Gadsden State provides a mechanism for students to earn college credit for experience and knowledge attained outside the traditional classroom.
A maximum of 25% of a degree or program, as measured in credit hours, may be met by nontraditional credit.
Articulated Credit
Credit Awarded for Articulation Students completing courses in the approved Statewide Career and Technical Education Articulation Agreement will receive articulated credit to Gadsden State Community College offering the corresponding program of study. Performance or knowledge testing of secondary program graduates is not required as part of the articulation process. For more information, view the Statewide Articulation Procedural Guide.
Awarding Credit Through Prior Learning Assessment
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a means for a student to receive college-level credit for experiential learning that took place in a non-traditional learning environment, such as on-the-job training, military training, professional development seminars, volunteerism, and experience in-field. Awarding of credit through PLA relies heavily on aligning knowledge and skills gained through experience with learning outcomes found in traditional higher education courses.
- Credit for prior learning can be awarded only after the assessment of experiential learning experiences and only for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all terminal objectives for a specific course or courses.
- Course credit earned through prior learning shall be noted on the student’s transcript as having been awarded through prior learning assessment.
- Credit for prior learning (portfolio review) may not be awarded for academic transfer courses. Credit for academic transfer courses awarded through prior learning may be awarded by examination or nationally recognized guidelines only – see Credit Awarded by Examination section of catalog.
- Before receiving credit through prior learning for a course, an individual must meet the enrollment requirements of the course.
Credit Awarded by Examination
College credit may be awarded through nationally recognized examinations such as: Advanced Placement (AP); College Level Examination Program (CLEP); United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI); Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES/DSST); or through examinations (challenge exams) developed by the college. If a student achieves the required score, college credit may be awarded for the relevant course.
For more information on the credit awarded for USAFI, DANTES. DSST Exams, contact admissions@gadsdenstate.edu. For information on credit awarded through challenge exams, contact the appropriate instructional dean.
Advanced Placement (AP) credit may be awarded by Gadsden State Community College to a student who has obtained a score of “3” or higher on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination. Official scores must be sent from the College Board to the Admission Office. AP credit is awarded based on established course equivalencies at Gadsden State. Credit may apply toward a specific course or sequence of courses depending on the specific examination.
Students should be aware of the following:
- Acceptance and minimum scores of AP exams vary from college to college.
- Credit awarded based on AP scores is considered “nontraditional credit.” Acceptance of nontraditional credit by Gadsden State does not guarantee other institutions will accept or honor the credit.
- Students are encouraged to contact their intended transfer school to determine if the credits will transfer and/or determine minimum AP scores required by other colleges.
- AP credit will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript; however, no grade is assigned, and the credit does not affect the student’s grade-point average (GPA).
- Students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to understand how AP credit may apply to their degree requirements.
- AP credit policies are subject to periodic review and may be updated as needed.
Advanced Placement (AP) Examination | Minimum Score | Gadsden State Course Equivalent | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 3 | HIS 256 | 3 |
| Art and Design: 2-D Design | 4, 5 | ART 121 | 3 |
| Art and Design: 3-D Design | 4, 5 | ART 127 | 3 |
| Art and Design: Drawing | 3 | ART 113 | 3 |
| Art and Design: Drawing | 4, 5 | ART 113 & ART 114 | 6 |
| Art History | 3 | ART 203 | 3 |
| Art History | 4, 5 | ART 203 & ART 204 | 6 |
| Biology | 3 | BIO 103 | 4 |
| Biology | 4, 5 | BIO 103 & BIO 104 | 8 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MTH 125 | 4 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MTH 125 & MTH 126 | 8 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHM 111 | 4 |
| Chemistry | 4, 5 | CHM 111 & CHM 112 | 8 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CIS 146 | 3 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | ENG 101 | 3 |
| English Language and Composition | 4, 5 | ENG 101 & ENG 102 | 6 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | ENG 101 | 3 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4, 5 | ENG 101 & ENG 102 | 6 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | PHS 120 | 3 |
| European History | 3 | HIS 101 & HIS 102 | 6 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | GRN 101 & GRN 102 | 8 |
| Human Geography | 3 | GEO 100 | 3 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | ECO 231 | 3 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | ECO 232 | 3 |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUS 111 | 3 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based | 3 | PHY 201 | 4 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based | 3 | PHY 202 | 4 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | PHY 214 | 4 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | PHY 213 | 4 |
| Precalculus | 3 | MTH 112 | 3 |
| Precalculus | 4, 5 | MTH 112 & MTH 113 | 6 |
| Psychology | 3 | PSY 200 | 3 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | SPA 101 | 4 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4, 5 | SPA 101 & SPA 102 | 8 |
| Statistics | 3 | MTH 265 or BUS 271 | 3 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | POL 211 | 3 |
| United States History | 3 | HIS 201 & HIS 202 | 6 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | HIS 121 & HIS 122 | 6 |
| Effective: Fall 2026 |
College Level Examination Program General Examinations (CLEP) is accepted under the following conditions.
