3 | Studio Art General Elective | 3 |
| Art Studio Drawing | 4 | ARTS 104 | 3 |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Calculus AB | 2 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Calculus AB Subscore | 2 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Calculus AB Subscore | 3 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Calculus BC | 2 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Chemistry | 5 | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L, CHEM 102, CHEM 102L | 8 |
| Chinese | 3 | CHIN 203 * | 4 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | Political Science General Elective | 3 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | POLI 130 | 3 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | COMP 101 | 3 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | COMP 110 | 3 |
| Economics - Either Micro or Macro | 3 | Economics General Elective | 3 |
| Economics - Either Micro or Macro | 4 | ECON 100 | 3 |
| Economics - Both Micro and Macro | 4 | ECON 100, ECON 101 | 7 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | English General Elective | 3 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | English General Elective | 3 |
| English Literature | 3 | English General Elective | 3 |
| English Literature | 5 | ENGL 190 | 3 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | Environmental Studies General Elective | 3 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | ENEC 202 | 4 |
| European History | 3 | HIST 104 | 3 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | French General Elective and placement into FREN 203 | 3 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | French General Elective, FREN 203, and placement into FREN 204 | 6 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | French General Elective, FREN 203, FREN 204, and placement into FREN 255, FREN 260, or FREN 262 | 9 |
| Geography (Human) | 3 | GEOG 120 | 3 |
| German Language | 3 | German General Elective and placement into GERM 203 * | 3 |
| German Language | 4 | German General Elective, GERM 203, and placement into GERM 204 * | 6 |
| German Language | 5 | German General Elective, GERM 203, GERM 204, and placement into GERM 301 or GERM 302 * | 9 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | Italian General Elective and placement into ITAL 203 | 3 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | Italian General Elective, ITAL 203, and placement into ITAL 204 | 6 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | Italian General Elective, ITAL 203, ITAL 204, and placement into ITAL 300 | 9 |
| Japanese | 3 | Japanese General Elective * | 3 |
| Japanese | 4 | JAPN 203 * | 4 |
| Latin | 3 | Latin General Elective | 3 |
| Latin | 4 | LATN 203 | 3 |
| Latin | 5 | LATN 203, LATN 204 | 6 |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUSC 121 | 3 |
| Music Theory | 5 | MUSC 121, MUSC 130, MUSC 131 | 7 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | PHYS 114 | 4 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | PHYS 115 | 4 |
| Physics B | 3 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics B | 5 | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
| Physics C E&M | 3 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics C E&M | 4 | PHYS 115 | 4 |
| Physics C Meachnics | 3 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics C Mechanics | 4 | PHYS 114 | 4 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Psychology | 3 | Psychology General Elective | 3 |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | Spanish General Elective and placement into SPAN 203 | 3 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | Spanish General Elective, SPAN 203, and placement into SPAN 204 | 6 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | Spanish General Elective, SPAN 203, SPAN 204, and placement into SPAN 261 | 9 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | Spanish General Elective and placement into SPAN 203 | 3 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | Spanish General Elective, SPAN 203, and placement into SPAN 204 | 6 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | Spanish General Elective, SPAN 203, SPAN 204, SPAN 261 | 12 |
| Statistics | 3 | STOR 151 | 3 |
| Statistics | 4 | STOR 155 | 3 |
| US Government and Politics | 3 | Political Science General Elective | 3 |
| US Government and Politics | 4 | POLI 100 | 3 |
| US History | 3 | HIST 102 | 3 |
| World History | 3 | HIST 103 | 3 |
- *
Students who wish to continue Chinese, German, or Japanese at UNC must take a departmental placement exam.
