Academic Policies

First-Year English Composition Requirement

(Policy updated 12/05/03: Added options for transfer students)

A minimum of six units of English composition is required.  Placement in composition courses is based on information in the student’s high school record, including the ACT1 English or the RSAT1 Verbal standardized test scores.

First-Year students will enroll in one of four strands, varying with placement:

1. A three-course sequence of:
   • English 100, English 101, and English 102, OR
   • English 106, English 107, and English 108 (the ESL equivalents)
2. A two-course sequence of:
   • English 101 and English 102, OR
   • English 107 and English 108 (the ESL equivalents)
3. A two-course honors sequence of:
   • English 103H and English 104H
4. English 109H, in combination with an Advanced Placement (AP) score of 4 or 5

Transfer students who are admitted with 56 transferable units or who have earned a previous bachelor's degree from another institution may satisfy the English Composition requirement by submitting to the Writing Program Academic Transfer Assistant, Modern Languages Building, Room 380, one of the following for consideration:

1. A catalog course description or syllabus for 2 transferable composition/writing courses that do not fulfill another UA degree requirement.  
2. A portfolio of 3 - 4 writing samples (an adequate sample consists of 15 - 20 pages illustrating an analytical, argumentative, or critical response to a text) from courses completed at the transfer institution.
3. A catalog course description for 1 transferable composition/writing course that is not used to satisfy another degree requirement, in addition to a portfolio of writing samples (see above).

Upon approval by the Writing Program Academic Transfer Assistant of 2 transferable composition/writing courses or portfolio of writing samples, the first-year English Composition requirement will be satisfied.  All questions about English Composition may be directed to the English Writing Program office:

English Writing Program
Modern Languages Bldg, Room 380
The University of Arizona
P.O. Box 210067
Tucson, AZ 85721-0067
Phone: (520) 621-3553

Related Topics:

• Mid-Career Writing Assessment (MCWA)
• Writing Emphasis Course