Initiating body:	Academic Senate
Contact:	Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies 438-2156
Revised on:	01/2001

2.1.6 Undergraduate Proficiency Examination

Policy

This policy statement does not pertain to nor include CLEP examinations.

Undergraduate students who have attained knowledge by independent study, or through experiences not necessarily related to official college class work, might have this knowledge recognized by the University. In order to recognize this knowledge, continuation and expansion of the present program of demonstrated proficiency at the undergraduate level is desirable. The main concern is that a person demonstrate a level of achievement consonant with that expected in a particular course or courses and not with the manner in which this level was achieved.

Academic Senate Recommendation

The Academic Standards Committee, therefore, recommends the following:

Continuation and expansion of the program of demonstrated proficiencies in order to obtain course credit in curriculum requirements or electives.

1. Each department shall establish the manner and level at which a student shall be judged proficient in a way that is similar to the type and quality of examination(s) (including difficulty level and cut-off points) typically used in the determination of the final course grade. The minimal level at which a student is to be judged proficient shall be equivalent to a grade of "C" in the course. Placement procedures may be used with the approval of the department chairperson to determine the appropriate initial level of course work for a student and the amount of credit that may be given as equivalent to prerequisite courses listed in the undergraduate catalog.
2. Each department shall have proficiency examinations for most 100 level courses regularly listed in the catalog (excluding seminars).
3. A comprehensive statement of course objectives should be available to all students for each course for which proficiency examinations are given. (Only after examining the course objectives should a student consider whether or not he/she should elect to be examined as proficient in the course under consideration.)
4. Participation in proficiency examinations is open to all students admitted to Illinois State University; however, students may not register nor receive credit for Departmental Proficiency Examinations prior to the successful completion of twelve semester hours of accredited college or University coursework without written approval of the chairperson of the department in which the course is offered.
5. Credit granted for proficiency examinations will not have a letter grade assigned; therefore, the grade point average will not be affected.
6. Credit earned in proficiency examinations may not be used to raise grades or remove failures in courses already taken.
7. No course credit will be awarded for proficiency examinations which substantially duplicate previously earned college credit.
8. A student will not be permitted to take a proficiency examination more than once nor may any student register for more than one Departmental Proficiency Examination each semester unless approved in writing by the chairperson(s) of the department(s) in which the courses are being offered.
9. Responsibility for the supervision and administration of the proficiency program shall rest in the Office of Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies or his or her designee.