Math 165 · 4 credits · NCCRS
Calculus 1
Self-paced: functions, limits, derivatives and their uses, and integration up to the Fundamental Theorem.
Home › Courses › Calculus 1 for credit: AP, CLEP or a course
Math 1654 creditsNCCRS recommended
Calculus 1 for college credit: AP AB, CLEP Calculus or a course
If you already know first-semester calculus, the fastest route is CLEP Calculus: one exam of 44 questions in about 90 minutes, offered year-round, with 50 the credit-granting score. AP Calculus AB covers the same semester but is a high school course with one exam each May; if you still need to learn calculus, UPI Study's self-paced Calculus 1 (Math 165) teaches it, with an NCCRS recommendation for 4 semester hours. Colleges map these differently: at Northern Virginia Community College, CLEP Calculus at 50 to 63 earns Applied Calculus I, and 64 or higher Calculus I.
One exam, year-round
CLEP Calculus
44 questions in about 90 minutes: limits, then differential and integral calculus. $97, plus a test center fee or $30 remote proctoring.
From College Board
High school course + May exam
AP Calculus AB
College Board's equivalent of a first-semester college calculus course. Scored 1 to 5; $99 an exam in the US.
From College Board
- Fastest if you know it
- CLEP Calculus, year-round
- Need to learn it first
- Math 165, self-paced
- Credit
- 4 semester hours (NCCRS)
What you learn
The exam's three parts, from College Board, and Math 165's 8 chapters, from its syllabus.
On the CLEP Calculus exam
- Limits: 10%
- Differential calculus: 50%
- Integral calculus: 40%
- No calculator in section 1
In Math 165
- Functions and modeling
- Limits and continuity
- Derivatives and the rules
- Applications of derivatives
- Integration and the Fundamental Theorem
- Applications of integration
Side by side
| What you do | Official fee | Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLEP Calculus | One exam, any time of year | $97 + center fee, or $30 remote | 50 earns 4 semester hours (ACE) |
| AP Calculus AB | A high school course, exam in May | $99 an exam in the US | Each college sets the score |
| AP Calculus BC | AB's semester plus the next course | $99 an exam in the US | Each college sets the score |
| DSST | No calculus exam: its math exams are algebra, liberal-arts math and statistics | ||
| NOVA MTH 263 Calculus I | A college class with set terms | $232.05 a credit (Virginia residents) | 4 credits on NOVA's transcript |
| UPI Study Math 165 | Self-paced online course | No exam or proctoring fees | NCCRS: 4 semester hours |
Math 165's syllabus lists 49 instructional hours and a final of 100 multiple-choice questions. A transcript is $20, and UPI Study sends it to your college. At NOVA, a 3 on AP Calculus AB earns MTH 263 Calculus I.
Which route fits you?
CLEP Calculus if
- You already know limits, derivatives and integrals
- Your college's CLEP policy lists Calculus, and the score it needs
- You want credit from one sitting, at a test center or from home
AP Calculus AB if
- You are in high school and your school offers it
- You can wait for the May exam
- Your college lists credit for your score
Math 165 if
- You need to learn calculus, not just test it
- You want to start any day and work at your own pace
- Your college works with NCCRS recommendations
Questions, answered
Is CLEP Calculus the same as Calculus 1?
Close, but your college decides. College Board says the exam covers what is “usually taught in a one-semester college course in calculus”, about 60% limits and differential calculus and 40% integral calculus. Colleges map it differently: Northern Virginia Community College awards MTH 261 Applied Calculus I (3 credits) for a score of 50 to 63, and MTH 263 Calculus I (4 credits) for 64 or higher.
Does AP Calculus AB count as Calculus 1?
College Board describes AB as “a first-semester college calculus course devoted to topics in differential and integral calculus”, and each college sets the score it credits. At NOVA a 3 on AB earns MTH 263 Calculus I; a 3 on BC earns MTH 263 and MTH 264, 8 credits. You may not take both AB and BC in the same year.
Is Calculus 1 (Math 165) lower or upper division?
