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Challenge Credit

WCU GE Challenge Exam Policy for On-ground Campuses:

WCU allows students to "challenge" a West Coast University course for which the equivalent transfer credit request was denied.  WCU challenge exams are not an available option for all WCU academic programs.  Students are encouraged to confirm availability of this option directly with the program director.  

If the WCU challenge exam option is available, the student must submit a challenge exam application form to their Student Affairs advisor and comply with the following requirements:  

  1. Student will only be allowed to take a WCU challenge exam if they meet the general and program-specific criteria.  If the request to challenge a course is approved, and the student passes the appropriate examination, credits earned for classes challenged will be valid for twelve (12) months from the date the exam is taken.  Once a student matriculates, the course requirement is satisfied and posted to the student's transcript becoming a permanent part of the student's academic record.  If the WCU challenge exam is not successfully passed, the student will be required to take the course requirement in their program of study.  
  2. Students must satisfactorily meet all prerequisites of any courses being challenged, prior to taking the challenge exam.  
  3. Students must complete all challenge exams prior to the start of their first course with West Coast University.  
  4. Students must declare which course(s) are proposed to be challenged and must gain approval from the program's academic administrator.  Each program has its own unique requirements and deadlines for submitting the WCU challenge examination application.  It is the student's responsibility to ascertain and comply with all requirements necessary to take a challenge exam.  
  5. Students may not apply for a WCU challenge exam for courses they have previously taken at WCU.  A course may be challenged only one (1) time.  Students must complete the challenge exam with a score that is equal to or higher than the minimum required transferrable grade for the course that is being challenged, and no more than twelve (12) semester credits may be earned through WCU challenge exams.  
  6. Credits earned through WCU challenge exams do not count towards the in-residence requirements or towards a student's cumulative grade point average (CGPA).  In addition, a student's financial aid may be affected if challenge credit is received; therefore, students considering challenging a course should consult with their campus Financial Aid Officer on the impact of doing so.  
  7. A non-refundable fee of $100 will be charged per exam.  All nursing clinical course challenge exams require a non-refundable fee of $500 per exam.  The fee must be paid prior to the exam and is not include as part of the student's financial aid package.  
  8. The University's decision on a student's eligibility to take a specific WCU challenge exam is final and may not be appealed.  If a student achieves credit by successfully challenging a course and passing the challenge exam, no guarantee is made that the student will advance his or her degree completion date.  Degree acceleration will be based on space availability.  

CLEP Minimum Scores and General Education Equivalencies:

West Coast University accepts CLEP exam scores as a basis for awarding equivalent educational credit toward a degree.  A student who seeks credit to be awarded by taking the CLEP examination must achieve a minimum score of 50.  Those interested in requesting an evaluation should submit their scores as part of seeking credits for previous education. 

AP Minimum Scores and General Education Equivalencies:

A student may receive credit for coursework if they achieved a minimum score of 3 in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Psychology and AP Statistics. 

Military and Training Credit:

Former and current military service personnel may receive credit for any West Coast University course providing they meet certain criteria. The appropriate program Dean/Chair and the Registrar’s Office shall be responsible for determining the final credit award. 

Students attending a ground campus may be awarded a maximum of 24 undergraduate course credits for previous military training or work experience.  Undergraduate students attending an online non-nursing program may earn a maximum of 30 undergraduate course credits for previous military training or work experience.  

Current and former military service personnel shall be required to provide WCU with an official copy of their Joint Services Transcript, which is then evaluated by Registrar’s Office using the American Council on Education (ACE) system.  This document provides official information about an individual’s previous education/training and work experience while in the military.