External Credit: AP, IB Credit and Credit from Other Institutions

Books, papers, pens, and students during class.

AP/IB Credit

For the classes of 2023 and 2024, the Department of History grants one credit for scores of 4 and 5 on AP tests and a 6 and 7 on the IB if you successfully complete one introductory or first-year seminar offered by the Department. Students must receive a grade of C or higher to receive history credit at Swarthmore. The credit for the AP or IB test does not satisfy the Department’s concentration requirement. For classes of 2025 and beyond, AP credit does not satisfy any department major or minor requirements.

Students who want to receive credit for a second AP or IB test must take a second history course at Swarthmore. However, this credit counts toward the 32 credits needed to graduate and not to the major in History.

Off-Campus Study

The History Department encourages students to pursue the study of history abroad and grants credit for such study as appropriate. We believe that history majors should master a foreign language as well as immerse themselves in a foreign culture and society.

The Department of History grants credit for history courses that are pre-approved by the Department and are part of Off-Campus Study outside the United States. Credit is contingent on successfully completing an introductory course at Swarthmore.

The Department of History does not grant credit from another college or university in the United States except for courses taken at Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and the University of Pennsylvania. We will only grant an exception for domestic off-campus study experiences validated by our Off-Campus Study or Registrar’s Offices and at our discretion. Such credit does not satisfy the Department’s concentration requirement.

Upon return, we expect that you have all of the necessary materials. You will hand them in or scan and send them to our department administrative assistant after completing Off-Campus Study's necessary forms.

General Note about External Credits

All credit external to Swarthmore to be evaluated by the Department of History is granted on a one-to-one basis. That is, a student must take and complete a history course at Swarthmore—earning a C or better—for each external credit the student wishes to receive. Any combination of external credits designated HIST will not exceed three.