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PLA By External Challenge Examinations
Lone Star College has established equivalent course credit for minimum passing scores on nationally-recognized, college entrance and subject exams. Students are responsible for test arrangements and making sure official score reports are sent to Lone Star College. In addition to minimum passing scores, students may be required to complete a course or additional assessment before being eligible for credit.
Students must have an official score report sent to Lone Star College directly from the testing organization to initiate credit. PLA by exam credit is automated for assessments that do not require course completion or additional assessment. With exception of AVANT exams, PLA by exam credit applies to LSC graduation requirements only and will not transfer. Students are highly encouraged to discuss their academic goals with an advisor before registering for an assessment.
LSC accepts score reports for select exams administered through the following organizations:
- ACT
- AVANT - language placement exams must be taken before registering for an LSC foreign language course. Students submit an application for PLA credit after completing the designated placement course with a C or better.
- College Board - AP, CLEP & SAT
- DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
External Challenge Exams by Subject
- Arts & Music
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score History of Art AP College Board ARTS 1303 3 Music IB (SL or HL) MUSI 1306 3 Studio Art1 AP College Board ARTS 1311 OR 1316 3 Theater Arts IB (SL or HL) DRAM 1310 3 Visual Arts IB (SL or HL) ARTS 1301 OR 1311 OR 1316 3 Footnotes (Arts & Music)
The following footnote refers to activities which must take place on campus. Please see a campus advisor for further instruction.
1Portfolio review is required to receive credit. Please see an advisor to submit an application and portfolio for faculty review. Students who take the Design-Studio Art exam can apply for credit for ARTS 1311, and those who take Drawing-Studio Art exam can apply for credit for ARTS 1316.
- Business
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score Business Law II DSST BUSI 2301 53 Business & Management IB BUSI 1301 3 Financial Accounting CLEP ACCT 2301 52 Principles of Financial Accounting DSST ACCT 2301 52 Personal Finance DSST BUSI 1307 430 Principles of Supervision DSST BMGT 1301 419 - Computer Science
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score Computer Science A AP College Board COSC 1336 and 1337 3 - English
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score American Literature CLEP ENGL 2327, 2328 46 English Language IB (SL) ENGL 1301 & 1302 4 English Language IB (HL) ENGL 1301, 1302
& 23324 English Usage ACT ENGL 1301 31 English Language & Composition AP College Board ENGL 1301 3 English Literature & Composition AP College Board ENGL 1302 3 English Literature CLEP ENGL 2322, 2323 46 Writing SAT (prior to 3/5/2016) ENGL 1301 690-800 - Foreign Language
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Subject Area Examination1 LSC Course Min. Score Arabic
(Upon completion of ARAB 1412)AVANT ARAB 1411 2.2-3.5 Arabic
(Upon completion of ARAB 2311)AVANT ARAB 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 Arabic
(Upon completion of ARAB 2312)AVANT ARAB 1411, 1412, 2311 5.2-6 Chinese
(Upon completion of CHIN 1412)AVANT CHIN 1411 2.2-3.5 Chinese
(Upon completion of CHIN 2311)AVANT CHIN 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 Chinese
(Upon completion of CHIN 2312)AVANT CHIN 1411, 1412, 2311 5.1-6 French
(Upon completion of FREN 1412)AVANT FREN 1411 2.2-3.5 French
(Upon completion of FREN 2311)AVANT FREN 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 French
(Upon completion of FREN 2312)AVANT FREN 1411, 1412, 2311 5.2-6 Italian
(Upon completion of ITAL 1412)AVANT ITAL 1411 2.2-3.5 Italian
(Upon completion of ITAL 2311)AVANT ITAL 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 Italian
(Upon completion of ITAL 2312)AVANT ITAL 1411, 1412, 2311 5.2-6 Japanese
(Upon completion of JAPN 1412)AVANT JAPN 1411 2.2-3.5 Japanese
(Upon completion of JAPN 2311)AVANT JAPN 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 Japanese
(Upon completion of JAPN 2312)AVANT JAPN 1411, 1412, 2311 5.2-6 Spanish
(Upon completion of SPAN 1412AVANT SPAN 1411 2.2-3.5 Spanish2
(Upon completion of SPAN 2311 or 2313)AVANT SPAN 1411, 1412 3.6-5.1 Spanish2
(Upon completion of SPAN 2312 or 2315)AVANT SPAN 1411, 1412 & 2311 (or) 2313 5.2-6 French IB (AB) FREN 1411 4 French IB (B) (SL) FREN 1411, 1412 4 French IB (B) (HL) FREN 1411, 1412, 2311, 1312 4 French
Level ICLEP FREN 1411, 1412 50 Spanish
Level ICLEP SPAN 1411, 1412 50 German
Level ICLEP GERM 1411, 1412 50 German IB (AB) GERM 1411 4 German IB (B) (SL) GERM 1411, 1412 4 German IB (HL) GERM 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 4 Spanish Language AP College Board SPAN 1411, 1412 3 Spanish Language AP College Board SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311 4 Spanish Language AP College Board SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 5 Spanish IB (AB) SPAN 1411 4 Spanish IB (B) (SL) SPAN 1411, 1412 4 Spanish IB (HL) SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 4 French Language AP College Board FREN 1411, 1412 3 French Language AP College Board FREN 1411, 1412, 2311 4 French Language AP College Board FREN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 5 German Language AP College Board GERM 1411, 1412 3 German Language AP College Board GERM 1411, 1412, 2311 4 German Language AP College Board GERM 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 5 Italian Language AP College Board ITAL 1411, 1412 3 Italian Language AP College Board ITAL 1411, 1412, 2311 4 Italian Language AP College Board ITAL 1411, 1412,
2311, 23125 Italian IB (AB) ITAL1411 4 Italian IB (B)(SL) ITAL 1411, 1412 4 Italian IB (HL) ITAL 1411, 1412,
2311, 23124 -
Footnotes (Foreign Language)
The following footnote refers to activities which must take place on campus.
