CREDIT BY EXAMINATION - PHYSICS

Policies Effective for the Academic Year 2009-2010*

*This is to be used as a guide only. Policies are subject to change.

UT Austin provides you with the opportunity to earn course credit by examination. Such credit will satisfy degree requirements in the same way as credit earned by passing a course, except that it will not count as credit earned in residence. Although you may take tests before you enroll in UT Austin, you must be a currently or previously enrolled student in order to receive credit. Unsuccessful attempts to earn credit by examination will not become part of your official transcript.

Faculty members in the Department of Physics select the tests, set the levels of performance required for credit, and specify who is eligible to take the tests. DIIA-Student Testing Services assists the department by communicating policies, giving the tests, and reporting the credit.

LOWER-DIVISION PHYSICS CURRICULUM

UT Austin's Department of Physics has several sequences of introductory courses. The most appropriate sequence for you is determined, in part, by your major. Because these sequences cover similar material, the corresponding courses are considered to be duplicates; duplicate courses cannot be counted without prior approval of the department. Complete information about courses is available from the Student Office in the Department of Physics.

The only test used for placement guidance in physics courses is the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1. Students who score below 620 on the Math Level 1 Test and whose majors require PHY 301, 101L, 303K, 103M, 317K, and 117M should take PHY 306 before taking any of these courses.

Course sequences for which credit may be earned through regularly scheduled tests are as follows:

1. GENERAL TECHNICAL COURSES

   Physics 302K, 102M, 302L, 102N: Technical courses for students who need general courses in physics. These courses are appropriate for Allied Health majors and pre-dental students but are not recommended for pre-med and pre-vet students. These courses are also required for architecture students.

2. COURSES FOR MAJORS IN ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCES, AND SCIENCE, AND FOR PRE-MED CONCENTRATIONS--CALCULUS BASED

   Physics 303K, 103M, 303L, 103N: Physics for engineering and Bachelor of Science in geology

   Physics 301, 101L, 316, 116L: Physics for majors in physics, astronomy, biochemistry, chemistry, computer sciences, geophysics, and microbiology

   Physics 317K, 117M, 317L, 117N: Physics for pre-med and pre-vet students and students in other sciences.

TESTS USED BY UT AUSTIN
Students who wish to attempt to earn credit by examination in physics have the following options:

Physics 302K, 102M and/or 302L, 102N

• College Board (CB) SAT Subject Test in Physics
• CB Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in Physics B
• CB AP Examination in Physics C: Mechanics
• CB AP Examination in Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher-Level Examination in Physics

Physics 301, 101L or 303K, 103M or 317K, 117M

• CB AP Examination in Physics C: Mechanics
• UT Austin Test for Credit in Physics: Mechanics

Physics 316, 116L or 303L, 103N or 317L, 117N

• CB AP Examination in Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
• UT Austin Test for Credit in Physics: Electricity and Magnetism

Physics 309K and 309L

• IB Higher-Level Examination in Physics

Eligibility for Credit by Examination in Physics
You are eligible to earn credit by examination for only those physics courses in which you have neither a passing nor a failing grade.

COLLEGE BOARD SAT SUBJECT TEST

Level of Performance Required for Credit

The CB SAT Subject Test has a score range of 200-800.

TEST ADMINISTRATION

Where and When to Take the Test: You may take the SAT Subject test in Physics in a CB test center on a nationwide test date or on the UT Austin campus on a date set by UT Austin. The test is offered on the UT Austin campus shortly before the begining of each semester.

College Board Test Centers

• These centers are usually in high schools. Test dates are usually in October, November, December, January, May, and June of each year. Advance registration with The College Board is required. The national test schedule for the SAT Subject Test in Physics is available http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html.
• Test scores from College Board nationwide administrations are available about four weeks after the test date.
• The registration and test fees for the national SAT Subject Test in Physics is listed on the College Board's Web site http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html.

The College Board Bulletin for the SAT Program, which includes a list of test centers and a registration form, is available without charge at most high schools or from The College Board ATP, Box 6200, Princeton, NJ 08541. You can also register online from the College Board web page.

UT Austin Campus

Test Periods: UT Austin offers the SAT Subject Test in Physics for current and prospective students during scheduled testing periods several days before each class registration period.

Test Registration: You must register for a test online.

