What is CLEP American Government?

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a series of 33 subject exams developed by the College Board for credit-by-exam. CLEP exams are computer-based and administered in a proctored test center. As students who take a CLEP subject exam may be awarded college credit for a related course, they may accelerate through their degree requirements while saving time and money.

Students who achieve the standard score on the CLEP American Government exam may:  

  • earn college credit in POS 2041 at PHSC, and 
  • meet the Civic Literacy course and assessment graduation requirements.

    Accommodations

    The following CLEP accommodations may be requested for CLEP at PHSC: 

    • ZoomText (screen magnification)
    • Modifiable screen colors
    • Extended time
    • Untimed rest breaks 

    To begin, students must first Request Accessibility Accommodations through Student Accessibility Services. Contact Testing Services once an exam is registered to verify available accommodations. Provide your accommodation approval letter from Student Accessibility Services at check-in on exam day. Non-students must contact Testing Services to arrange an accommodation in advance of their scheduled exam. Contact CLEP Services for a different accommodation not available by PHSC.

    Fees

    Students must pay an $89 fee to the College Board during registration with the College Board. A $20 test fee must be paid in advance of a scheduled exam at the College Store. A receipt for an exam must be presented at check-in on exam day to test.

    Identification

    Valid, government-issued photo identification must be presented at check-in on exam day to test. Refer to the College Board identification requirements policy for details. The following types of identification may be accepted:

    • Driver’s License
    • Passport
    • Military ID with College Board ID Form
    • Certificate of Citizenship
    • Naturalization Card with Tribal ID
    • State/ National/ Providence ID 

    Prior Test Scores

    For college credit to be awarded by PHSC, official test scores must be sent directly from the College Board to Admissions and Student Records. The College Board will send one score report for free to the institution selected during the registration process. If a score was not sent to PHSC, a transcript may be requested from the College Board for an additional fee.

    To request a transcript: 

    • Sign into your CLEP account.
    • Go to My CLEP Account.
    • From the My CLEP Account menu, select Request a Transcript. 

    Registration

    Students must register for a CLEP exam through the College Board's CLEP website. Once registered, students may schedule an exam through Testing Services.

    Availability

    The CLEP is proctored at the East, North, and West Campus Test Centers and is administered during regular operational hours.

    Retake Policy 

    Students must wait three months between attempts of the same subject exam.

    Scores

    Students must achieve a standard score of 50 or higher to receive college credit in POS 2041 at PHSC. The score may vary for credit awarded from other institutions. Official test scores must be sent The College Board will send a score for free to one institution selected during the registration process. 

      Study Resources

      Modern States offers a free, online study course for the CLEP American Government exam that covers the civic literacy competencies assessed by the FCLE.

      Subject Areas

      The American Government subject exam assesses an understanding of civics, political processes, and behavior according to the following domains: 

      • Knowledge of American government and politics (about 55%–60% of the exam)
      • Understanding of typical patterns of political processes and behavior (including the components of the behavioral situation of a political actor), and the principles used to explain or justify various governmental structures and procedures (about 30%–35% of the exam
      • Analysis and interpretation of simple data that are relevant to American government and politics (10%–15% of the exam)

      Time Limit

      Students have 90 minutes to complete the exam.