IB Exams

International Baccalaureate

(Classes of 2026 and 2027)

A maximum of four course credits may be achieved through AP, IB, and joint enrollment courses combined (including courses taken in the summer after high school graduation). If you qualify for more than four such credits, you can change which courses you select later in your career at Davidson. Scores of 6 or 7 on International Baccalaureate examinations yield credit as shown below.

No more than two credits attained prior to matriculation at Davidson (or, for transfer students, as a degree candidate at another college) may be applied to the satisfaction of the seven Ways of Knowing requirements needed for graduation. If you choose to have the IB course count for a Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Ways of Knowing Course # column. If you choose to have the IB course count as one of your four credits but not for the Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Non-Ways of Knowing Course # column. Either way, your IB scores can assist you in placing into higher-level courses.
 

IB Notes

Language: Aside from Spanish, to use IB credit to satisfy the Language requirement (a course at or above 201), you may also need to take that language's Placement Exam. See the appropriate departmental webpage for details on their placement process. In addition, IB credit for a language is not part of the two-course distribution limit.

Biology:  Credit for BIO 107 is awarded to students who scored a 6 or 7 on the IB Biology exam. Students who scored a 7 and plan to continue in the sciences, pre-med, and/or pre-health may receive credit for one of two introductory lab course requirements (BIO 113 or BIO 114) in place of the exploratory lab course (BIO 107) by consulting the Biology chair.

Chinese: IB Chinese allows students to satisfy the Language Requirement (using Chinese) with only one additional course, CHI 201.

History: Course number depends on specific course content. Will be credited as 199C pending recommendation from the History Department.

Mathematics: A student who achieves credit for MAT 111 will forfeit that credit if he or she takes MAT 112 (Calculus I and Modeling).

Physics: Credit for PHY 118 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 120 or 130; credit for PHY 119 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 220 or 230.

Spanish: If you took the Spanish IB exam and scored a 6 or 7 and wish to continue with your studies of the Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures, you should enroll in SPA 260.

Courses Not Accepted: Astronomy, business management, design technology, and sports, exercise and health science courses.

International Baccalaureate

(Class of 2025)

A maximum of four course credits may be achieved through AP, IB, and joint enrollment courses combined (including courses taken in the summer after high school graduation). If you qualify for more than four such credits, you can change which courses you select later in your career at Davidson. Scores of 6 or 7 on International Baccalaureate examinations yield credit as shown below.

No more than two credits attained prior to matriculation at Davidson (or, for transfer students, as a degree candidate at another college) may be applied to the satisfaction of the seven Ways of Knowing requirements needed for graduation. If you choose to have the IB course count for a Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Ways of Knowing Course # column. If you choose to have the IB course count as one of your four credits but not for the Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Non-Ways of Knowing Course # column. Either way, your IB scores can assist you in placing into higher-level courses.
 

IB Notes
Language: Aside from Spanish, to use IB credit to satisfy the Language requirement (a course at or above 201), you may also need to take that language's Placement Exam. See the appropriate departmental webpage for details on their placement process. In addition, IB credit for a language is not part of the two-course distribution limit.

Biology:  Credit for BIO 107 is awarded to students who scored a 6 or 7 on the IB Biology exam. Students who scored a 7 and plan to continue in the sciences, pre-med, and/or pre-health may receive credit for one of two introductory lab course requirements (BIO 113 or BIO 114) in place of the exploratory lab course (BIO 107) by consulting the Biology chair.

Chinese: IB Chinese allows students to satisfy the Language Requirement (using Chinese) with only one additional course, CHI 201.

History: Course number depends on specific course content. Will be credited as 199C pending recommendation from the History Department.

Mathematics: A student who achieves credit for MAT 111 will forfeit that credit if he or she takes MAT 112 (Calculus I and Modeling).

Physics: Credit for PHY 118 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 120 or 130; credit for PHY 119 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 220 or 230. Neither course satisfies the requirement in natural science, although appeal to the physics department chair (with proof of extensive laboratory work) may result in having the course count in individual circumstances.

Spanish: If you took the Spanish IB exam and scored a 6 or 7 and wish to continue with your studies of the Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures, you should enroll in SPA 260.

Courses Not Accepted: Astronomy, business management, design technology, and sports, exercise and health science courses.

International Baccalaureate

(Class of 2024)

A maximum of four course credits may be achieved through AP, IB, and joint enrollment courses combined (including courses taken in the summer after high school graduation). If you qualify for more than four such credits, you can change which courses you select later in your career at Davidson. Scores of 6 or 7 on International Baccalaureate examinations yield credit as shown below.

No more than two credits attained prior to matriculation at Davidson (or, for transfer students, as a degree candidate at another college) may be applied to the satisfaction of the seven Ways of Knowing requirements needed for graduation. If you choose to have the IB course count for a Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Ways of Knowing Course # column. If you choose to have the IB course count as one of your four credits but not for the Ways of Knowing requirement, then the course will appear on your Davidson transcript as the course in the Non-Ways of Knowing Course # column. Either way, your IB scores can assist you in placing into higher-level courses.
 

Language: To use IB credit to satisfy the Language requirement (a course at or above 201), you may also need to take that language's Placement Exam. See the appropriate departmental webpage for details on their placement process. In addition, IB credit for a language is not part of the two-course distribution limit.

IB Notes

Biology:  Credit for BIO 107 is awarded to students who scored a 6 or 7 on the IB Biology exam. Students who scored a 7 and plan to continue in the sciences, pre-med, and/or pre-health may receive credit for one of two introductory lab course requirements (BIO 113 or BIO 114) in place of the exploratory lab course (BIO 107) by consulting the Biology chair.

Chinese: IB Chinese allows students to satisfy the Language Requirement (using Chinese) with only one additional course, CHI 201.

History: Course number depends on specific course content. Will be credited as 199C pending recommendation from the History Department.

Mathematics: A student who achieves credit for MAT 111 will forfeit that credit if he or she takes MAT 112 (Calculus I and Modeling).

Physics: Credit for PHY 118 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 120 or 130; credit for PHY 119 is forfeited by a student who elects to take PHY 220 or 230. Neither course satisfies the requirement in natural science, although appeal to the physics department chair (with proof of extensive laboratory work) may result in having the course count in individual circumstances.

Spanish: If you took the Spanish IB exam and scored a 6 or 7 and wish to continue with your studies of the Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures, you should enroll in SPA 260.

Courses Not Accepted: Astronomy, business management, design technology, and sports, exercise and health science courses.