Application to Distribution Requirements
Test credit from eligible Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) scores may be applied to undergraduate degree requirements. To see university policies on AP/IB credit, guidelines for submitting scores, and current AP and IB credit recognition tables, visit the registrar’s Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credits page.
SoC allows AP/IB credits to count toward distribution or elective course requirements. To view policies and allocation rules regarding the counting of AP/IB credits, please visit our catalog page. The lists further below indicate how specific AP/IB credits might be applied to distribution requirements.
Note that NU has an Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR) that limits the total number of AP/IB, domestic transfer, and study abroad credits that may apply to the degree. Students who apply a large number of AP credits toward degree requirements will be limited in the number of domestic transfer credits or study abroad credits that can also be applied toward the degree. Details of the URR, including how many NU credits and quarters are required, can be found at the registrar’s Undergraduate Registration Requirements page.
| AP Exam | Score | Course Credit Authorized | Distribution Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 5 | 1 unit (BLK_ST 2XX) | ISB |
| Art History | 5 | 1 unit (ART_HIST 2XX) | HFA |
| Art: Drawing | 5 | 1 unit (ART 2XX) | HFA |
| Art: 2-D Art and Design | 5 | 1 unit (ART 2XX) | HFA |
| Art: 3-D Art and Design | 5 | 1 unit (ART 2XX) | HFA |
| Biology | 5 | 1 unit (BIOL_SCI 1XX) | MST |
| Chemistry | 5 | 1 unit (CHEM 1XX) | MST |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (CHINESE 1LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (CHINESE 1LN) | HFA | |
| Computer Science A | 4, 5 | 1 unit (COMP_SCI 1CA) | MST |
| Computer Science Principles | 4, 5 | 1 unit (COMP_SCI 1CP) | MST |
| Economics—Macro | 5 | 1 unit (ECON 201-0) | ISB |
| Economics—Micro | 5 | 1 unit (ECON 202-0) | ISB |
| English (Language and Composition) | 5 | 2 units (ENGLISH 1LC) | HFA |
| English (Literature and Composition) | 5 | 2 units (ENGLISH 1LT) | HFA |
| Environmental Science | 5 | 1 unit (EARTH 1ES) | MST |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (FRENCH 1LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (FRENCH 2LN) | HFA | |
| Geography (Human) | 5 | 1 unit (EARTH 1GE) | ISB |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (GERMAN 1LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (GERMAN 2LN) | HFA | |
| Government and Politics (United States) | 5 | 1 unit (POLI_SCI 2XX) | ISB |
| Government and Politics (Comparative) | 5 | 1 unit (POLI_SCI 2XX) | ISB |
| History (European) | 5 | 2 units (HISTORY 2EU) | ISB |
| History (United States) | 5 | 2 units (HISTORY 2US) | ISB |
| History (World) | 5 | 2 units (HISTORY 2WL) | ISB |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (ITALIAN 2LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (ITALIAN 2LN) | HFA | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (JAPANESE 1LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (JAPANESE 1LN) | HFA | |
| Latin | 4 | 1 unit (LATIN 2LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (LATIN 2LN) | HFA | |
| Mathematics (Calculus) AB, or the AB subscore of Calculus BC | 4 | 1 unit (MATH 220-1) | MST |
| 5 | 2 units (MATH 220-1,2) | MST | |
| Mathematics (Calculus) BC | below 4 | see Mathematics AB | MST |
| 4 | 2 units (MATH 220-1,2) | MST | |
| 5 | 3 units (MATH 220-1,2 & Math 226-0) | MST | |
| Music Theory | 5 | 1 unit (GEN_MUS 252-0) | MST |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 1.34 units (PHYSICS 130-1 and lab course 13X-1) | MST |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 1.34 units (PHYSICS 130-2 and lab course 13X-2) | MST |
| Physics C (Mechanics) | 5 | 1.34 units (PHYSICS 135-1 and lab course 136-1) | MST |
| Physics C (Electricity & Magnetism) | 5 | 1.34 units (PHYSICS 135-2 and lab course 136-2) | MST |
| Psychology | 5 | 1 unit (PSYCH 110-0) | ISB |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (SPANISH 2LN) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (SPANISH 2LN) | HFA | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 1 unit (SPANISH 2LT) | HFA |
| 5 | 2 units (SPANISH 2LT) | HFA | |
| Statistics | 4, 5 | 1 unit (STAT 210-0) | MST |
| IB Higher Level Exam | Score | Northwestern Credit | Distribution Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology | 6,7 | 1 unit (ANTHRO 1XX) | ISB |
| Arts (visual) | 6, 7 | 1 unit (ART 2XX) | HFA |
| Biology | 6, 7 | 1 unit (BIOL_SCI 1XX) | MST |
| Chemistry | 6, 7 | 1 unit (CHEM 1XX) | MST |
| Computer Science | 5, 6, 7 | 1 unit (COMP_SCI 1CA) | MST |
| Dance | 6, 7 | 1 unit (DANCE 1XX) | HFA |
| Economics | 6, 7 | 2 units (ECON 201-0, 202-0) | ISB |
| Environmental Systems and Societies | 6, 7 | 1 unit (EARTH 1ES) | MST |
| Film | 6, 7 | 1 unit (RTVF 1XX) | HFA |
| Geography | 6 ,7 | 1 unit (EARTH 1GE) | ISB |
| History (Americas) | 6, 7 | 2 units (HISTORY 2AM) | ISB |
| History (European) | 6, 7 | 2 units (HISTORY 2EU) | ISB |
| History (Asia and Oceania, or Africa & Middle East) | 6, 7 | 2 units (HISTORY 2XX) | ISB |
| Language A – English Literature | 6, 7 | 2 units (ENGLISH 1LT) | HFA |
| Language A – English Language and Literature | 6, 7 | 2 units (ENGLISH 1LC) | HFA |
| Language A – Literature (all languages other than English | 6 | 1 unit of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA |
| 7 | 2 units of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA | |
| Language A – Literature & Language (all languages other than English) | 6 | 1 unit of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA |
| 7 | 2 units of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA | |
| Language B (no credit if the language is English) | 6 | 1 unit of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA |
| 7 | 2 units of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA | |
| Language – Classical (Latin or Classical Greek) | 6 | 1 unit of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA |
| 7 | 2 units of 1XX in the relevant language | HFA | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 6 | 1 unit (MATH 2XX) | MST |
| 7 | 2 units (MATH 2XX) | MST | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 6 | 1 unit (MATH 2XX), and 1 unit (STAT 210-0) | MST |
| 7 | 2 units (MATH 2XX), and 1 unit (STAT 210-0) | MST | |
| Music | 6, 7 | 1 unit (GEN MUS 170-0) | HFA |
| Philosophy | 7 | 1 unit (PHIL 1XX) | ISB |
| Physics | 6, 7 | 2.68 units (PHYSICS 130-1,2 and lab courses 13X-1,2) | MST |
| Politics (Global) | 6, 7 | 1 unit (POLI_SCI 2XX) | ISB |
| Psychology | 6, 7 | 1 unit (PSYCH 110-0) | ISB |
| Theatre | 6, 7 | 1 unit (THEATRE 1XX)** | HFA |