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1$25 testing fee is waived for dual credit students taking the AVANT placement exam for the first time. Dual credit students may retake the test once a semester but will be charged $25 for each subsequent test.
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2Students who are heritage or native speakers of Spanish should take SPAN 2313 and 2315
- Math & Science
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score Math Usage ACT MATH 1314 28 Math SAT (prior to 3/5/2016) MATH 1314 640-800 Mathematical
StudiesIB (SL) MATH 1332 4 Further Mathematics IB (SL) MATH 1332 4 College Algebra CLEP MATH 1314 50 Precalculus CLEP MATH 2412 50 Calculus with Elementary Functions CLEP MATH 2413 50 Biology AP College Board BIOL 1406, 1407 3 Math
Calculus ABAP College Board MATH 2413 3 (AB) Math
Calculus BCAP College Board MATH 2413, 2414 4 (BC) Math
Calculus BCAP College Board MATH 2413 3(BC) Mathematics IB (HL) MATH 1325 4 Statistics AP College Board MATH 1342 3 Biology IB (SL) BIOL 1406 4 Biology IB (HL) BIOL 1406, 1407 4 Chemistry AP College Board CHEM 1405 3 Chemistry AP College Board CHEM 1411, 1412 4 Chemistry IB (SL) CHEM 1411 4 Chemistry IB (HL) CHEM 1411, 1412 4 Geology IB (SL) ENVR 1401 OR
GEOL 14054 Geology IB (HL) GEOG 1303 4 Physics 1 AP College Board PHYS 1401 3 Physics 2 AP College Board PHYS 1402 3 Physics C: Mechanics AP College Board PHYS 1401 3 Physics C: Mechanics AP College Board PHYS 1401, 2425 4 Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism AP College Board PHYS 1402 3 Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism AP College Board PHYS 1402, 2426 4 Physics IB (HL) PHYS 1401 4 - Social & Behavioral Science
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Subject Area Examination LSC Course Min. Score Fundamentals of Counseling DSST DAAC 1311 45 American Government CLEP GOVT 2305 50 U.S. Government and Politics AP College Board GOVT 2305 3 U.S. History I CLEP HIST 1301 50 U.S. History II CLEP HIST 1302 50 U.S. History AP College Board HIST 1301 OR
HIST 13023 World History AP College Board HIST 2321 3 Western Civilization I CLEP HIST 2311 46 Western Civilization II CLEP HIST 2312 47 History IB (SL) HIST 2321 OR 2322 5 History IB (HL) HIST 2321 OR 2322 4 Lifespan/
Developmental PsychologyDSST PSYC 2314 46 Macroeconomics AP College Board ECON 2301 3 Microeconomics AP College Board ECON 2302 3 Intro to Psychology1 CLEP PSYC 2301 55 Psychology AP College Board PSYC 2301 3 Psychology IB (SL) PSYC 2301 5 Psychology IB (HL) PSYC 2301 4 Social & Cultural Anthropology IB (HL) ANTH 2346 4 Intro to Philosophy IB (SL or HL) PHIL 1301 4 Intro to Sociology CLEP SOCI 1301 53 Substance Abuse DSST DAAC 1319 400 Footnotes (Social & Behavioral Sciences)
The following footnote refers to activities which must take place on campus. Please see a campus advisor for further instruction.
1An essay is required to receive credit. Please meet with the department chair to make appropriate arrangements.
