With the approval of the school's associate dean for academic programs, the student's academic adviser, and the department concerned, a student may pay
a fee and take a proficiency examination in certain courses offered by the university. Degree credit is given when the department evaluating the examination indicates proficiency at a level comparable to passing the course. Proficiency examinations ordinarily are not allowed after failure in a course or in courses where the principal content is laboratory or creative work, since the primary value of these courses lies in the student's continuing and supervised participation.