Des Moines Area Community College.

Challenge Test General Information for Business and Technology Courses

Purpose

Students who have met the entrance requirements of the College and who are matriculating in a program of study leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate may take locally constructed departmental examinations for credit when the department feels the student has the necessary preparation. By taking the challenge test the student is only satisfying the prerequisites needed to enroll in more advanced courses that require the course challenged as a prerequisite. Passing a challenge test does not relinquish the student's responsibility for the actual course content. When the student enrolls in more advanced courses, instructors will assume that the student will have a working knowledge of every competency covered in the course, even if that competency is not specifically evaluated on the examination.

Restrictions

A student may attempt to challenge test a course only once and may not use the test as a course retake. A challenge test cannot be taken if the course is a prerequisite to a course that the student has already successfully completed. The credit(s) earned by passing the challenge test is entered on a student's permanent record when that student has earned 12 credit hours at DMACC. A "T" grade is earned and is not included when computing grade point average. The exam must be completed by the last day to drop classes for that semester (see the DMACC Academic Calendar).

Course Competencies

Students can obtain a copy of the course competencies by contacting their Dean's Office at their campus.

Procedure

A student wishing to attempt a challenge test will need to follow these steps:

  • Obtain a challenge test approval form (ES-201) and complete Part 1 of the form. Please include a phone number or email address at the top of the form so you can be notified with the results. Forms are available at the following locations:
    • Ankeny Campus, Building 1 at the Information desk
    • Ankeny Campus, Building 5 at the office of evening/weekend college
    • Ankeny Campus, Building 8 in the office of the Dean of Business and Management
    • Boone Campus, office of the Provost
    • Carroll Campus, office of the Provost
    • Urban/Des Moines Campus, office of the Provost
    • West Campus, office of the Provost
  • Contact the course instructor or program chair to obtain instructor’s signature and approval that is required in Part 2 of the ES-201 form. The following are program chairs:
    • Ankeny Campus, Kathleen Zimmerman, 515-965-7136, Building 8 Room 6
    • Boone Campus, Mary Jane Green, 515-433-5084, Room 219
    • Carroll Campus, Lou Ann Knorr, 712-792-8325, Room 129
    • Urban/Des Moines, Kathy Crall, 515-248-7251, Building 1 Room 230
    • West Campus, contact one of the individuals listed above
  • Contact the Dean of Business and Management or Provost to obtain signature and approval that is required in Part 2 of the ES-201 form.
    • Ankeny Campus, Dean of Business and Management, Building 8
    • Ankeny Campus, after 4 p.m. the Dean of the Evening/Weekend College, Building 5
    • Boone Campus, office of the Provost
    • Carroll Campus, office of the Provost
    • Urban/Des Moines Campus, office of the Provost
    • West Campus, office of the Provost
  • Complete Parts 3 & 4 of the form by collecting signatures from the Registrar and Student Accounts Offices from Ankeny or Boone or Carroll or Urban/Des Moines or West campus. A fee is charged if the student is not registered in the course that the challenge test is being requested.
  • To complete Part 5 schedule an appointment with the instructor to take the challenge test.
    • Business English (BTEC 205) challenge test will be taken in the Academic Achievement Center of either Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Urban/Des Moines, or West campus.
    • All other BTEC challenge tests will be administered by a Business Technology instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to have made arrangements with the instructor for taking the challenge test.
  • Once the exam is completed, the form will be sent to the Registrar’s office as either successfully having completed the text or unsuccessfully having completed the test. A successful challenge test will result in a “T” grade being placed on your transcript when 12 semester hours have been completed.

Challenge Test Specific Information for Business and Technology Courses