Credit for Advanced Placement (AP)

Students may earn credit for AP Exams with a score of 3, 4, or 5.  AP credit will be awarded towards A.A./A.S. General Education requirements and/or course credit and/or elective units for the A.A./A.S. degree as shown in the chart below. A student who receives AP credit and takes the equivalent De Anza course will have the unit credit for such duplication deducted prior to being awarded the A.A./A.S. degree.

To be awarded credit, students must submit official College Board AP Score Reports (sent directly from the College Board or in an official sealed report envelope) to Admissions & Records. For a prerequisite clearance, students may submit an unofficial copy (e.g. a PDF) of AP scores with their clearance request.

View De Anza's Meeting Prerequisites page to download the Prerequisite Clearance Form.

For California State University (CSU), see: CSU System Level AP Policy IGETC AP Policy
Visit individual campus catalogs/bulletins for more information on how course credit may be granted.

For University of California (UC), see: UC System Level AP PolicyIGETC AP Policy
Visit individual campus catalogs/bulletins for more information on how course credit may be granted.

WARNING

AP policies, including course placement and course credit awarded, vary by college and university. When selecting courses for transfer, students are advised to consult with a counselor or academic adviser to review AP policies for transfer institutions as they may differ from De Anza's AP policy. Course planning solely based on De Anza's AP policy could negatively impact transfer readiness and eligibility.

 Effective: Fall 2022

AP Exam De Anza College A.A./A.S. Credit
(GE and/or course)
Units Awarded towards A.A./A.S.
Art History De Anza GE: Arts (Area C1)
Course credit - ARTS 1A
4 quarter
Biology De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
Course credit - BIOL 10
5 quarter
Calculus AB(1) De Anza GE: Critical Thinking (Area A3*)
Course credit - MATH 1A
5 quarter
Calculus BC(1) De Anza GE: Critical Thinking (Area A3*)
Course credit - MATH 1A and 1B
10 quarter
Calculus BC/AB Subscore(1) De Anza GE: Critical Thinking (Area A3*)
Course credit - MATH 1A
5 quarter
Chemistry De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
Course credit
Score 3: CHEM 25
Score 4 or 5: CHEM 1A
5 quarter
Chinese Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
Course credit
Score 3: MAND 4
Score 4: MAND 5
Score 5: MAND 6
5 quarter
Comparative Government and Politics De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
No course credit
4 quarter
Computer Science A No GE credit awarded
Course credit
Score 3: no course credit
Score 4 or 5: CIS 22A^ or 22B^ or 35A^ or 36A^ or 36B^ or 40^    

^ By petition only - consult with the Computer Information Systems Dept. Chair. (note: course credit for AP will be awarded if the exam is accepted as a prerequisite for a higher course and that course is successfully completed)
4.5 quarter
Computer Science Principles De Anza GE: Critical Thinking (Area A3*)  
No course credit
4 quarter
English Language and Composition(2) De Anza GE: English Composition (Area A1)
Course creditEWRT 1A
5 quarter
English Literature and Composition(2) De Anza GE: English Composition (Areas A1) and Humanities (Area C2)
Course credit
Score 3: EWRT 1A
Score 4 or 5: EWRT 1A and 1B
10 quarter
Environmental Science De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)**
Course credit - ESCI 1
5 quarter
European History De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2) OR Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course creditHIST 6C
4 quarter
French Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
No course credit
5 quarter
German Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
Course credit - GERM 4
5 quarter
Human Geography De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit
Score 3: no course credit
Score 4 or 5: GEO 4
4 quarter
Italian Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
No course credit
5 quarter
Japanese Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
No course credit
5 quarter
Latin De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
No course credit
4 quarter
Macroeconomics De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit
Score 3: no course credit
Score 4 or 5: ECON 1
4 quarter
Microeconomics De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit
Score 3: no course credit
Score 4 or 5: ECON 2
4 quarter
Music Theory De Anza GE: Arts (Area C1*)
Course credit - MUSI 2
4 quarter
Physics 1(3) De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
No course credit
5 quarter
Physics 2(3) De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
No course credit
5 quarter
Physics C Mechanics(3) De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
Course credit -
Score 3 or 4: PHYS 2A#
Score 5: PHYS 4A#
#by petition only - proof of lab required.  See Physics Dept. Chair
5 quarter for PHYS 2A
6 quarter for PHYS 4A
Physics C Electricity/Magnetism(3) De Anza GE: Natural Sciences (Area B)
No course credit
5 quarter
Psychology De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit - PSYC 1
4 quarter
Spanish Language and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
Course credit
Score 3: SPAN 4
Score 4: SPAN 5
Score 5: SPAN 6
5 quarter
Spanish Literature and Culture De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2)
Score 3 or 4: SPAN 5
Score 5: SPAN 6
5 quarter
Statistics De Anza GE: Critical Thinking (Area A3)
Course credit - MATH 10
5 quarter
Studio Art - 2D Design No GE credit awarded
Course credit - ARTS 8
4 quarter
Studio Art - 3D Design No GE credit awarded
No course credit
4 quarter
Studio Art - Drawing No GE credit awarded
Course credit - ARTS 4A
4 quarter
U.S. Government and Politics De Anza GE: Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
No course credit
4 quarter
U.S. History De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2) OR Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit - HIST 17C
4 quarter
World History Modern De Anza GE: Humanities (Area C2) OR Social/Behavioral Sciences (Area D)
Course credit - HIST 3C
4 quarter

1 If a student passes more than one AP exam in Calculus, only one exam may be applied towards the A.A./A.S. degree.

2 If a student passes more than one AP exam in English, only one exam may be applied towards the A.A./A.S. degree.

3 If a student passes more than one AP exam in Physics, a maximum of eleven (11) quarter units of credit may be applied towards the A.A./A.S. degree.

* A.A./A.S. GE Area credit is based on the CCCCO Policy Change for Advanced Placement Credit Memo (AB 1985), but the corresponding De Anza course does not fulfill the A.A./A.S. GE Area requirement in the same manner.

** AP Environmental Science: Physical Science GE credit will be awarded to align with CSUGE and IGETC AP policies.  Please contact the Evaluation Department (evaluationsda@fhda.edu) if ESCI 1 credit is needed for your AA/AS major requirement.

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