Case Western Reserve University grants credit in many fields based on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and A-Level scores. In most cases, you also can apply transfer credits from other accredited institutions.
AP, IB and A-Level Exams
Except as noted, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and A-Level credit can replace specific courses for purposes of general education, major or minor requirements.
Credit will be posted on your record upon admission and as we receive it. If, after admission to CWRU, you complete a course for which you received credit/exemption on the basis of AP, IB or A-Level examinations, the credit/exemption for that course will be forfeited and will not count toward graduation requirements.
The policies regarding the awarding of credit for Advanced Placement Examinations of The College Board and/or International Baccalaureate Examinations are reviewed annually by departments and are subject to change. The following information will apply to students who matriculate at CWRU for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Advanced Placement Score Equivalences, Exemptions & Placements
AP Research
CWRU does not award credit for AP Research
AP Seminar
CWRU does not award credit for AP Seminar
Art History
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ARTH 100-TR
This credit cannot be used to satisfy requirements for a major or minor in Art History.
CWRU Placement: ARTH 101
Drawing Portfolio
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ARTS 106 or ARTS 216
Final credit awarded to be determined after individual portfolio review by Art Studio Program Director.
2-D Design Portfolio
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ARTS 101 or ARTS 216
Final credit awarded to be determined after individual portfolio review by Art Studio Program Director.
3-D Design Portfolio
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ARTS 100-TR or ARTS 201, 210 or 214
Final credit awarded to be determined after individual portfolio review by Art Studio Program Director.
Biology (Score of 4)
Required score: 4
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: BIOL 114
Biology (Score of 5)
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: BIOL 200-TR
This credit will satisfy the BIOL 114 requirement for the nursing major.
Chemistry
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHEM 111
This course will meet a requirement of either CHEM 105 or CHEM 111.
CWRU Placement: CHEM 106 and 113; or ENGR 145
Computer Science A
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CSDS 132
CWRU Placement: CSDS 233 or 281
Computer Science Principles
CWRU does not award credit for Computer Science Principles
Microeconomics
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ECON 102
Macroeconomics
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ECON 103
Language/Composition
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ENGL 200-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for English AP scores and only after successful completion of a three-credit-hour 300-level ENGL course with a grade of C or better.
Literature/Composition
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ENGL 200-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for English AP scores and only after successful completion of a three-credit-hour 300-level ENGL course with a grade of C or better.
Environmental Science
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: EEPS 100-TR
Chinese
Required score: 4
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHIN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: CHIN 301
Chinese (Score of 5)
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHIN 201, 202, 301
CWRU Placement: CHIN 302
French
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: FRCH 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level FRCH
German
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: GRMN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level GRMN
Italian
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ITAL 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level ITAL
Japanese
Required score: 4
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: JAPN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: JAPN 301
Japanese
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: JAPN 201, 202, 301
CWRU Placement: JAPN 302
Latin
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: LATN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level LATN
Spanish Language & Culture
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: SPAN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level SPAN
Spanish Literature & Culture
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: SPAN 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level SPAN
Comparative Politics
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: POSC 160
U.S. Government
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: POSC 109
Three credit hours as POSC 109 will be awarded for U.S. Government AP scores only after successful completion of a 300-level US politics course with a grade of B or better.
European History
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: HSTY 100-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for History AP scores and only after successful completion of the one-credit-hour HSTY 100.
U.S. History
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: HSTY 100-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for History AP scores and only after successful completion of the one-credit-hour HSTY 100.
World History
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: HSTY 100-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for History AP scores and only after successful completion of the one-credit-hour HSTY 100.
Human Geography
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ANTH 100-TR
Calculus AB
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MATH 121*
CWRU Placement: MATH 122 or 126
Calculus BC
Required score: AB subscore = 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MATH 121*
CWRU Placement: MATH 122 or 126
Calculus BC
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 8 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MATH 121, 122*
CWRU Placement: MATH 223
*Credit for MATH 121 will meet a requirement for either MATH 121 or MATH 125. Credit for MATH 122 will meet a requirement for either MATH 122 or MATH 126.
Music Theory
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MUTH 103.
This credit cannot be used to satisfy requirements for any music major program.
Physics 1
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 115*
CWRU Placement: PHYS 116
Physics 2
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 100-TR*
Physics B
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 115*
CWRU Placement: PHYS 116
Physics C-Mech
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 121*
CWRU Placement: PHYS 122
Physics C-E & M
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 100-TR*
*A student may not receive credit for more than one of Physics 1, Physics B, or Physics C-Mechanics (forfeiting the credit if they subsequently earn credit for PHYS 115, 121, or 123) and may not receive credit for more than one of Physics 2 or Physics C-E&M (forfeiting the PHYS 100-TR credit if they subsequently earn credit for PHYS 116, 122, or 124). Students who earned a 4 or 5 on their AP Physics exam but who had little or no high school physics laboratory experience should consult with the department about taking PHYS 113A to build their laboratory skills before moving on to PHYS 116 or 122.
