DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) is available to help individuals receive college credits. Unlike Advanced Placement (AP) examinations that typically offer college credit to incoming freshmen for lower division courses, DSSTs are usually taken by nontraditional students and can be used for upper or lower division courses, depending on the test. Sometimes an individual can be eligible to take the DSSTs based solely on their life experience.
The following is a list of examinations and their subject matter currently available through DSST. Every college has their own crediting policy, find out the college or university’s crediting policy before registering for an examination.
Math
Fundamentals of college algebra (solving quadratic inequalities, operations of functions, rational functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions)
Principles of statistics (principles and concepts underlying higher-order statistics, continuous and discrete distributions, use of predictive statistics using the linear model, and confidence intervals)
Social Sciences
Substance abuse (substances such as anabolic steroids, over-the-counter medications, dependency, addiction, societal effects, screening, diagnosis, and neurological factors)
Criminal justice (criminal behavior, police, the court system, sentencing issues, adult prison systems, and juvenile correction alternatives)
Art of the western world (deals with the history of art during various periods)
Western Europe since 1945 (knowledge of basic facts related to the aftermath of World War II and the rebuilding of Europe, national political systems, and policies in western European societies)
Introduction to the modern Middle East (19th century European impact, 20th century western influences, World War I, World War II, new nations, social and cultural changes (1900-1960), and the Middle East throughout the 20th century0
Human and cultural geography (culture and environment, settlement patterns, political geography, and regional geography)
Rise and fall of the Soviet Union (Russia under the old regime, the revolutionary period, new economic policy, pre-war Stalinism, World War II, post-war Stalinism, the Khrushchev years, the Brezhnev era, and reform and collapse)
A history of the Vietnam War (the roots of the Vietnam War)
The Civil War and Reconstruction (a history of the Civil War from pre-secession through reconstruction)
Foundations of education (contemporary issues in education, past and current influences on education, and the inter-relationships between contemporary issues and influences)
Life span developmental psychology (ethical issues, biological development, perception, learning and memory, cognition and language, social, emotional, and personality development, social behaviors, the family life cycle, adjustment to life stresses, bereavement, and loss)
General anthropology (theoretical perspectives, physical anthropology, archeology, social organization, economic organization, political organization, religion, and the modernization and application of anthropology)
Introduction to law enforcement (an overview of the U.S. criminal justice system, police systems in the U.S., police organization, management and issues, and U.S. law and precedents)
Fundamentals of counseling (historical development of the roles and functions of the counselor, the counseling relationship, and theoretical approaches to counseling)
Humanities
Ethics in America (ethical traditions and how they affect various relationships, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, affirmative action, and capital punishment)
Introduction to world religions (dimensions and approaches to religion, primal religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Shintoism, Hellenic and Roman Traditions, and Scientology)
Principles of public speaking (audience analysis, purposes of speeches, the structure and organization of speeches, content and supporting materials, research, language, style, feedback, criticism, and evaluation. One assignment will be to record an impromptu persuasive speech that will be scored)
Business
Introduction to computing (hardware, software licensing and development tools, development life cycles, data management, connectivity, privacy concerns, intellectual property, telecommunications law, network etiquette, artificial intelligence, and globalization)
Personal finance (credit and debit, debt management, major purchases, taxes, insurance, investments, and others)
Management information systems (telecommunications, network security, systems analysis and design, business decision-making, knowledge management, data warehousing, and data mining)
Principles of finance (financial statements and planning, time value of money, working capital management, valuation and characteristics, cost of capital, capital budgeting, risk, and return)
Principles of financial accounting (accounting cycles and classifications, transaction analysis, accruals and deferrals, cash and internal control, current accounts, long-term and short-term liabilities, capital stock, and financial statements)
Human resource management (training and development, performance appraisals, compensation issues, security issues, personnel legislation and regulation, labor relations, and current issues)
Organizational behavior (scientific approaches, research designs, data collection methods, individual processes and characteristics, interpersonal and group processes, organizational processes, change and development processes)
Principles of supervision (management functions, planning, organization and staffing, directing at the supervisory level, legal issues, stress management, union environments, and quality concerns)
Business law II (sales of goods, debtor and creditor relations, business organizations, and property)
Introduction to business (economic issues, international business, the government and business, the small business owner, entrepreneurship, franchise, human resources, marketing, financial and risk management, insurance, management information systems, production and operations)
Money and banking (the role of money, different types of money, commercial banks and other financial institutions, central banking, the Federal Reserve System, money and macroeconomics, U.S. monetary policy, and the international monetary system)
Business mathematics (simple and compound interest, annuities, net pay and deductions, discounts and markups, depreciation and net worth, corporate securities, distribution of ownership, stock and asset turnover)
Business ethics and society (moral philosophies and business ethics, social responsibilities of a business, ethics in international business, ecology and global business, business and government)
Physical Science
Here’s to your health (human development and relationships, fitness and nutrition, disease and prevention, consumer awareness, psychological disorders and addictive behaviors, intentional injuries and violence)
Astronomy (celestial mechanics and systems, astronomical instruments, the solar system, nature and evolution, the galaxy, the universe, determining astrological distances, and life in the universe)
Environment and humanity (ecological concepts, environmental impacts, environmental management and conservation, and political processes and the future)
Principles of physical science (Newton’s Laws of Motion, energy and momentum, thermodynamics, waves and optics, electricity and magnetism, chemistry, properties of matter, atomic theory and structure, and chemical reactions)
Physical geology (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock, weathering, groundwater, glaciers, oceanic systems, deserts, winds, hydrologic cycle, internal earth processes, mineral and energy resources, and environmental geology)
Technology
Technical writing (the theory and practice of technical writing, elements of various technical reports, technical editing, and the purpose, content, and organizational patterns of common types of technical documents)
DSST Skill Building Exercises
Math
Algebra 1 Practice Questions
Free DSST Practice Test
A History of the Vietnam War
Art of the Western World Exam
Astronomy Exam
Business Ethics and Society Exam
Business Law II Exam
Business Mathematics Exam
Civil War and Reconstruction Exam
Criminal Justice Exam
Environment and Humanity Exam
Ethics in America Exam
Foundations of Education Exam
Fundamentals of College Algebra Exam
Fundamentals of Counseling Exam
General Anthropology Exam
Human/Culture Geography Exam
Human Resource Management Exam
Introduction to Business Exam
Introduction to Computing Exam
Introduction to Law Enforcement Exam
Introduction to the Modern Middle East Exam
Introduction to World Religions Exam
Life-Span Developmental Psychology Exam
Management Information Systems Exam
Money and Banking Exam
Organizational Behavior Exam
Personal Finance Exam
Physical Geology Exam
Principles of Finance Exam
Principles of Financial Accounting Exam
Principles of Physical Science I Exam
Principles of Public Speaking Exam
Principles of Statistics Exam
Principles of Supervision Exam
Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union Exam
Substance Abuse Exam