E 115 Credit By Exam Information

How can I receive credit for E 115?

E 115 is a credit-only course. This means students cannot earn a letter grade but instead can earn either a Pass (“S”) or Fail (“U”) grade. Students can choose to take the course at any time as it is available in the Fall (8 Week session 1 or 2), Spring (8 Week session 1 or 2), or the 10 week Summer session (found in the Summer I enrollment wizard tab). E 115 is offered as Online Hybrid (not Distance Education) in all semesters, which means there are some in person components.

Students who feel they have complete knowledge of the class prior to taking the E 115 course may choose to take an official Credit By Exam for E 115 that is offered by the Computer Science Department. A score of 70% or higher on both parts is required to pass the exam.

Who is eligible to take the E 115 Credit by Exam?

Students are eligible to take the Credit by exam if they:

  • are enrolled in the College of Engineering.
  • are enrolled in the Engineering First Year program.
  • must have credit for E 115 to fill a major or minor requirement

Who is not eligible to take the E 115 Credit by Exam?

Students are only permitted to take the Credit by Exam once.  
Students will NOT be admitted to the Credit by Exam if they have previously:

  • scored less than 70% on a previous E 115 Credit by Exam
  • received a grade of “U” for E 115
  • received a grade of “W” for E 115
  • been enrolled in E 115 after Census Day
  • been enrolled in, or have credit for, COS 100 (formerly PAMS 100 and PMS 100) after Census Day

When is the E 115 Credit by Exam?

The E 115 credit by exam is given once at the very beginning of the Spring and Fall terms. It is usually given on the first Friday or Saturday of the semester in order to administer, grade, and communicate with students before Census Day. Students must be in the College of Engineering or enrolled in E 115 in order to have the correct permissions to access all of the exam.  The exam is only being offered in person, and only at the time(s) noted in the sign-up form. Students must sign up in advance, and the sign up usually closes at 8 am on the Thursday before the exam is given.

What material is covered on the E 115 Credit by Exam?

The E 115 Credit by exam tests mastery of all material that is covered during a regular semester in E 115. Students are expected to achieve the knowledge level of a student who has been in E 115 all term and is about to take their final exam. Students should consider taking the Credit by Exam if they can demonstrate the following:

  • Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel (version 2007 or higher, MS Office only)
  • An understanding of the NFS file system and the associated file tree
  • Knowledge of building path names to files and/or directories
  • Usage of UNIX terminal-based commands to navigate the NFS file tree
  • Usage of UNIX terminal based commands to manipulate files and/or directories in the NFS file tree
  • Ability to identify key computer hardware and associated functionality
  • Knowledge of networking, hardware, and Operating System basics
  • Ability to build simple and styled HTML 5 web pages using a basic text editor
  • Ability to review already created HTML 5, Excel, or terminal code and find syntax errors
  • Ability to remotely access files and/or applications including the use of NC State’s Virtual Computing Lab

*Starting in Spring 2023, AFS has been replaced by NFS. Updates to the textbook will happen over time.

How do I Register for the E 115 Credit by Exam?

In order to register for the E 115 Credit By Exam you must start by filling out this registration form.  Once this form is complete, you will receive an email regarding the status of your registration and any other information you may need. The sign up form usually closes on the Thursday before the exam at 8 am Eastern Time, but you should review the date on the form above.

How do I prepare for the E 115 Credit by Exam?

To be adequately prepared for the Credit by Exam, self-study is required. This exam includes questions specific to computing at NC State. To achieve a passing grade of 70% or better on the exam, we strongly urge students to actively and thoroughly study the concepts contained in the E 115 Online Textbook. 

There are no practice exams or tutorials available as the purpose of the exam is to demonstrate knowledge you already have. The Computer Science Department and E 115 staff encourage you to learn the material on your own and practice, practice, practice. There will be a mix of multiple choice, essay, practical, true/false, and short answer questions.

I’m bringing or using my own laptop to take the exam… what do I need?

The E 115 Credit by Exam requires the following pieces of software:

The E 115 Online Textbook Chapter 3 has information on set up if needed.

I’m taking the exam on a Windows Desktop in the computer lab… what do I need?

The E 115 Credit by Exam requires that you familiarize yourself with the following pieces of software on any of the Windows machines in Lampe Hall (201 and 247 if available. These are similar set-ups to the open labs in LMP 243 and 226):

  • Putty
  • Microsoft Office 2007 or higher
  • Windows 10

What should I do on the day of the E 115 Credit by Exam?

To be admitted to the exam, students must:

  • Arrive 10 – 15 minutes before the scheduled exam time. All exams are held in Lampe Hall.
    Students who arrive more than 30 minutes after their exam time will NOT be admitted to the exam.
  • Be prepared to show a Photo ID – this is required
  • Bring a pen or pencil and a blank sheet of paper
  • Bring their personal laptop computer (and charger) if taking the laptop version of the Credit by Exam

The instructor emailed me to finalize grades and I scored 70% or higher on both parts of the Credit by Exam. What do I do now?

  • If you are currently enrolled in E 115, you must drop E 115 from your schedule immediately via My Pack Portal. Credit by examination for E 115 will be awarded and appear on your transcript by the end of the semester.
  • Students co-enrolled in CSC 111, 113, or 116 will not be able to drop on their own and should contact the Lab Coordinator for assistance
  • If you are NOT currently enrolled in E 115, credit by examination for E 115 will be awarded and appear on your transcript by the end of the semester. 

The instructor emailed me to finalize grades and I scored less than 70% on both parts of the Credit by Exam. What do I do now?

Students who scored less than 70% on the E 115 Credit by Exam are required to take the E 115 course as long as it is still required for their major. No ill effects will occur due to failure of the exam.