With the approval of the associate dean for academic affairs and the department that offers the course, students may pay a fee and take a proficiency examination in order to fulfill a prerequisite or satisfy a course requirement. Satisfying a course requirement by this means alone does not entitle the student to degree credit unless specific approval is obtained from the associate dean for academic affairs prior to taking the examination. Proficiency examinations may not be used to obtain credit for a course that a student has failed. A grade of B or better on the proficiency examination is required for degree credit. Grades on such examinations are not included in the cumulative grade-point average.