The College

Advanced Placement Exams

Advanced Placement exam scores are not eligible for course credit at Brown, but students may use certain AP scores for placement to enroll in higher-level courses and/or to satisfy concentration requirements.

The difference between a placement credit and course credit is that placement credit carries 0.0 course credit instead of 1.0 course credit.

Academic departments establish AP course equivalency policies for transcript notation of placement credit in their subject(s). Some departments only allow transcript notation of AP credit(s) retroactively, upon successful completion of one of their advanced courses, while others allow notation on the basis of the scores alone. Still other departments have policies that grant no AP credits whatsoever. Pertinent policies for each department are detailed at the bottom of this page.

Brown receives AP scores for most incoming students from the College Board in July if they designated Brown as a score report recipient earlier in the same year.  Score processing and placement of corresponding AP credits on a student's transcript occurs during August for AP credit(s) that are not contingent on taking a higher level course at Brown.

Incoming students are expected to decline AP credit notations they do not want on their transcript prior to the end of registration period (the Registrar’s Last Day to Add a Course deadline)  during their first semester of enrollment by going into ASK > Incoming Students > Test Scores. When an election is not made, the election by default is "Notation Accepted." Students who initially decline one or more AP credits by the deadline can later request AP credit notation (unless they registered for and failed the course to which an AP credit corresponds or dropped that course after the Registrar's deadline to add courses). Students are advised that they forfeit transcript placement notation if they take a more introductory level course at Brown. Students also forfeit the notation if they register for and fail the course to which an exam credit corresponds or drop that course after the Registrar's deadline to add courses.

For "Contingent" AP credit notation(s) and all other requests for AP credit notation(s) after the Decline/Accept period, students must request notation after satisfying the requirements for earning credit by going to ASK > Incoming Students > Test Scores. Follow the instructions here. No removal of AP credit from the transcript can be made after the Registrar's Course Add deadline in a student's first semester at Brown.

Students who wish to have AP credit notations reflected on their academic record must seek them and ensure receipt of all required documentation well before they graduate. The official academic record of all graduating students is sealed upon Commencement to reflect what was in effect upon degree completion. No transcript notations of AP credit — or of any other credit — will be made post-Commencement. Students should therefore carefully review their transcripts and file all requests for AP credit with the responsible dean in The College Office well before graduating.

Upon consultation (mandatory) with the responsible dean in The College, some students may be able to apply for advanced semester standing in their sophomore or junior year. Students with a semester of Advanced Standing from AP credits should remember that AP credits will not increase their course credit count; in order to graduate, they must still successfully complete enough courses to earn at least 30 course credits, and they must plan to do so in 7 rather than 8 semesters.

Departmental Advanced Placement Program Policies

Listed in alpha order by AP subject test

Since these policies are subject to change, students are advised to confirm AP credit policies with the appropriate department(s). Additional information may be found on department websites or by consulting the departmental AP advisor. The policies below apply to all incoming Brown undergraduates, including transfer students.

You cannot register for a course for which you have AP credit, and once posted to your transcript AP credit will not be removed.

American History

5: earns AP credit for 1 unassigned history course upon the successful completion of any one 1000-level course in US history, including cross-listed courses, but excluding courses taken during study abroad.

In no case, however, will AP credit count toward the concentration requirement in History.

African American Studies No AP Credit
Art History

5: earns an AP credit unassigned in History of Art and Architecture upon the successful completion of a 1000-level (advanced) History of Art and Architecture department seminar at Brown (excluding courses taken during study abroad), effective December 12, 2017.

In no case, however, will AP credit count toward any concentration requirement in History of Art and Architecture.

For students who entered fall of 2011 or prior, a 4 or 5 on the Art History AP Exam earns AP credit for History of Art 0010, but does not count toward concentration credit.

Biology

4 or 5: earns AP credit for BIOL 0200.

Chemistry

Students with a score of 4 or 5 can place into CHEM 0330 without taking the Brown Chemistry Placement Exam. A retroactive placement notation for CHEM 0100 can be granted with a minimum AP Chemistry score of 3 and upon successful completion of CHEM 0330.

