Good grades on AP examinations can be used to obtain transfer credit for high school courses. Students who have taken AP courses in high school should therefore take their AP exams. If these are not offered at your local high school, you can arrange to take them elsewhere.

1. Guidlines for Advanced Placement

   Depending on your scores, you can receive the following credit:
   
   

   • 5 on test C-I (Mechanics)
     Credit granted for PHY 113 or PHY 121, and students can be placed into PHY 114, PHY 122 or PHY 142 ¹.
     
     
   • 5 on test C-II (Electromagnetism)
     Credit for PHY 114, conditional credit ² for PHY 122, and students can be placed into PHY 123 or PHY 143 ¹.
     
     
   • 5 on test B (General)
     Conditional credit ² granted for PHY 113 or PHY 121. Can be placed into PHY 114 or PHY 122.
     
     
   • 4 on test C-I (Mechanics)
     Conditional credit ² granted for PHY 113 or PHY 121. Can be placed into PHY 114, PHY 122 or PHY 142.
     
     
   • 4 on test C-II (Electromagnetism)
     Conditional credit ² granted for PHY 122. Can be placed into PHY 123 or PHY 143 ¹.
     
     
   Note: Students can take PHY 123 prior to PHY 122, provided that PHY 122 is taken the following semester.
   
   Note: Students who will be pursuing a physics or physics and astronomy degree, and who receive AP credit for PHY 121, are still strongly encouraged to take PHY 141 regardless of their AP score. Students who wish to skip PHY 141 are requested to meet with an undergraduate physics advisor or the Department's Director of Undergraduate Studies to discuss their decision.
   
   
2. Policy on Transfer Credit from India and London "A" Level Exam
   
   
   • National CBSE exam score >85%
     Student can receive credit for PHY 121 and PHY 122, or PHY 113 and PHY 114 (if requested).
     
     
   • National ISC exam score >85%
     Student can receive credit for PHY 113 or PHY 121.
     
     
   • National CBSE, ISC, or State HSC exam score >75%
     (or London "A" level exam, with grade of B)
     Student can be placed into PHY 122 or PHY 114. Conditional credit ² granted for PHY 113 or PHY 121.
     
     

   No credit for exam scores <75%.
   
   

   Transcripts must be provided as proof of the grade received.

3. International Baccalaureate (IB) in Physics
   
   IB courses are not calculus based and generally do not receive physics department credit. However, if a student receives a grade of 7 on the advanced physics IB test, it will be considered as equivalent to receiving a grade of 5 of the test B (General Physics) AP exam in the USA. This means that one receives credit for PHY 113 or PHY 121 conditionally ². No credit can be received for lower scores. Instead of conditional credit (which requires taking PHY 122, PHY 123 or PHY 114), a student can choose to take the final exam in PHY 113, PHY 121 or PHY 141, and receive credit upon receiving a minimum grade of B-.

   IB in Physical Science is not relevant for Physics -- no credit is given.
   
   

4. Transfer Credit from Other Schools
   
   Requests for transfer credits are handled by the Department's Office of Undergraduate Studies, Bausch & Lomb 211. When possible, students should obtain approval of transfer credit before taking a course elsewhere, in order to be certain that transfer credit will be awarded. Cases will be considered according to the following guidlines and required documentation.
   
   
   • A Course Approval Form must be completed. Forms are available at the Center for Academic Support, Lattimore 312, or from the Department's Undergraduate Secretary, Bausch & Lomb 211.
     
     
   • The Course Approval Form must give the title of the course at the other school, and indicate which corresponding course at the University of Rochester transfer credit is being sought for.
     
     
   • A description of the course contents must be provided. This should be obtained from either the course catalog or website of the other school.
     
     
   • The course must be calculus based. This must be indicated in the description of the course contents.
     
     
   • The course must include required laboratories. These must be described in the course contents.
     
     
   • Department policy requires that transfer credit be awarded only for courses taken at a four-year college or university. Any exception to this policy must be specifically approved by the Department's Director of Undergraduate Studies.
     
     
   • When possible, a website address for the course should be provided.

¹Placement into honors sequence courses PHY 141, PHY 142 and PHY 143 requires permission of the instructor.
²Conditional credit means that credit will be granted if at least a grade of B- is received in the course into which the student is placed.

Go to Undergraduate Programs page.