International Baccalaureate Scores
Appropriate credit/placement will be awarded by the end of July for any enrolling student who has sent official scores.
| Subject | Minimum Score | Awarded Credit for the Following Courses | Credit Hours Awarded |
| Art Studio HL | 4 | ARTS 104 | 3 |
| Art Studio SL | 5 | ARTS 104 | 3 |
| Biology HL | 4 | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Biology SL | 5 | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Chemistry HL | 4 | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Chemistry HL | 5 | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L, CHEM 102, CHEM 102L | 8 |
| Chemistry SL | 5 | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Chinese HL | 4 | CHIN 203 * | 4 |
| Chinese SL | 5 | CHIN 203 * | 4 |
| Economics HL | 4 | ECON 101 | 4 |
| Economics SL | 5 | ECON 101 | 4 |
| English A HL | 4 | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| English A SL | 5 | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| English Language & Literature HL | 4 | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| English Language & Literature SL | 5 | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| French A Language and Literature HL/SL | 5 | FREN 203, FREN 204 | 6 |
| French A Literature HL/SL | 5 | FREN 203, FREN 204, FREN 260 | 9 |
| French B HL | 4 | FREN 203, FREN 204 | 6 |
| French B SL | 5 | FREN 203, FREN 204 | 6 |
| French ab initio SL | 5 | French General Elecitve; Placement by exam. (See languageplacement.unc.edu) | 3 |
| French ab initio SL | 6 | French General Elective; Placement into FREN 203 | 3 |
| Further Mathematics HL | 4 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| German HL | 4 | German General Elective | 3 |
| German HL | 5 | GERM 203 | 3 |
| German HL | 6 | GERM 203, GERM 204 | 6 |
| German SL | 5 | German General Elective | 3 |
| German SL | 6 | GERM 203 | 3 |
| German SL | 7 | GERM 203, GERM 204 | 6 |
| History of the Americas HL | 4 | HIST General Elective | 3 |
| History HL | 4 | HIST 103 | 3 |
| Italian HL | 4 | ITAL 203, ITAL 204 | 6 |
| Italian SL | 5 | ITAL 203, ITAL 204 | 6 |
| Japanese HL | 4 | JAPN 203 * | 4 |
| Japanese SL | 5 | JAPN 203 * | 4 |
| Latin HL | 4 | Latin General Elective | 3 |
| Latin HL | 5 | LATN 203 | 3 |
| Latin HL | 6 | LATN 203, LATN 204 | 6 |
| Latin SL | 5 | Latin General Elective | 3 |
| Latin SL | 6 | LATN 203 | 3 |
| Latin SL | 7 | LATN 203, LATN 204 | 6 |
| Math HL | 4 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Math SL | 5 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL | 4 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Mathematics Analysis and Approaches SL | 5 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Mathematics Applications HL | 4 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Mathematics Applications SL | 5 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | 0 |
| Music Comp HL | 4 | MUSC 141 | 3 |
| Music Comp SL | 5 | MUSC 141 | 3 |
| Philosophy HL | 4 | Philosophy General Elective | 3 |
| Philosophy HL | 5 | PHIL 101 | 3 |
| Philosophy SL | 5 | Philosophy General Elective | 3 |
| Physics HL | 4 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics HL | 7 | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
| Physics SL | 5 | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Psychology HL | 4 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Psychology SL | 5 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Spanish A Language and Literature HL/SL | 5 | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 | 6 |
| Spanish A Literature HL/SL | 5 | SPAN 203, SPAN 204, SPAN 261 | 9 |
| Spanish ab initio SL | 5 | Spanish General Elective; Placement by exam. (See languageplacement.unc.edu) | 3 |
| Spanish ab initio SL | 6 | Spanish General Elective, Placement in SPAN 203 | 3 |
| Spanish B HL | 4 | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 | 6 |
| Spanish B SL | 5 | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 | 6 |
| Visual Arts HL | 4 | ARTS 104 | 3 |
| Visual Arts SL | 5 | Art Studio General Elective | 3 |
| World Religion SL | 5 | RELI 101 | 3 |
- *
Students who wish to continue Chinese or Japanese at UNC must take a departmental placement exam.
