Advanced Placement (AP) Scores and Credit
Award of credit displayed here applies to AP taken in 2025-2026. Check previous Bulletins for credit awarded for AP taken in corresponding years.
Summary of Changes Since the Prior Bulletin
- No changes.
| AP Exam | Passing Score | Course (units)/General Education Area (units) | Total Units Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Capstone | |||
| Seminar | 3, 4, 5 | 3 | |
| Arts | |||
| Art History | 3, 4, 5 | ARTH 201 (3) / Area 3A (3) or Area 3B (3) | 6 |
| Music Theory | 3, 4, 5 | 6 | |
| Studio Art: 2-D Design | 3, 4, 5 | 3 | |
| Studio Art: 3-D Design | 3, 4, 5 | 3 | |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 3, 4, 5 | ART Majors: Lower Division Studio Art Requirement (3) | 3 |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 3, 4, 5 | ADM Majors: Lower Division College-Level Drawing Requirement (3) | 3 |
| English | |||
| English Language and Composition | 3, 4, 5 | ENG 114 (3) + ENG 214 (3) / Area 1A (3) | 6 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3, 4, 5 | ENG 114 (3) + ENG 214 (3) / Area 1A (3), Area 3B (3) | 6 |
| World Languages and Cultures | |||
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | CHIN 101 (3) / Area 3B (3) | 6 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | CHIN 101 (3) + CHIN 102 (3) / Area 3B (6) | 6 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | CHIN 101 (3) + CHIN 102 (3) + CHIN 103 (3) / Area 3B (9) | 9 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | FR 101 (3) + FR 102 (3) / Area 3B (6) | 6 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | FR 101 (3) + FR 102 (3) + FR 215 (3) / Area 3B (9) | 9 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | FR 101 (3) + FR 102 (3) + FR 215 (3) + FR 216 (3) / Area 3B (12) | 12 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | GER 101 (4) + GER 102 (4) / Area 3B (4) | 8 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | GER 101 (4) + GER 102 (4) + GER 206 (3) / Area 3B (11) | 11 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | GER 101 (4) + GER 102 (4) + GER 206 (3) + GER 207 (3) / Area 3B (14) | 14 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | ITAL 101 (4) + ITAL 102 (4)/Area 3B(8) | 8 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | ITAL 101 (4) + ITAL 102 (4) + ITAL 103 (3)/Area 3B (11) | 11 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | ITAL 101 (4) + ITAL 102 (4) + ITAL 103 (3) + ITAL 104 (3)/Area 3B (14) | 14 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | JAPN 101 (4) + JAPN 102 (4)/Area 3B (8) | 8 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4, 5 | JAPN 101 (4) + JAPN 102 (4) + JAPN 103 (4) + JAPN 250 (3)/Area 3B (12) | 15 |
| Latin | 3, 4 | LATN 101 (4)/Area 3B (4) | 6 |
| Latin | 5 | LATN 101 (4) + LATN 202 (4)/Area 3B (8) | 8 |
| Spanish Language and Culture1 | 3, 4 | SPAN 101 (4) + SPAN 102 (4) + SPAN 205 (3)/Area 3B (8) | 11 |
| Spanish Language and Culture1 | 5 | SPAN 101 (4) + SPAN 102 (4) + SPAN 205 (3) + SPAN 206 (3)/Area 3B (8) | 14 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture1 | 3, 4 | SPAN 101 (4) + SPAN 102 (4) + SPAN 205 (3)/Area 3B (8) | 11 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture1 | 5 | SPAN 101 (4) + SPAN 102 (4) + SPAN 205 (3) + SPAN 206 (3)/Area 3B (8) | 14 |
| Math & Computer Science | |||
| Precalculus | 3, 4, 5 | MATH 199 (4)/Area 2 (4) | 4 |
| Calculus AB2 or AB Subscore3 | 3 | Area 2 (3) | 3 |
| Calculus AB2 or AB Subscore3 | 4, 5 | MATH 226 (4)/Area 2 (4) | 4 |
| Calculus BC2,3 | 3 | Area 2 (3) | 6 |
| Calculus BC2 | 4 | MATH 226 (4)/Area 2 (4) | 6 |
| Calculus BC2,4 | 5 | MATH 226 (4)/Area 2 (4) | 6-8 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | |
| Computer Science A | 4, 5 | CSC 101 (3) | 3 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3, 4, 5 | Area 2 (3) | 6 |
| Statistics | 3 | Met for the following majors only: DS 212: BUS, HTM; MATH 124: SLHS, H ED, KIN, NURS, NUTR; PSY 171: PSY/Area 2 (3) | 3 |
| Statistics | 4, 5 | MATH 124 (3)/Area 2 (3) | 3 |
| Sciences | |||
| Biology | 3 | Area 5B (4), Area 5C (met) | 6 |
| Biology | 4, 5 | BIOL 230 (5)/Area 5B (5), Area 5C (met) | 6 |
| Chemistry | 3 | Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 6 |
| Chemistry | 4, 5 | CHEM 115 (4)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 6 |
| Environmental Science | 3, 4, 5 | GEOG 160 (4)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 4 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based5 | 3 | Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 4 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based5 | 4, 5 | PHYS 111 (3) + PHYS 112 (1)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (1) | 4 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based5 | 3 | Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 4 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based5 | 4, 5 | PHYS 121 (3) + PHYS 122 (1)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (1) | 4 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism5 | 3 | Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 4 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism5 | 4, 5 | PHYS 230 (3) + PHYS 232 (1)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (1) | 4 |
| Physics C: Mechanics5 | 3 | Area 5A (4), Area 5C (met) | 4 |
| Physics C: Mechanics5 | 4, 5 | PHYS 220 (3) + PHYS 222 (1)/Area 5A (4), Area 5C (1) | 4 |
| History & Social Sciences | |||
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3, 4, 5 | PLSI 250 (3)/Area 4 (3) | 3 |
| European History | 3, 4, 5 | HIST 111 (3)/Area 3B (3) or Area 4 (3) | 6 |
| Human Geography | 3, 4, 5 | GEOG 102 (3) or I R 104 (3)/Area 4 (3) | 3 |
| Macroeconomics | 3, 4, 5 | ECON 102 (3)/Area 4 (3) | 3 |
| Microeconomics | 3, 4, 5 | ECON 101 (3)/Area 4 (3) | 3 |
| Psychology | 3, 4, 5 | PSY 200 (3)/Area 4 (3) | 3 |
| US Government and Politics6 | 3, 4, 5 | PLSI 200 (3)/Area 4 (3), USG (met) | 3 |
| US History | 3, 4, 5 | HIST 120 (3) + HIST 121 (3)/Area D (6), USH (met) | 6 |
| World History | 3, 4, 5 | HIST 115 (3) or I R 104 (3)/Area 3B (3) or Area 4 (3) | 3 |
- 1
Duplicate course credit not awarded if both AP Spanish exams taken.
- 2
Maximum 8 units if both Calculus AB & BC are passed.
- 3
AB subscore credit above applied for BC score of 1 or 2. For BC score of 3 and AB subscore of 4 or 5, GE Area 2 and MATH 226 awarded (6 units total). For assistance receiving appropriate credit, email artic@sfsu.edu.
- 4
For BC score of 5 and AB subscore of 5, MATH 227 credit may be awarded upon approval of Math faculty advisor. Consult with the Math Department.
- 5
Maximum 8 units total, with 4 units in GE, if more than one AP Physics exam is passed.
- 6
Credit awarded does not include fulfillment of California State/Local Government requirement.