Apr 03, 2025  
2024-2025 NOVA Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 NOVA Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

CPL: Section 3-Credit by Advanced Placement (AP) Exam

Credit for Prior Learning Webinar | First Friday of Every Month*, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Click HERE to register.

*Except for April 4, 2025

Advanced Placement (AP) Exam

General Information

Administered by the College Board, the Advanced Placement (AP) program offers an opportunity for students to complete college level course work in high school. NOVA students who achieved an appropriate score on certain AP exams are eligible to earn college credit based on policies in this manual. Please see the tables that designate the name of the AP Exam, the required score(s) needed to earn college credit, and the corresponding course code and credit hours awarded. Please note, the accepted equivalency for credit and the needed passing score(s) may be different depending on the year a student completed AP testing and the year a student requests CPL credit for AP scores. Test equivalencies are reviewed on a regular basis by faculty and updated accordingly. 
 

Important Note:

NOVA applies the Virginia Community College System (VCCS)’s Fall 2025 AP equivalencies beginning April 1, 2025. AP credits awarded before this date will not be retroactively adjusted, as the VCCS lacks the resources to manually update past credits, and former equivalencies may have already impacted students’ academic planning and financial aid.

Language AP Exams
EFFECTIVE 04/01/2025  BEFORE 04/01/2025

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalent

Credit(s) Earned

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalent

Credit(s) Earned
Chinese Language & Culture 3 CHI 201 4 Chinese Language & Culture 3 CHI 101 &  CHI 102  8
  4 CHI 202 4   4 CHI 101, CHI 102 & CHI 201  12
  5 CHI 202 4   5 CHI 101, CHI 102, CHI 201 & CHI 202  16
English Language & Composition 3 ENG 111  3 English Language & Composition 3 ENG 111  3
  4 ENG 111 & ENG 112 6   4 ENG 111  3
  5 ENG 111 & ENG 112 6   5 ENG 111  3
English Literature & Composition 3 ENG 225 3 English Literature & Composition 3 ENG 111  3
  4 ENG 225 3   4 ENG 111  3
  5 ENG 225 3   5 ENG 111  3
Italian Language & Culture 3 ITA 201 3 Italian Language & Culture 3 No Credit 0
  4 ITA 202 3   4 No Credit 0
  5 ITA 202 3   5 No Credit 0
French Language & Culture 3 FRE 201 3 French Language & Culture 3 FRE 101 & FRE 102  8
  4 FRE 202 3   4 FRE 101, FRE 102 & FRE 201  11
  5 FRE 202 3   5 FRE 101, FRE 102, FRE 201 & FRE 202  14
German Language & Culture 3 GER 201 3 German Language & Culture 3 GER 101 & GER 102  8
  4 GER 202 3   4 GER 101, GER 102, & GER 201  11
  5 GER 202 3   5 GER 101, GER 102, GER 201 & GER 202  14
Japanese Language & Culture 3 JPN 202 4 Japanese Language & Culture 3 JPN 101 &  JPN 102  8
  4 JPN 202 4   4 JPN 101, JPN 102 & JPN 201  12
  5 JPN 202 4   5 JPN 101, JPN 102, JPN 201 & JPN 202  16
Latin 3 LAT 202 3 Latin 3 LAT 101 & LAT 102  6
  4 LAT 202 3   4 LAT 101, LAT 102 & LAT 201  9
  5 LAT 202 3   5 LAT 101, LAT 102, LAT 201 & LAT 202  12
Spanish Language & Culture 3 SPA 201 3

Spanish Language & Culture

 3 SPA 101 & SPA 102  8
  4 SPA 202 3 4 SPA 101, SPA 102 & SPA 201  11
  5 SPA 202 3 5 SPA 101, SPA 102, SPA 201 & SPA 202  14
Spanish Literature & Culture 3 SPA 225 3 Spanish Literature & Culture 3 SPA 202  3
  4 SPA 225 3   4 SPA 202 & SPA EEE 6
  5 SPA 225 3   5 SPA 202 & SPA EEE 6
Mathematics and Computer Science AP Exams
EFFECTIVE 04/01/2025 BEFORE 04/01/2025  

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

Credit(s) Earned

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

 Credit(s) Earned
Precalculus 3 MTH 162 3 Precalculus 3 MTH 161  3
  4 MTH 162 3   4 MTH 161  3
  5 MTH 162 3   5 MTH 167  5
Calculus AB 3 MTH 263 4 Calculus AB 3 MTH 261  3
  4 MTH 263 4   4 MTH 263 4
  5 MTH 263  4   5 MTH 263  4
Calculus BC 3 MTH 263 & MTH 264 8 Calculus BC 3 MTH 263  4
  4 MTH 263 & MTH 264 8   4 MTH 263 & MTH 264 8
  5 MTH 263 & MTH 264 8   5 MTH 263 & MTH 264 8
Computer Science A       Computer Science A 3 CSC 221  3
Pending Common Faculty Discussion         4 CSC 221  3
          5 CSC 221  3
Computer Science Principles Computer Science Principles 3 CSC 110  3
Pending Common Faculty Discussion   4 CSC 110  3
    5 CSC 110  3
Statistics 3 MTH 245  3 Statistics 3 MTH 245  3
  4 MTH 245  3   4 MTH 245  3
  5 MTH 245  3   5 MTH 245  3
Physical and Life Science AP Exams
EFFECTIVE 04/01/2025       BEFORE 04/01/2025      