Advanced Level General Certificate of Education (A-Level and AS-Level)
Credit is awarded for courses with a grade of E or higher.
| British A/AS Level Course | UNC Course Equivalent | Credit Hours Awarded (for a grade of E or higher) |
| Accounting A Level | BUSI 100 | 3 |
| Accounting AS Level | Business General Elective | 3 |
| Biology A Level | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L, BIOL 103 | 7 |
| Biology AS Level | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Chemistry A Level | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Chemistry AS Level | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Classics A Level | CLAS 121, CLAS 122 | 6 |
| Classics AS Level | CLAS 121, CLAS 122 | 6 |
| Computer Science A Level | COMP 110 | 3 |
| Divinity A Level | RELI 106 | 3 |
| Divinity AS Level | Religious Studies General Elective | 3 |
| Drama A Level | DRAM 115, DRAM 116, DRAM 120 | 9 |
| Drama AS Level | Dramatic Arts General Elective | 3 |
| Economics A Level | ECON 101 | 4 |
| Economics AS Level | ECON 101 | 4 |
| English Literature A Level | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| English Literature AS Level | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| French A Level | FREN 203, FREN 204 | 6 |
| French AS Level | FREN 203 | 3 |
| Further Mathematics A Level | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Further Mathematics AS Level | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Geography A Level | GEOG 110, GEOG 120 | 6 |
| Geography AS Level | GEOG 120 | 3 |
| German A Level | GERM 203, GERM 204 | 6 |
| German AS Level | GERM 203 | 3 |
| History A Level | History General Elective | 3 |
| History AS Level | History General Elective | 3 |
| Mathematics A Level | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Mathematics AS Level | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 152 | 3 |
| Physical Education A Level | EXSS 175 | 3 |
| Physical Education AS Level | Exercise and Sport Science General Elective | 3 |
| Physics (B or higher) A Level | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
| Physics (B or higher) AS Level | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
| Physics A Level | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Physics AS Level | Physics General Elective | 3 |
| Psychology A Level | Psychology General Elective | 3 |
| Psychology AS Level | Psychology General Elective | 3 |
| Sociology A Level | SOCI 101 | 3 |
| Sociology AS Level | SOCI 101 | 3 |
| Spanish A Level | SPAN 203, 204 | 6 |
| Spanish AS Level | SPAN 203 | 3 |
| U.S. Government and Politics | POLI 100, 232 | 6 |
Cambridge Pre-University (PRE-U)
Credit is awarded for courses with a grade of M3 or higher.
| Pre-U Course | UNC Course Equivalent | Credit Hours Awarded |
| History-Europe | HIST 158 | 3 |
| Further Mathematics | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Mathematics | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231 | 4 |
| Philosophy and Theology | PHIL 134 | 3 |
Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations
| Subject | Minimum Score | UNC Credit | Credit Hours Awarded |
| Biology | IV | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Caribbean Studies | IV or C | ANTH 130 | 3 |
| Chemistry | III | CHEM 101, CHEM 101L | 4 |
| Physics | III or B | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
French Baccalaureate Exam
Credit is awarded for exams with a mark of 10 or higher. Both the French-Written and French-Speaking exam scores must be 10 or higher, and both scores are averaged for a single score. If either score is below 10, even if the average total is 10 or higher, credit will not be awarded.
| Exam | UNC Course Equivalent | Credit Hours Awarded |
| Economics and Social Sciences | ECON 101 | 4 |
| English | ENGL 191 | 3 |
| French | FREN 203, FREN 204 | 6 |
| History and Geography | HIST 140, HIST 152 | 6 |
| Mathematics | MATH 110P, MATH 129P, MATH 231, MATH 232 | 8 |
| Philosophy | PHIL 101 | 3 |
| Science | BIOL 101, BIOL 101L | 4 |
| Spanish | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 | 6 |
College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams
| Exam | Minimum Score | Placement into the Following Courses | Credit Hours Awarded |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 231 PL | Placement credit for MATH 231; 0 hours awarded |
| College Algebra | 50 | MATH 110P | Placement credit for MATH 110; 0 hours awarded |
| French Language II | 59 | FREN 203 PL | Placement credit for FREN 203; 0 hours awarded |
| Precalculus | 50 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P | Placement credit for MATH 110, MATH 129P; 0 hours awarded |
| Spanish II | 63 | SPAN 203 PL | Placement credit for SPAN 203; 0 hours awarded |
| Spanish with Writing II | 65 | SPAN 203 PL, SPAN 204 PL | Placement credit for SPAN 203, SPAN 204; 0 hours awarded |
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
If students take this exam, they will need to submit an official exam score to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and they will manually award test credit.
| SQA Subject | Minimum Score | Awarded Credit for the Following Courses | Credit Hours Awarded |
| Advanced Higher Physics | A2 | PHYS 114, PHYS 115 | 8 |
French SAT II
SAT II French with Listening
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 350-440 | FREN 101 | none |
| 450-470 | FREN 105 | none |
| 480-540 | FREN 203 | none |
| 550-590 | FREN 204 | Placement credit for FREN 203, no credit hours awarded |
| 600-690 | FREN 255 or FREN 260 | FREN 203, FREN 204 |
| 700 & above | Placement by department interview | FREN 203, 204 |
Spanish SAT II
SAT II Spanish and SAT II Spanish with Listening accepted.
