U. Dallas becomes first in nation to grant credit for Classical Baccalaureate, alternative to AP

The University of Dallas has become the first school in the nation to award academic credit through the Classical Baccalaureate, an alternative to traditional college credit pathways such as AP and dual enrollment.

The Classical Baccalaureate, founded by the Classic Learning Test, combines written and oral assessments with a focus on intellectual virtues like clear communication and critical thinking.

“Launching pilots in fall 2027, it integrates CB Courses for college credit, and an IB-style diploma evaluation—featuring elements like a thesis project, extended seminar, and civics project—to provide universal recognition while preserving the depth of Western heritage, liberal arts, and virtue ethics,” the CLT website states. 

The university announced the development in a post on X, praising CLT founder Jeremy Tate and the entire organization for recognizing the institution as a standout in classical education.

“UDallas is the first university in the nation to award credit through the Classical Baccalaureate, a new @CLT_Exam pathway with written and oral components. Thank you to @JeremyTate41 and @CLT_Exam for recognizing UDallas’ leadership in classical education,” the post reads.

Reached for comment, CLT Chief Academic Officer Sarah Novlan said, “Partnering with UDallas is an obvious choice.” 

“They have a longstanding relationship with CLT and have a lot of the same aims on what the purpose is of education, human flourishing,” she said. 

When asked about the inspiration behind the creation of the Classical Baccalaureate, she pointed to the nine months of research the group conducted into the existing AP and dual enrollment ecosystem. 

“AP and dual enrollment are becoming more popular but they are not the silver bullet that can fill the ecosystem with advance credit. There is not a summative metric at the end that guarantees universities they have reached a certain level of achievement,” she told The Fix.

“There have been tons of grade inflation on AP pass rates. The data does not corroborate that students are getting smarter; it shows that AP is inflating everything,” she said. 

“A student at a school using CB will get a complete vision of an enduring education,” Novlan said.

CLT argues that the test offers a more comprehensive measure of student achievement by pairing written and oral assessments alongside traditional testing. Critics, however, question whether the movement will gain recognition outside of the classical education movement.

Iowa Board of Regents Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon told The Washington Post there is a lack of peer-reviewed studies on how well the CLT can predict success in college.

“There’s just been limited use thus far of the Classic Learning Test, so there isn’t sufficient data yet,” Boon said.

According to the CLT website the “Classical Learning Test exists to reconnect knowledge and virtue by providing meaningful assessments and connections to seekers of the truth, goodness, and beauty.”

“For thousands of years, education was understood as forming and equipping the whole human person–intellectually, emotionally, and ethically–to live a happy and fulfilling life,” it states.

UD media relations and the National Association of Scholars both did not respond to requests for comment from The College Fix.

By becoming the first institution to award credit through Classical Baccalaureate, UD is positioning itself at the forefront of a growing movement for alternative testing and college admissions.

The Classic Learning Test continues to grow rapidly. It is now accepted by more than 300 colleges and universities across the U.S., The College Fix previously reported.