CS Credit By Exam

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Advising

1. General Guidelines

1.1 Eligibility Criteria

  • Prior Coursework Requirement: CBE consideration is given only when a student has previously taken a similar course, but the credits cannot be used for graduation at NJIT. The following are typical scenarios:
    • The course was not transferred to NJIT
    • Course credits expired
    • The student who switched their program took a similar course required by their previous program.
  • Prerequisites Requirement: A student must meet all the prerequisites for a course to be eligible for its CBE.
  • Ineligibility Conditions:
    • Students who have previously enrolled in a course at NJIT, either in the current or past semester, are not eligible to take the CBE for that course unless the credits have expired
    • If a student fails the CBE, they are not allowed to retake it and must complete the course at NJIT.

1.2 Registration and Approval

  • How to Register: A student can register a CBE using the NJIT's Credit-by-Exam Request Form.
  • Eligibility Explanation: After registering, students must forward the confirmation email to their advisor and the approver (contact information provided below). In the same message, students must clearly explain their eligibility for the CBE, referencing the Eligibility Criteria outlined above. Providing this explanation is essential for obtaining approval.
  • Fee: A $50 exam fee will be charged to your account once your request is submitted and approved.
  • Cancellation and Refund: To cancel a CBE registration and/or request a fee refund due to a no-show, students must contact the Office of the Registrar.
  • Grading: The CBE is graded on a pass/fail basis. To pass, students must achieve a performance level equivalent to:
    • A grade of "C" for most courses.
    • A grade of "B" for CS100.
  • Course Credits: Successfully completed exams are recorded as transfer credit (‘T’) and do not carry a letter grade.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact CS CBE Approver: Xiaoning Ding, Associate Professor, at xiaoning.ding@njit.edu, or your YWCC advisor at ywcc-advising@njit.edu

2. Course-Specific Guidelines

2.1 CS 100 Roadmap to Computing

The Ying Wu College of Computing wants to ensure that you have a successful transition to your major; therefore, all students must demonstrate proficiency in the material covered in

CS 100 Roadmap to Computing.

There are two ways to accomplish this:

  • Take CS 100 at NJIT or
  • Take the CS 100 Credit By Exam and score 80% or better.

Please use the following materials to prepare for the exam:

  1. Brief Course Description
  2. Practice exams (Practice Exam 1, Practice Exam 2, Practice Exam 3)
  3. Additional materials on user-defined classes (Lecture notes and Sample homework)

It is recommended that you:

  1. First go through the tests and answer all the problems.
  2. Then check your answers using an interpreter.
  3. In the case the two differ, investigate where your trace of the code went wrong.

You can also use:

  1. On-campus tutoring service
  2. Codecademy

The exam is offered three times per year, at the end of the Fall/Spring/Summer semesters, coinciding with the course's final exam. The CBE registration closes one week before the exam date.

* Fall & Spring Semesters: Refer to the NJIT Final Exam Schedule for the exact time and location.
* Summer 2025: TBD

You will receive your exam grade soon after completing the exam. However, there may be a delay in posting the credits to your NJIT transcript, as the CS department must first submit your results to the Office of the Registrar, which will then process and update your transcript.

If you do not score at least 80%, you will not have an opportunity to retake the exam and will be required to take CS 100 at NJIT.

For detailed information about the CS100 Credit By Exam, please contact Junilda Spirollari, Director of First-Year Computer Science Education, at junilda.spirollari@njit.edu.

2.2 CS113 Intro to Computer Science I

Students have the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the material covered in Introduction to Computer Science I by taking the CBE for CS 113. There are two ways to accomplish this:

  • Take CS 113 at NJIT or
  • Take the CS 113 Credit By Exam and score 80% or better.

The exam is offered three times per year, at the end of the Fall/Spring/Summer semesters, coinciding with the course's final exam. The CBE registration closes one week before the exam date.

* Fall & Spring Semesters: Refer to the NJIT Final Exam Schedule for the exact time and location.
* Summer 2025: TBD

You will receive your exam grade soon after completing the exam. However, there may be a delay in posting the credits to your NJIT transcript, as the CS department must first submit your results to the Office of the Registrar, which will then process and update your transcript.

If you do not score at least 80%, you will not have an opportunity to retake the exam and will be required to take CS 113 at NJIT. For detailed information about the CS113 Credit By Exam, please contact Junilda Spirollari, Director of First-Year Computer Science Education, at junilda.spirollari@njit.edu.

2.3 CBE for Other Courses

Currently, CBEs for other courses are not available. Future offerings depend on student demand and instructor availability.