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

Credit(s) Earned

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

Credit(s) Earned
Biology 3 BIO 101  4 Biology 3 BIO 101  4
  4 BIO 101 & BIO 102  8   4 BIO 101 & BIO 102  8
  5 BIO 101 & BIO 102  8   5 BIO 101 & BIO 102  8
Chemistry 3 CHM 111  4 Chemistry 3 CHM 101  4
  4 CHM 111 & CHM 112 8   4 CHM 111  4
  5 CHM 111 & CHM 112 8   5 CHM 111  4
Environmental Science 3 ENV 121  4 Environmental Science 3 ENV 121  4
  4 ENV 121  4   4 ENV 121 & ENV 122  8
  5 ENV 121 4   5 ENV 121 & ENV 122  8
Physics 1 3 PHY 201 4 Physics 1: Algebra-Based 3 PHY 100    4
  4 PHY 201 4   4 PHY 201 4
  5 PHY 201   4   5 PHY 201   4
Physics 2 3 PHY 202  4 Physics 2: Algebra-Based 3 PHY EEE 4
  4 PHY 202  4   4 PHY 202  4
  5 PHY 202  4   5 PHY 202  4
Physics C - Mechanics 3 PHY 201  4 Physics C - Mechanics 3 PHY 201  4
  4 PHY 201 4   4 PHY 241  4
  5 PHY 201 4   5 PHY 241  4
Physics C - Electricity & Magnetism 3 PHY 202  4 Physics C - Electricity & Magnetism 3 PHY 202  4
  4 PHY 202  4   4 PHY 242  4
  5 PHY 202  4   5 PHY 242  4
History and Social Science AP Exams
EFFECTIVE 04/01/2025  BEFORE 04/01/2025

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

Credit(s) Earned

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalency

Credit(s) Earned
European History 3 HIS 102 3 European History 3 HIS 101  3
  4 HIS 102 3   4 HIS 101 & HIS 102  6
  5 HIS 102 3   5 HIS 101 & HIS 102  6
African American Studies       African American Studies 3 HUM 220  3
Pending Common Faculty Discussion         4 HUM 220  3
          5 HUM 220  3
Comparative Government & Politics 3 PLS 140  3 Comparative Government & Politics 3 PLS 140  3
  4 PLS 140  3   4 PLS 140  3
  5 PLS 140  3   5 PLS 140  3
U.S. Government & Politics 3 PLS 135  3 U.S. Government & Politics 3 PLS 135  3
  4 PLS 135  3   4 PLS 135  3
  5 PLS 135  3   5 PLS 135  3
Human Geography 3 GEO 210  3 Human Geography 3 GEO 210  3
  4 GEO 210  3   4 GEO 210  3
  5 GEO 210  3   5 GEO 210  3
Macroeconomics 3 ECO 201  3 Macroeconomics 3 ECO 201  3
  4 ECO 201  3   4 ECO 201  3
  5 ECO 201  3   5 ECO 201  3
Microeconomics 3 ECO 202  3 Microeconomics 3 ECO 202  3
  4 ECO 202  3   4 ECO 202  3
  5 ECO 202  3   5 ECO 202  3
Psychology 3 PSY 200  3 Psychology 3 PSY 200  3
  4 PSY 200  3   4 PSY 200  3
  5 PSY 200  3   5 PSY 200  3
U.S. History 3 HIS 121 & HIS 122 6 U.S. History 3 HIS 121  3
  4 HIS 121 & HIS 122 6   4 HIS 121 & HIS 122  6
  5 HIS 121 & HIS 122 6   5 HIS 121 & HIS 122  6
World History: Modern 3 HIS 112 3 World History: Modern 3 HIS 111  3
  4 HIS 112 3   4 HIS 111 & HIS 112  6
  5 HIS 112 3   5 HIS 111 & HIS 112  6
Research (Capstone) 3 No Credit 0 Research (Capstone) 3 No Credit 0
Seminar (Capstone) 3 No Credit 0 Seminar (Capstone) 3 No Credit 0
Visual, Performing, and Media Arts AP Exams
EFFECTIVE 04/01/2025 BEFORE 04/01/2025

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalent

Credit(s) Earned

Name of AP Exam

Required Score

NOVA Equivalent

Credit(s) Earned
Art History 3 ART 101 & ART 102 6 Art History 3 ART 101  3
  4 ART 101 & ART 102  6   4 ART 101  & ART 102  6
  5 ART 101 & ART 102  6   5 ART 101  & ART 102  6
Music Theory 3 MUS 111  4 Music Theory 3 MUS 111  4
  4 MUS 111  4   4 MUS 111  4
  5 MUS 111  4   5 MUS 111  4
2-D Art & Design 3 ART 131 3 2-D Art & Design 3 ART EEE 3
  4 ART 131 3   4 ART EEE 3
  5 ART 131 3   5 ART EEE 3
3-D Art & Design 3 ART 132 3 3-D Art & Design 3 ART EEE 3
  4 ART 132 3   4 ART EEE 3
  5 ART 132 3   5 ART EEE 3
Drawing 3 ART 121 3 Drawing 3 ART EEE 3
  4 ART 121 3   4 ART EEE 3
  5 ART 121 3   5 ART EEE 3

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Last reviewed 03/2025