Advanced Placement (AP)
Overview
Cerritos College will grant degree-applicable credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. A passing score of 3, 4 or 5 is required in order to receive units toward the associate degree. The number of units earned through AP exams will be noted on the student’s transcript.
The table below notes the minimum units Cerritos College will award for passing scores on AP exams. It also identifies how passing scores may be applied to the Cerritos General Education Curriculum (CGEC) for local Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees, as well as to the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) for Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-Ts or AS-Ts). Passing scores on AP exams that do not specify a general education area will receive elective credit.
Units granted toward a Cerritos College associate degree may differ from units granted by other community colleges or transfer institutions. Students wishing to apply AP credits towards transfer requirements should consult the receiving institution’s policy which can often be found in the receiving institution’s catalog. A Cerritos College counselor may help you with your inquiries.
AP exams that have been discontinued are not shown on this table. A student with catalog rights may be able to use the discontinued exam if accepted under the comparable area of general education for the associate degree or Cal-GETC.
| AP Exam | CGEC Area | Cal-GETC Area | Min Units Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| 3-D Art and Design | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| African American Studies | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Art History | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3A: Arts OR 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Biology | 5: Natural Sciences | 5B: Biological Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 6 units |
| Calculus AB⁶ | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 3 units |
| Calculus BC⁶ | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 units |
| Calculus BC/AB Subscore⁶ | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 3 units |
| Chemistry | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 6 units |
| Chinese Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Comparative Government & Politics | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
| Computer Science A⁶ | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Computer Science AB⁶ | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 6 units |
| Computer Science Principles⁶ | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 units |
| Drawing | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| English Language & Composition | 1A: English Composition | 1A: English Composition | 6 units |
| English Literature & Composition | 1A: English Composition AND 3: Arts & Humanities | 1A: English Composition OR 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Environmental Science⁷ | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 4 units |
| European History | 3: Arts & Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3B: Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6 units |
| French Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| German Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Human Geography | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
| Italian Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Japanese Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Latin | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Macroeconomics | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
| Microeconomics | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
| Music Theory | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 6 units |
| Physics 1: Algebra-based⁸ | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 4 units |
| Physics 2: Algebra-based⁸ | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 4 units |
| Physics B⁸ | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 6 units |
| Physics C (Electricity & Magnetism)⁸ | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 4 units |
| Physics C (Mechanics)⁸ | 5: Natural Sciences | 5A: Physical Science AND 5C: Laboratory | 4 units |
| Precalculus | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Psychology | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
| Research | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Seminar | Not applicable to CGEC | Not applicable to Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Spanish Language & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Spanish Literature & Culture | 3: Arts & Humanities | 3B: Humanities | 6 units |
| Statistics | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning | 3 units |
| Studio Art | Not applicable for CGEC | Not applicable for Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Studio Art - 2D | Not applicable for CGEC | Not applicable for Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| Studio Art - 3D | Not applicable for CGEC | Not applicable for Cal-GETC | 3 |
| Studio Art - Drawing | Not applicable for CGEC | Not applicable for Cal-GETC | 3 units |
| U.S. Government & Politics | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences OR 7: American Institutions | 3 units |
| U.S. History | 7: American Institutions AND 3: Arts & Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3B: Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6 units |
| World History: Modern | 3: Arts & Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3B: Humanities OR 4: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 units |
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If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate.
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Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply either to 5A+5C or 5B+5C of GE. Fall of 2009 or later, those credits may only apply to 5A+5C.
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If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units of credit may be applied to a CSU GE area.
For full detail, please review the CSU External Exam table at https://www.calstate.edu/apply/transfer/Pages/External-Exam-Credit.aspx#InplviewHash6d53e609-96a0-4440-9e6f-dc217d795740=FilterField1%3DAcademicYear-FilterValue1%3D2025%252D2026.