We offer students three primary tracks to earn college credit by taking Saylor Academy courses – through Saylor Direct, through a third party exam, or through a number of our Partner Programs.
Saylor Direct
The 11 courses listed directly below were developed with an additional Saylor Academy exam that has been reviewed and recommended for college credit by either The American Council on Education or The National College Credit Recommendation Service. Students can earn up to 34 credits that are accepted at our Transfer Colleges – that’s basically one year of tuition free study!
ACE Recommended
NCCRS Recommended
- BUS203 Principles of Marketing
- BUS204 Business Statistics
- BUS205 Business Law and Ethics
- BUS208 Principles of Management
- BUS210 Corporate Communication
- CS101 Introduction to Computer Science I
- MA001 Beginning Algebra
- MA005 Calculus I
- POLSC201 Introduction to Western Political Thought
Third Party Exam
We also have a suite of courses that prepare students for credit-bearing assessments designed and administered by third parties.
Excelsior College / UExcel Aligned
- ECON102-EXC Principles of Macroeconomics
- MA101-EXC Single-Variable Calculus I
- PSYCH101-EXC Introduction to Psychology
Thomas Edison State College / TECEP Aligned
- BUS403 Negotiations and Conflict Management
- CS402 Computer Communications and Networks
- ENVS203 Environmental Ethics, Justice, and World Views
- HIST103 World History in the Early Modern and Modern Eras
- MA121 Introduction to Statistics
- POLSC221 Introduction to Comparative Politics
CLEP® Aligned
StraighterLine Aligned
AP® Aligned (K12 Courses)
We hope for this list of courses to continue to grow, as we work with partner schools (Excelsior College, Thomas Edison State College) to match courses and exams; align to non-collegiate created exams, such as CLEP and DSST; and through our own efforts in receiving ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations.
Additional Notes:
For any Saylor Academy course, particularly those not listed above, students are encouraged to speak directly to school counselors and officials to determine their potential for earning credit. In some cases, schools may offer to administer their own Challenge Exams, to allow students to test their prior knowledge in a subject, and potentially earn credit or place out of a course. While Saylor Academy courses are designed to match courses as they are commonly taught at traditional colleges and universities, and could very well prepare for such an assessment, the Saylor Academy makes no guarantees that our version of a course would fully prepare for another institution’s Challenge Exams. For more detailed tips on earning credit, consult our FAQ.
For a comprehensive listing of affordable college credit possibilities, view this sheet.