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 350-440 | SPAN 100 | none |
| 450-470 | SPAN 105 | none |
| 480-540 | SPAN 203 | none |
| 550-590 | SPAN 204 | Placement credit for SPAN 203, no credit hours awarded |
| 600-690 | SPAN 255 or SPAN 261 | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 |
| 700 & above | Placement by department interview | SPAN 203, SPAN 204 |
Latin SAT II
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 500 & below | LATN 101 | none |
| 510-540 | LATN 102 | none |
| 550-600 | LATN 203 | none |
| 610-650 | LATN 204 | LATN 203 |
| 660 & above | LATN 221 | LATN 203, LATN 204 |
German SAT II
SAT II German
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 450 or below | GERM 101 | none |
| 460-500 | GERM 102 | none |
| 510-550 | GERM 203 | none |
| 560-640 | GERM 204 | Placement credit for GERM 203, no credit hours awarded |
| 650 & above | GERM 301 or GERM 302 | GERM 203, GERM 204 |
Chinese SAT II
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 650 & above | Placement by department exam. (See languageplacement.unc.edu.) | CHIN 203 |
Japanese SAT II
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 650 & above | Placement by department exam. (See languageplacement.unc.edu.) | JAPN 203 |
Korean SAT II
| SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| 650 & above | Placement by department exam. (See languageplacement.unc.edu.) | KOR 203 |
Mathematics, ACT
| Score | Placement Into Course(s) | Credit Awarded |
| 26 - 28 | MATH 130 or MATH 152 | MATH 110P |
| 29 and Higher | MATH 231 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P |
Mathematics, SAT
| Score | Placment into Course(s) | Credit Awarded |
| 610 - 670 | MATH 130 or MATH 152 | MATH 110P |
| 680 - and Higher | MATH 231 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P |
Mathematics, SAT II
| Test | SAT II Score | Placement into the Following Course | Credit Awarded |
| Math Level 1 | 590 - 800 | MATH 130 or MATH 152 | MATH 110P |
| Math Level 2 | 570 - 630 | MATH 130 or MATH 152 | MATH 110P |
| Math Level 2 | 640 - 800 | MATH 231 | MATH 110P, MATH 129P |
National Examinations in World Languages (NEWL)
| Exam | Score | UNC Credit | Credit Awarded |
| Portuguese | 3 | Portuguese General Elective, Placement into PORT 203 | 3 |
| Portuguese | 4 | Portuguese General Elective, PORT 203, Placement into PORT 204 | 6 |
| Portuguese | 5 | Portuguese General Elective, PORT 203, PORT 204, Placement into PORT 310 | 9 |
Mathematics
For further information about placement, see the department's website on math placement.
English
Beginning in fall 2012, the English and Comparative Literature department started offering a new foundation course, ENGL 105, which took the place of ENGL 101 and 102. All students entering in fall 2012 and beyond are required to take this course; there is no exemption through test placement. For additional information on English placement, please see the department's website.
Credit by Departmental Examination
Enrolled students who, through individual study or experience, have gained knowledge of the content of undergraduate courses offered by the University may, with the approval of the relevant department and school or college, receive credit (without grade) for such courses by special examination. The student must receive the approval of the department and college/school at least 30 days before the examination is taken, and the examination must be taken before the beginning of the last semester or full summer session before the student’s graduation.
Policy on Credit for Internships — The College of Arts and Sciences
No internship automatically earns academic credit. Students who want academic credit for an internship should contact the director of undergraduate studies in a relevant academic department or curriculum before beginning the internship and must complete an internship course in that academic unit. Not all departments and curricula offer internship courses.
