USC Office of Articulation
AP EXAM CREDIT AT USC
Credit: USC awards 4 units of elective credit for most AP examinations taken Spring 2009 or later with a score of 4 or 5. (Most AP tests taken before Spring 2009 with a score of 3 will also earn elective units.)
Restrictions:
- AP scores do not earn course equivalence.
- Students may not receive credit for both an AP exam and a college course taken before high school graduation covering the same subject matter, nor for AP and IB exams covering the same subject matter.
- A maximum of 32 units will be granted for AP exam credit.
- No credit is given for Calculus AB Subscore, Music: Aural Subscore, or Music: Nonaural Subscore.
General Education: In addition to elective units, scores of 4 or 5 for certain exams will satisfy General Education requirements, as shown in the table below.
| GE 1 (Western Cultures and Traditions) | Art (History) History (European) |
| GE 3 (Scientific Inquiry) | Biology Chemistry Physics (B) Physics (C- Mechanics) Physics (C- Electricity/Magnetism) |
Foreign Language: Scores of 4 or 5 on the following exams taken Spring 2007 or later will satisfy the third level foreign language requirement, but do not earn USC course equivalence. (Students wishing to take a fourth level foreign language course must take a placement exam.)
| Chinese Language and Culture | Italian Language and Culture |
| French Language | Japanese Language and Culture |
| French Literature | Spanish Language |
| German Language | Spanish Literature |
Waivers: Some departments may use AP scores of 4 or 5 to waive prerequisites or degree requirements as shown below.
| AP Exam | Prerequisite that can be waived | After prerequisite is waived... |
| Biology | Either BISC 120 or BISC 220; see undergrad advisor in Biological Sciences. Interested in Medical School? See the important note below! |
...see undergrad advisor in Biological Sciences. |
| Chemistry | CHEM 105aL Interested in Medical School? See the important note below! |
...take CHEM 105bL. |
| Economics (Micro) | ECON 203 | ...take certain upper-division Business or ECON courses. |
| Economics (Macro) | ECON 205 | ...take certain upper-division Business or ECON courses. |
| Mathematics (AB) *NOT the AB subscore* |
MATH 125 (Marshall School of Business students, MATH 118; see advisor) |
...take MATH 126, MATH 127, MATH 208, MATH 218, or certain upper-division business courses. |
| Mathematics (BC) | If your score is 4, MATH 125 If your score is 5, MATH 125 and MATH 126 (Marshall School of Business students, MATH 118; see advisor) |
...take higher-level calculus or business courses; see advisor. |
| Psychology | PSYC 100 | ...take certain upper-division PSYC courses; see advisor. |
Missing AP scores? Students must have their scores sent directly to USC from the College Board, not from their high school or in any other format. Contact the College Board for ordering instructions: 1-888-CALL-4AP. If spring official scores have been sent in June but do not appear on the student's TCR by August, send an email to uscartic@usc.edu.
For a complete list of AP exams, see here. For information about waiving prerequisites with AP exam scores, see here.