NCCRS lists Math 165 in the upper division baccalaureate degree category: 4 semester hours in Calculus, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or as a general education math elective. Your college decides which course it counts as.
How many credits is Calculus 1?
NCCRS recommends 4 semester hours, upper division, in Calculus among other subjects.
How long does Calculus 1 take?
Its syllabus has 8 chapters and 49 instructional hours. It is self-paced, so you finish as fast or as slow as you want.
Can I start Calculus 1 without another course first?
Its syllabus lists no prerequisite, so you can start it today.
How is the Calculus 1 final exam set up?
100 multiple-choice questions, counting for 25% of the grade.
Which textbook does Calculus 1 use?
The syllabus lists Hoffman, Dale. Contemporary Calculus. Bellevue College, Washington State Colleges, with other references.
Is Calculus 1 on the ACE list?
No: it is not on the ACE list. It has an NCCRS recommendation for 4 semester hours in Calculus. Not being on the ACE list never means not recommended for credit.
What comes after Calculus 1?
Calculus 2. In the “The calculus sequence” order on the Math courses page, it follows Calculus 1. Your program may set its own order.
Can I take Calculus 1 on its own?
Yes. Calculus 1 is a separate course: enroll in it alone, study it online at your own pace, and send its transcript to your college.
Where is the Calculus 1 syllabus?
On upistudy.com: the Calculus 1 syllabus opens after a free sign-in. It lists all 8 chapters, the grading and the credit recommendation, so you can send it to your registrar.
How do I know if my college takes Calculus 1?
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Search your school in Find My College and ask your registrar whether Math 165 can count as your Calculus I. For the registrar: Calculus 1's NCCRS recommendation lists Calculus.
Where these credits can go
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Plus many more partner colleges and ACE and NCCRS cooperating colleges.
Find My College →Keep exploring
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- CLEP Calculus vs a full courseExam or course?
Calculus 2 for creditWhere to take it online- Calculus 1 vs Calculus 2The course after
College Algebra vs Calculus 1Which one you need- Calculus 1 vs 2 vs 3Compare
Check your college first
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Sources (17)
- College Board: CLEP Calculus exam https://clep.collegeboard.org/clep-exams/calculus
- College Board: CLEP Calculus exam https://clep.collegeboard.org/clep-exams/calculus
- College Board: Register for a CLEP exam https://clep.collegeboard.org/register-for-an-exam
- College Board: Register for a CLEP exam (schedule, military) https://clep.collegeboard.org/register-for-an-exam
- College Board: Registering for a CLEP exam with remote proctoring https://clep.collegeboard.org/register-for-an-exam/registering-remote-proctoring
- College Board: AP Calculus AB https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-calculus-ab
- College Board: AP Calculus BC exam https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-calculus-bc/assessment
- College Board: AP exam dates https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/exam-dates
- College Board: AP exam fees https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/exam-policies-guidelines/exam-fees
- College Board: About AP scores https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores
- DSST: the math exams https://getcollegecredit.com/exam-category/math/
- Northern Virginia Community College: Credit by CLEP exam https://catalog.nvcc.edu/cpl-manual/credit-examination-clep/
- Northern Virginia Community College: Credit by AP exam https://catalog.nvcc.edu/cpl-manual/credit-ap-exam/
- Northern Virginia Community College: Mathematics (MTH) courses https://catalog.nvcc.edu/courses/mth/
- Northern Virginia Community College: Tuition and fees https://www.nvcc.edu/tuition/index.html
- NCCRS: UPI Study, Inc. (every course and its credit recommendation) https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
- UPI Study: Calculus 1 syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/calculus-1.pdf
- NCCRS: UPI Study's credit recommendations https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
UPI Study facts are from our course catalog, syllabi and course rules. CLEP and AP are registered trademarks of College Board, which is not connected with UPI Study. DSST is a trademark of Prometric, which is not connected with UPI Study; DSST facts are as getcollegecredit.com stated them. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is named only as one college's published policy; it is not connected with UPI Study.