Chinese Language and Culture

No AP Credit

Computer Science

No AP credit or automatic placement. Placement into CSCI 0190 (our accelerated intro course option often taken by students with AP or IB experience) occurs as a sequence of summer assignments beginning in late June. See the department page on intro course selection for more information.

Economics

Students may earn AP credit for Economics 0110 if they have both a) 4 or 5 in Macroeconomics and b) 4 or 5 in Microeconomics. However, they cannot count such placement credit for Economics 0110 toward concentration requirements. Economics concentrators who place out of Econ 0110 must take an additional 1000-level course to meet the concentration requirements.

English: Language and Composition or Literature and Composition

No AP Credit

Environmental Science

5: earns AP credit for ENVS 0490.

As of June 2016, concentrators with a 5 on the AP Exam in Environmental Science meet their ENVS 0490 requirement and do not need to substitute an additional environmental elective.

European History

5: earns AP credit for 1 unassigned history course upon the successful completion of any one 1000-level course in European history, including cross-listed courses, but excluding courses taken during study abroad.

In no case, however, will AP credit count toward the concentration requirements in History.

French Language and Literature

4: earns AP credit for French 0400 and placement into French 0500.
5: earns AP credit for French 0500 only.

Placement into French 0600 (language), 0720 (first-year seminar), 0750 and 0760 (literature) should be confirmed during Orientation week, or during the first week of classes after consultation with the senior language coordinator or concentration advisor.

All incoming students with a score of 5 should consult a faculty member regarding appropriate placement.

German Language

4 or 5: earns AP credit for German 0400.

Government and Politics: Comparative or U.S.

No AP Credit

Human Geography

No AP Credit

Italian Language and Culture

5: earns AP credit for ITAL 0400.
4: earns AP credit for ITAL 0300.

Japanese Language and Culture

No AP Credit

Latin Lyric or Epic Exams

4 or 5: The Department of Classics awards 1 unassigned AP credit in Latin for completion of one 1000-level course in Latin with at least the grade of B. Students with a 4 or 5 on both exams will not receive 2 AP credits upon completion of a single 1000-level course. Receipt of 2 unassigned AP credits in Latin requires completion of two 1000-level courses in Latin with grades of B or higher.

Mathematics

AB Calculus 4 or 5: earns AP credit for Math 0090.
BC Calculus 4 or 5: earns AP credit for both Math 0090 and Math 0100.
BC Calculus 3: earns AP credit for Math 0090.

AP credit for Math 0100 blocks registration in Math 0100, Math 0170 and Math 0190.
Music: Listening, Literature, and Theory

No AP Credit

Physics

To earn an AP credit in Physics a student must achieve ONE of the following:

5 in Physics B exam (taken before May 2015):
or 5 in both Physics 1 and Physics 2 (exams taken May 2015 or later):
or 5 in Physics C Mechanics exam:
or 4 in Physics C Mechanics exam PLUS 5 in Physics C Electricity and Magnetism exam.

Students with these scores who then successfully complete either Physics 0040, 0060, 0160 (formerly 0080), 0470, 0500, or an appropriate 1000-level physics course may receive retroactive AP credit for Physics 0030. While these are the requirements for earning an AP credit, they are not necessarily required for placement in a Physics course when a student enters Brown.

Students considering skipping Physics 0030, 0050, or 0070 should consult with their first-year advisor.

Psychology

No AP credit or placement for students entering AY 2018-2019 and after. For students who entered Brown prior to fall of 2018, if placement beyond CLPS 0010 or AP credit for CLPS 0010 was granted on the basis of an AP score of 4 or 5, then another CLPS course must be substituted for concentration credit.

Spanish Language or Literature

4 or 5: may earn one unassigned AP credit (total) in Spanish language upon successful completion of HISP 500, 600, 650 or a 700-level course. Students with an unassigned HISP AP credit do not qualify for a second by having both tests or by taking more than one qualifying course. See the Spanish Placement Guide. 1–3: No AP credit. Placement in Spanish courses at Brown depend on the results of the Brown Placement Test.

Statistics

No AP Credit

Studio Art Drawing and Studio General

No AP Credit

World History

5: earns AP credit for 1 unassigned history course upon the completion of any one 1000-level course in African, East Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, or South Asian history, including cross-listed courses, but excluding courses taken during study abroad.

In no case, however, will AP credit count toward concentration requirements in History.