Test Registration for Students with Disabilities: If you require academic accommodations or assistance due to a documented disability, you should contact these two offices at least five business days before the day of the test:

• Services for Students with Disabilities, in the Office of the Dean of Students at ssd@uts.cc.utexas.edu,  http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd, or (512) 471-6259 to seek approval for authorized accommodations;
• DIIA-Student Testing Services at (512) 232-2662 to register and make arrangements to take the test.

Registration Fee and Test Fee Payment: The total test fee is $50 (subject to change). When you confirm your registration for a test you will be immediately billed a non-refundable test registration fee of $15. The remainder of the test fee will be billed after you take the test. Payment is due within 14 days after the test administration.

Repeating the Test: You may take the Physics test on the UT Austin campus only once.

In College Board Test Centers, you may repeat the test as often as you wish.

Admission to the test room: When you register online you will be given the location of your test room. You must present, at the test room, a generally accepted form of identification that includes both your signature and photograph. Without such identification, you will be admitted only if you bring and relinquish a photograph of yourself. You should take several sharpened No. 2 pencils to the test room; all other test materials will be provided.

Test Results: Test results from UT Austin administrations are available within a few days after the test date, in time to register for classes. Once they are available, results may also be found online.

Score Reports
For tests taken at a College Board test center, only an official score report sent directly to UT Austin can be used to receive credit or to satisfy a computer check of course prerequisites. Use code 6882 to have your score sent to UT Austin.

For tests taken on the UT Austin campus, the score report will give your test score, grade, and any credit you may have earned. It can be used to receive credit or to satisfy a computer check of course prerequisites. Scores from UT Austin campus administrations reflect the same level of performance as do scores from College Board administrations.

Either type of personal score report will serve for registration purposes and course prerequisite verification.

COLLEGE BOARD ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS IN PHYSICS

The College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations are offered once a year in May, usually in high schools that offer College Board Advanced Placement courses. Although determined by each school giving the test, registration deadlines are no later than March. Test results are available in July.  Please visit the College Board's Web site for current test registration fees at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/cal.html.  These tests are not offered on the UT Austin campus.

The AP Examinations are based on course descriptions prepared by The College Board. A course description, which includes sample questions, is available for these examinations at the College Board's web site www.collegeboard.com/apcentral.

If a high school in your vicinity is not administering AP Examinations, you can request special testing arrangements by contacting AP Services, Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671, 1-888- CALL- 4- AP.

These tests are not offered on the UT Austin campus.

Level of Performance Required for Credit

The College Board AP Examinations have a score range of 1-5. Satisfactory scores for credit are as follows:

UT AUSTIN TESTS FOR CREDIT IN PHYSICS

Mechanics:

• PHY 301, 101L or 303K, 103M or 317K, 117M

Electricity and Magnetism:

• PHY 316, 116 or 303L, 103N or 317L, 117N

Test Periods: Both tests are offered on the UT Austin campus for current and prospective students during scheduled test periods several days before most class registration periods. Refer to the current test schedule for details.

Test Registration: You must register for a test online.

Test Registration for Students with Disabilities: If you require academic accommodations or assistance due to a documented disability, you should contact these two offices at least five business days before the day of the test:

• Services for Students with Disabilities, in the Office of the Dean of Students at ssd@uts.cc.utexas.edu,  http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd, or (512) 471-6259 to seek approval for authorized accommodations;
• DIIA-Student Testing Services at (512) 232-2662 to register and make arrangements to take the test.

Registration Fee and Test Fee Payment: The total test fee is $70 (subject to change). When you confirm your registration for a test you will be immediately billed a non-refundable test registration fee of $15. The remainder of the test fee will be billed after you take the test. Payment is due within 14 days after the test administration.

Repeating the Test: You may take the tests on the UT Austin campus only once.

Admission to the Test Room: When you register online you will be given the location of your test room. You must present, at the test room, a generally accepted form of identification that includes both your signature and photograph. Without such identification, you will be admitted only if you bring and relinquish a photograph of yourself. You should take several sharpened No. 2 pencils to the test room; all other test materials will be provided.

Test Results: Test results from UT Austin administrations are available within a few days after the test date, in time to register for classes. Once they are available, results may also be found online.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE HIGHER-LEVEL EXAMINATIONS

UT Austin also awards credit for lower-division courses on the basis of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher-Level Examinations in Physics or Physical Science.

LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AND CREDIT AWARDED

The IB examinations have a score range of 1 - 7. Satisfactory scores on the higher-level examinations are as follows:

PETITIONING/CLAIMING CREDIT

UT Austin students must petition (or claim) their credit to have it appear on their official transcript.