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International Baccalaureate Procedures

Learn how your International Baccalaureate credits can be used toward your degree within the College of Arts & Sciences.

General Policies

  1.  A maximum of 15 units of pre-matriculation credit may be counted towards any undergraduate degree. These units will count towards graduation but will not meet general education requirements.
  2. Washington University accepts credit for Higher Level (HL) examinations only.  Standard Level (SL) examinations and Extended Essays (EE) will not be considered for credit or listed on student records.
  3. If a student takes a course in residence which they have already received IB credit for, the IB credit will be removed automatically.

If you need to have your IB test scores sent to WashU, please contact the International Baccalaureate at https://www.ibo.org/. Please verify that the International Baccalaureate has your correct/legal full name and date of birth so we can correctly match your IB test scores to your WashU student record. It may take several days for WashU to receive IB test scores from the International Baccalaureate, and several days for your IB test scores to be uploaded to your WashU student record. If you do not see your IB scores listed on your WashU student record after 30 days from the date of your request to the International Baccalaureate, please contact Sarah Longo via email (sarahlongo@wustl.edu).

Subject-Specific Policies

Biology (L41)

Biology HL:

7, 6     6 units of credit for L41 Biology L41 100A (elective credit).  Students who plan to major in Biology or who are pre-med normally will enroll in Bio 2960 in the Spring of freshman year and Bio L41 2970 in the Fall of sophomore year.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1    No credit awarded.

Biology EE and SL:  No credit awarded.

 


Business & Management

No credit awarded.


Chemistry (L07)

Chemistry HL

Those students who receive a 6 or 7 on the IB test in Chemistry will receive 3 units each of Chem L07 103 and 104. Receipt of these credits has no bearing on fulfillment of chemistry requirements for pre-medicine or any science major and cannot be used to satisfy pre-requisites for Organic Chemistry. All students who wish to pursue a major or a pre-professional preparatory curriculum requiring general chemistry, must take Chem L07 111A and 112A and the associated labs, Chem L07 151 and 152. Students who wish to exempt either the first or second semester of general chemistry, including the labs, must pass a placement exam administered by the Department of Chemistry during the first week of classes in the fall.

Grade 7, 6: 6 units of credit: 3 units each of Chem L07 103 and 104. These units do not replace Chem L07 111A or 112A. Chem L07 112A must be completed prior to registration in Chem L07 261 or 401 or any advanced courses in Chemistry.

Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Chemistry EE and SL

No credit awarded.


Classical Greek (L09)

No credit awarded.  Students should take the departmental placement exam.  Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of Back Credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


Computer Science (E81)

No credit awarded. Students can take the CSE 131 placement exam. Contact the CSE office at 314-935-6160 for more information.


Design Technology (E81)

No credit awarded. Students can take the CSE 131 (formerly CS 101G) placement exam. Contact the CSE office at 314-935-6160 for more information.


Economics (L11)

Economics HL

Grade 7: 3 units of undergraduate general degree credit, contingent upon completion of L11 4011 with a grade of B or better. The credit will not count toward the Economics major/minor. Placement into any economics course is permitted (assuming other prerequisites are met); however, by-passing introductory courses may be disadvantageous, and students are strongly encouraged to consult with the department’s Academic Coordinator. By-passing L11 1011 and/or L11 1021 requires the completion of additional economics elective credit for the major/minors in Economics and for the major in Economics + Computer Science.

Grade 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded. Not recommended to by-pass L11 1011 or L11 1021.

Economics EE and SL

No credit awarded.
 

English Composition (L13) and Literature (L14)

English A Language and Literature, English A Literature HL, English A HL, English A1 HL, English A2 HL, and English B HL

Grade 7: 3 units of elective credit (L13-0001) contingent upon completing L59 111 — 120, L59 100, L13 103 with a grade of B or better.  Please note, no credit awarded for Writing or Literature courses.

English EE and SL

No credit awarded


French (L34)

No credit awarded. Students should take the departmental placement exam.  Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of back credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


Geography

No credit awarded.

Global Politics

No credit awarded


German A1, German B (Modern Foreign Languages) (L21)

No credit awarded. Students should take the departmental placement exam. Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of Back Credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


Greek (L09)

No credit awarded. Students should take the departmental placement exam.  Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of Back Credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


History (L22)

History HL, EE and SL:

American History

No credit awarded.

European History

No credit awarded.

African History

No credit awarded.

Islamic World History

No credit awarded.

South and Southeast Asia History

No credit awarded.

South Asia and Middle East History

No credit awarded.


Italian (L36)

No credit awarded. Need to take the departmental placement exam. Students who place into and complete higher-level courses can earn up to 6 units of back credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


Latin (L10)

No credit awarded. Students should take the departmental placement exam. Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of Back Credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.


Mathematics (L24)

Analysis and Approaches (AA) HL

Grade 7, 6:  3 units of credit for Math L24 132.
Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Analysis and Approaches (AA) SL

Grade 7, 6:  3 units of credit for Math L24 131.
Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Applications and Interpretation (AI) HL

Grade 7, 6:  3 units of credit for Math L24 131.
Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Applications and Interpretations (AI) SL: No credit awarded.

Mathematics HL

Grade 7, 6:  3 units of credit for Math L24 131.
Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Mathematics SL and EE: No credit awarded.
Mathematics Studies EE and SL:  No credit awarded.
Further Mathematics HL, EE, and SL: No credit awarded.


Music (L27)

Music HL

Grade 7, 6:  3 units of elective credit for students who do not major or minor in music

Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Music EE and SL: No credit awarded.


Norwegian

No credit awarded.


Philosophy(L30)

Philosophy HL

Grade 7, 6: 3 units of credit for Phil L30 125C.

Grade 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Philosophy EE and SL

No credit awarded.


Physics (L31)

Physics HL

Grade 7: 6 units of credit for Physics L31 113A and 114A

Grade 6, 5: 3 units of credit for Physics L31 113A

Grade 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Physics EE and SL

No credit awarded.


Psychology (L33) HL

Grade 7, 6: No credit awarded. Waives the Psych 100B Introduction to Psychology requirement.

Russian 

No credit awarded.  Students should take the departmental placement exam.


Social Anthropology (L48)

Credit is evaluated on an individual basis by the Anthropology department.


Spanish (L38)

No credit awarded. All students wishing to enroll in Spanish must take the on-line placement exam. Class placement is decided solely on the basis of this exam and not by IB scores. Students who place into and complete higher level courses can earn up to 6 units of Back Credit for preceding courses. See the Back Credit Policy for Back Credit details.

Theatre 

No credit awarded. 

Theory Knowledge

No credit awarded. 


Visual/Studio Arts (F20)

Visual Arts HL

Grade 7: 3 units of elective credit for Art F20 0001.

Grade 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: No credit awarded.

Visual Arts EE and SL

No credit awarded.