Internships may not be used to meet the high impact (HI) or experiential education (EE) Gen Ed requirements unless the student earns academic credit for the internship through a department or curriculum. A student must enroll in a course that has been approved as meeting the High Impact or EE requirement in order for an internship to fulfill that requirement.
Students who must earn academic credit as a condition of doing the internship—and who cannot get credit through an academic department or curriculum—should contact a counselor at University Career Services for possible credit in SPCL 493 before beginning the internship. The student must write a statement describing his or her learning objectives and a paper reflecting on the experience. SPCL 493 is a one-credit, Pass/Fail course that does not count toward any graduation requirements.
Modes of Instruction
All classes authorized for academic credit must be assigned an approved instructional mode prior to student registration. Class meetings are to be scheduled accordingly as well as within defined credit hour standards. The following provides a list of the available modes of instruction and a brief description of each instructional format. These descriptions are an overview and provide the minimal requirements for each mode. Individual classes may have unique characteristics or variations within these modes. Class modes other than the mode originally approved for the course may require additional levels of approval to determine appropriateness of the instruction format within the context of the corresponding academic programs. All class instruction delivered in a remote or online format is expected to be delivered with technology supported by the University and in accordance with related policies and procedures.
In-Person (IP)
- Instruction is offered in-person and student in-person attendance is required.
- Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled on-campus class meetings and exam times, including the final exam, in-person throughout the term or semester.
- In some classes or under special conditions, minimal content and/or class meetings (less than 25%) may be delivered in a remote/online format to supplement the majority in-person instructional time.
- Specific dates for regularly scheduled in-person meetings must be defined and available to students in the University’s student information system prior to the start of classes for the term or semester.
In-Person & Remote Hybrid (IR)
- Instruction is offered in both in-person and remote/online formats, and student attendance is required both in-person and online.
- Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled class meetings and exam times, including the final exam, throughout the term or semester.
- Classes will have both in-person and remote/online meetings regularly scheduled at specific dates and times, with over half the class meetings scheduled as in-person. The exact amount of in-person and synchronous remote/online regularly scheduled instruction varies by class.
- In addition to the majority in-person instruction, significant content (25-49%) will be delivered in a remote/online format. This includes synchronous and/or asynchronous meetings.
- Specific dates for regularly scheduled in-person and synchronous remote/online meetings must be defined and available to students in the University’s student information system prior to the start of classes for the term or semester.
Remote Asynchronous (RA)
- Instruction is offered in a remote/online format.
- Students are not required to attend class sessions on specific dates and times. All course content will be available in a remote/online format, either on-demand or within specified windows of time.
- All class sessions, activities, and/or exams, including the final exam, will be asynchronous and self-paced within defined timeframes; students will be expected to meet deadlines throughout the term or semester in which the class is offered.
- Any in-person or synchronous remote/online class meetings will be optional.
Remote Mostly Online & In-Person Hybrid (RM)
- Instruction is offered both remote/online (asynchronous and/or synchronous) and in-person formats and student attendance is required both online and in-person.
- Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled class meetings and exam times, including the final exam, throughout the term or semester.
- Classes will have both remote/online (asynchronous and/or synchronous) and in-person meetings regularly scheduled at specific dates and times, with over half the scheduled class meetings being in a remote/online format. The exact amount of remote/online and in-person regularly scheduled instruction varies by class.
- In addition to the majority remote/online instruction, significant content (up to 49%) will be delivered at in-person meetings.
- Specific dates for regularly scheduled synchronous remote/online and in-person meetings must be defined and available to students in the University’s student information system prior to the start of classes for the term or semester.
Remote Synchronous (RS)
- Instruction is offered in a remote/online format and student attendance is required online.
- Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled remote/online class meetings and exam times, including the final exam, throughout the term or semester.
- All class instruction will be remote/online. No in-person attendance will be required.
- In some classes or under special conditions, minimal content and/or class meetings (less than 25%) may be delivered remotely/online in an asynchronous format to supplement the majority synchronous instructional time.
- Specific dates for regularly scheduled synchronous remote/online meetings must be defined and available to students in the University’s student information system prior to the start of classes for the term or semester.
Global Language Placement Credit
For General Education Purposes
Students may complete their General Education global language requirement through one of the below means:
- Completion of a level 3 or higher language course at UNC approved for the global language requirement.
