According to OSU's Academic Regulations for "Special Examination for Credit" (AR 23), students may request an examination to replace OSU's required course of HHS 231. This can be done for credit or waiver of requirements (details below).

Successful completion of the Special Exam will satisfy two of the three credits for the Fitness requirement in the Baccalaureate Core (HHS 231 =2-Credit). This does NOT satisfy the one credit Physical Activity Course (PAC) requirement for the Bacc Core Fitness skill. In addition to the Special Exam, students will need to complete a 1-credit PAC course.

Who CAN take the Special Exam?

While open to all students, this exam is intended for transfer students whose previous coursework does not match the HHS 231 equivalent. Students who also hold current professional certifications within the area of health and well-being may also benefit from this exam.

Who CANNOT take the Special Exam?

The exam may NOT be taken by students currently or previously registered for HHS 231. Only one Special Exam attempt is allowed.

For more details, see the academic regulations AR 23 and AR 24.

General overview

The process for the HHS Special Exam has two parts:

Part 1: Forms

Completion of the Petition for Approval form from the Registrar's office.

Part 2: Exam

The successful completion of the exam.

This is a rigorous exam that assumes college-level comprehension of physical activity, nutrition, mental health and well-being, and health behavior change knowledge and application.

When is the exam offered?

• The Special Exam is ONLY offered Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms.
• The Special Exam is NOT offered Summer Term.

Procedure

Ecampus students

If you are an Ecampus student, contact Celina Long for procedures.

Signatures can take 3+ weeks to obtain. Please plan accordingly.

Undergraduate Corvallis students

If you are an undergraduate Corvallis student, follow the steps below.

1. Get Form

Please begin the process by obtaining the Examination for Credit or Waiver form (pdf).

The Examination for Credit or Waiver form can also be found under registration forms on the Office of the Registrar's forms page.

2. Fill out form

Complete the "Examination of Credit or Waiver" portion of the form, through the student signature portion.

Where do you find the CRN?

Input the CRN from HHS 231 Sec 180 “Examination for Credit” for the term you wish to take the exam. This can be found under OSU’s schedule of classes.

Academic regulations waiver and credit info

Information regarding waiver and credit can be found in the OSU Academic Regulations. Read academic regulations 23 and 24. 

• For Credit: Successful completion will give you 2 credits for HHS 231. You have options of A-F grading (contributes to overall GPA) or S/U grading (does not contribute to overall GPA). Students do not need to pay credit dollars.
• For Waiver: Successful completion will satisfy a portion of the Bacc Core Fitness Skill Requirement (HHS 231 portion), no credits given.
• Whether you take if for Credit or Waiver, a 1-credit PAC course is still required.

3. Get required signatures

Obtain signatures required on the form (in this order). Required signatures could take up to one week (7 days) to process. Please plan accordingly.

1. Send the Examination for Credit or Waiver form to the HHS program director & Special Exam Coordinator via Qualtrics.
   1. Attach the document as a PDF.
         Send form to HHS-231
2. The HHS Program Director (Dr. Woekel) or Special Exam Coordinator (Dan Roberson) will obtain signatures/approval from the instructor, chair of the academic department, and dean of academic college on your behalf. Once the paperwork is approved and signed, it will be emailed back to you via your ONID email account.
3. Obtain signature and approval from the head advisor in your academic college.
   1. This will likely be done via email, however, the head advisor’s email approval must be from their ONID email account.

4. Deliver the completed original form to the OSU registrar

Deliver the complete and signed form in one of two ways:

• Email this form to [email protected]. If signatures/approval is given via email, those approval emails must be attached to the email thread. All emailed approvals must be from the person’s ONID email account.
• Or print form and submit to the Office of the Registrar in the Kerr Administration Building.

Deadline

All forms, regardless of submission type, must be received by 5 p.m. on the 3rd Friday of the term. 

Fee

Note: The fee is $80, charged to the student's account.

5. Special Exam preparation

• All information from the HHS 231 textbook is examinable.
• Interactive E-Textbook via Top Hat: Practicing Healthy Behaviors: Physical Activity and Health (Erica Woekel): 978-1-77330-321-5.
• Top Hat Class Join Code: 169132
• The Special Exam has a 2-hour time limit.
• The exam consists of multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer questions up to 200 points. 
• Study guides for the exam will not be given due to the purpose and intended audience of the exam, however the textbook has a “Study Highlights” section for each chapter.

6. Dates for the exam

This exam will be conducted remotely via online proctoring using Proctorio. Students will need a webcam and microphone to take the exam.

Please contact Dan Roberson and Dr. Erica Woekel through this email form if you need proctoring accommodations by Week 2.

   Contact Dan and Dr. Woekel

The special exam is scheduled as follows

• Fall, Winter, & Spring Terms: The exam must be taken between Week 3 and Week 7 of the term.

• Summer Term: The HHS special exam is not available.
• You will be added to the Special Exam Canvas course during week 2 of the term of your exam.
• There is no need to schedule an exam time with the instructor, as it can be taken any time between weeks 3 and 7.
• The exam will open on Monday at 8 a.m. PT of week 3 and close on Sunday of week 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

7. Grading

• The multiple-choice and true/false questions are graded automatically.
• The short answer questions are graded by an HHS instructor.
• The exam takes about two to three weeks to grade. Final grades are delivered to the Registrar's Office during Final Exam Week 
• Special Exam percentages are not rounded or curved nor are there any extra credit opportunities. Therefore 79.5% is a C+, not a B-.
• Students who pass the Special Exam are considered to have met two of the three fitness requirement credits of Baccalaureate Core. Students will still need to enroll in a PAC class to fulfill the third credit requirement.
• Students will be able to see their final grade on Canvas.

Transfer course equivalency

If you feel you have taken a class that fulfills the Baccalaureate Core Requirement for Fitness (HHS 231 or 241) and would like to apply for a Transfer Course Equivalency, please submit the following information/documentation to [email protected]:

• Completed Transfer Course Equivalency Petition (pdf) form.
• Attach a course syllabus, preferably from the year the course was taken.
• Detailed course calendar of topics covered during the course.