Psychology
Required score: 4 or 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PSCL 101
Statistics
Required score: 5
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: STAT 201
International Baccalaureate Score Equivalences, Exemptions & Placements
Biology
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: BIOL 200-TR
Chemistry
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 4 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHEM 111
This course will meet a requirement of either CHEM 105 or CHEM 111.
CWRU Placement: CHEM 106 and 113; or ENGR 145
Computer Science
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: EECS 132
CWRU Placement: EECS 233 or 281
Dance
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: DANC 121
CWRU Placement: DANC 122
Economics
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ECON 102, 103
English Language A
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: WLIT 290
History of Europe
Required score: HL 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: HSTY 100-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for History IB scores and only after successful completion of the one-credit-hour HSTY 100.
History of the Americas
Required score: HL 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: HSTY 100-TR
CWRU Placement: A maximum of three credit hours will be awarded for History AP scores and only after successful completion of the one-credit-hour HSTY 100.
Chinese B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHIN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level CHIN
Chinese B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: CHIN 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level CHIN
French B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: FRCH 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level FRCH
French B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: FRCH 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level FRCH
German B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: GRMN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level GRMN
German B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: GRMN 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level GRMN
Italian B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ITAL 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level ITAL
Italian B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ITAL 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level ITAL
Japanese B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: JAPN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level JAPN
Japanese B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: JAPN 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level JAPN
Spanish B (HL 6)
Required score: HL 6
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: SPAN 201, 202
CWRU Placement: 300-level SPAN
Spanish B (HL 7)
Required score: HL 7
Credit earned: 9 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: SPAN 201, 202, 300-TR
CWRU Placement: 300-level SPAN
Mathematics
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 7 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MATH 121 and 100-TR
Credit for MATH 121 will meet a requirement for either MATH 121 or MATH 125.
CWRU Placement: MATH 122 or 126
Music
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 6 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: MUTH 103 and MUGN 201
Credit for these courses cannot be used to satisfy requirements for any music major program.
Physics
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 7 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PHYS 121, PHYS 100-TR
CWRU Placement: PHYS 122
*A student who subsequently earns credit for PHYS 115, 121, or 123 will forfeit IB credit for PHYS 121, and a student who subsequently earns credit for PHYS 116, 122, or 124 will forfeit IB credit for PHYS 100-TR. Students who earned a 5, 6, or 7 on their IB Physics exam but who had little or no high school physics laboratory experience should consult with the department about taking PHYS 113A to build their laboratory skills before moving on to PHYS 116 or 122.
Psychology
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: PSCL 101
Social and Cultural Anthropology
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ANTH 102
Theater Studies
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: THTR 110
Visual Arts
Required score: HL 5, 6 or 7
Credit earned: 3 hours
CWRU Equivalent/Exempt: ARTS 101
College Credit
Once you've been admitted to Case Western Reserve University and we've received your final transcript and course descriptions of the college-level work you have successfully completed, the Office of Undergraduate Studies will evaluate your transfer credits.
Credit can be awarded for courses:
- Equivalent to courses offered by CWRU
- Completed with a grade of C or better
- Taken at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or technical institute
CWRU does not grant credit for college courses that were used to meet high school graduation requirements or that repeat courses completed in high school.
Ohio residents in grades 7 to 12 can begin their college educations early by enrolling in College Credit Plus at Case Western Reserve University. Earn college credit at CWRU and be a part of our world-renowned community before high school graduation.
English Competency Credit
Transfer students who have completed the English Composition/Expository Writing requirement with a grade of C or higher at their previous institution will receive transfer credit for an Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS 100) at CWRU.
Nursing Credit
Students may apply for transfer admission for any term (fall, spring or summer). If you’re transferring into the second year of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, you must be able to transfer a minimum of 20 credit hours, including equivalents to the following CWRU courses:
- BIOL 114
- CHEM 119
- BIOL 116 and BIOL 117 (Anatomy & Physiology I and II)
- Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS)
Nursing transfer students also require additional credits beyond the courses listed above to attain second-year status. Equivalents to the following CWRU courses are recommended but not required:
- SOCI 203 (Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan)
- NURS 342 (Medical Microbiology)
- NURS 201(Nutrition)
- STAT 201 (Basic Statistics)
Cleveland-Area Community College Credit
Students applying for transfer admission from Cleveland-area community colleges should review the appropriate transfer credit guides.