GSCC awards credit for CLEP subject examinations based on a minimum score requirement for each exam as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). CLEP credit is not granted for college-level courses previously failed, for courses in which credit for higher level course work has been earned, or for credit already earned in the subject examination’s course equivalent. Non-traditional academic work accepted by Gadsden State may or may not be accepted in transfer by other institutions at their sole discretion.
CLEP exams and scores currently accepted by Gadsden State are as follows:
| CLEP Test | GSCC Credit | ACE Score Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| BUSINESS | ||
| Financial Accounting | BUS 241 Principles of Accounting I | 50 |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | CIS 146 Microcomputer Applications | 50 |
| Introductory Business Law | BUS 263 Legal and Social Environment of Business | 50 |
| COMPOSITION AND LITERATURE | ||
| American Literature | ENG 251 American Literature I | 50 |
| College Composition | ENG 101 English Composition I | 50 |
| ENG 102 English Composition II | 50 | |
| English Literature | ENG 261 English Literature I | 50 |
| Humanities | HUM 101 Introduction To Humanities I | 50 |
| WORLD LANGUAGES | ||
| Spanish Language, Level 1 | SPA 101 Introductory Spanish I | 50 |
| SPA 102 Introductory Spanish II | 50 | |
| Spanish Language, Level 2 | SPA 201 Intermediate Spanish I | 63 |
| SPA 202 Intermediate Spanish II | 63 | |
| German, Level 1 | GRN 101 Introductory German I | 50 |
| GRN 102 Introductory German II | 50 | |
| HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
| American Government | POL 211 American National Government | 50 |
| History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877 | HIS 201 United States History I | 50 |
| History of the United States II: 1865 to Present | HIS 202 United States History II | 50 |
| Human Growth and Development | PSY 210 Human Growth and Development | 50 |
| Introductory Psychology | PSY 200 General Psychology | 50 |
| Introductory Sociology | SOC 200 Introduction to Sociology | 50 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ECO 231 Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | ECO 232 Principles of Microeconomics | 50 |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | HIS 101 Western Civilization I | 50 |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present | HIS 102 Western Civilization II | 50 |
| SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS | ||
| Biology | BIO 103 Principles of Biology I | 50 |
| Calculus | MTH 125 Calculus I | 50 |
| Chemistry | CHM 111 College Chemistry I | 50 |
| CHM 112 College Chemistry II | 50 | |
| College Algebra | MTH 100 Intermediate College Algebra | 50 |
| College Mathematics | MTH 116 Math Applications | 50 |
| Pre-Calculus | MTH 112 Pre-Calculus | 50 |
Credit Awarded for Military Training
Gadsden State may award credit for academic and technical courses based on equivalent transcripted military training as shown on a Joint Service Transcript or an official transcript from the Community College of the Air Force. Military transcripts should be submitted to Gadsden State for evaluation during the admissions process.