- Verified completion of two or more years of secondary education primarily taught in a language other than English.
- Verified completion of two or more semesters of higher education (defined as the equivalent of 24 eligible for transfer credit hours) primarily taught in a language other than English.
- Completion of a UNC language placement test in the language with a placement beyond level 3.
- Non-UNC language exam scores (including AP, IB, and others) submitted to UNC which are approved as credit for level 3 or above.
- Transfer credit for a language course approved as level 3 or above. Credit for languages not currently taught at UNC will articulate as GENR 203 (level 3) which meets the global language General Education requirement.
- Placement (PL) credit without hours for level 3 (GENR 203) of a language not currently taught at UNC obtained through the language proficiency verification process detailed on the UNC Language Placement website. Every effort is made to verify proficiency in any language, but UNC cannot guarantee that an appropriate placement test or language expert will be available for proficiency verification in all languages.
For the purposes of the above policy, “language other than English” includes languages regardless of country of origin, including sign languages and other languages that do not include a written form. Institutions primarily taught in a language other than English do not need to be located outside the United States to qualify under this policy.
For Continuing a Language Taught at UNC
Experiential Speakers of a Global Language
Enrolled students who have learned a language currently offered at UNC–Chapel Hill by experience (i.e., having grown up speaking another language in the home or having lived several years in another country) and who are conversant and literate in that language and in English, may take a placement test in that language for placement (PL) only and not for credit hours. This placement will determine the student’s next UNC course in the language.
Native Speakers of a Global Language
For academic purposes, a native speaker is a student raised in a country outside the United States and formally educated through all or most of high school in a language other than English. Native speakers cannot use By-Examination (BE) credit in their native language to reduce the requirements for a major in that language and will not receive credit for levels 1 through 4 of their native language(s). However, upon recommendation of the appropriate language department, they may receive credit for courses taken at UNC–Chapel Hill beyond level 4 if those courses are heavily based on literature, film, culture, or other content. Native speakers of languages other than English may use the above listed options to satisfy their General Education global language requirement. Native speakers who wish to pursue placement (PL) in their language should follow the appropriate department or General Education process on the Language Placement website.
Hours of Credit
Work is valued and credited toward degrees by semester hours, one such hour usually being awarded for one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each week. One hour of credit is usually awarded for each three hours of laboratory or field work or work in studio art.
For more information see the University policy and Faculty Council resolution on the definition of a credit hour.
Independent Studies for Credit
The University offers independent study experiences for undergraduate students. Such courses, including directed readings, internships/practica, mentored undergraduate research, and senior honors thesis courses for an individual student, are offered for academic credit through departments and curricula. Twelve hours of graded independent study credit may be counted toward graduation (excluding six hours of senior honors thesis credit). No more than 12 hours may be taken in any one semester, with the exception of students completing a full-time teaching internship program in the School of Education and other approved practicum/internship programs in the professional schools. Students may participate in formalized programs, or they may make individual learning contracts for work under the supervision of a member of the permanent faculty at the department/curriculum level. For information about independent study courses in their majors, students should consult the director of undergraduate studies or independent study coordinator in their major department or curriculum. Students, in consultation with the faculty member, must complete a learning contract and have it approved by the director of undergraduate studies (or designee). Registration for an independent study course must be completed after the learning contract has been approved and no later than the last day of "late registration" (the end of the second week of classes in fall or spring semester or the equivalent date in each summer session). A template for such a learning contract is available online. Students are strongly encouraged to begin this process early, well before the beginning of the semester.
This policy is maintained by the College of Arts and Sciences and Educational Policy Committee. Last revised November 28, 2017. See also Resolution 2012-12, Resolution 2013-6, and the University’s independent study policy.
Semester Schedule
UNC–Chapel Hill awards course academic credits on a semester credit hour basis and primarily operates on a semester based academic calendar. The University's main academic calendar is divided into fall and spring semesters with standard course meetings within a 17-week terms and programs following this calendar require consecutive enrollment in these semesters. The University’s main academic calendar also covers summer terms and Summer School typically offers two sessions of five weeks each, a three-week Maymester, and other short courses with various beginning and ending dates. For specific dates, see the University's Academic Calendar.
