Credit by Examination

Currently enrolled matriculated graduate students may take special examinations in approved academic subject matter offered by Seattle Pacific University to gain credit without being enrolled in specific courses only with prior approval of their program director. The policies and procedures for obtaining permission and filing the Credit By Examination Form, available by request from the Office of the Registrar.

  • You must be admitted to SPU and enrolled for the current quarter. 
  • You may receive credit upon demonstrating mastery of the course's learning objectives by successfully passing an examination.
  • The number of SPU credit-by-examination courses that may be applied toward a master’s degree is determined by the individual graduate program, but in no case may more than 6 such credits be applied toward a master’s degree.
  • You may be tutored by a private instructor and challenge a course for credit by examination.
  • You may not receive credit by examination for a course for which you have previously received credit or in which you earned an E, N, NC, G, Audit, or I grade at SPU.
  • You may not receive credit by examination for a course in which you are enrolled.
  • Within a given program, you may not receive credit for a lower-level or prerequisite course when credit has already been received in a higher-level course.
  • You may not repeat an examination for credit.
  • You are entitled to only one consultation with the professor administering the test.
  • You must pay for all special exam fees prior to scheduling and taking the exam.