English Composition and Writing Competency Requirements
To qualify for a bachelor’s degree from the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, a student must complete Rhetoric and Writing course requirements and demonstrate writing competency by successfully passing the writing portfolio assessment. There are four different ways in which students may meet these requirements, described as follows:
1. Successfully complete ENGL 131 and 141 at UCCS and then pass the portfolio assessment.
To be admitted to ENGL 131, the student must meet one of the following requirements:
- score 19-28 on the English ACT
- score 450-640 on the English SAT
- Complete ENGL 099, Components of Writing, offered through LAS Extended Studies, or an equivalent course completed elsewhere (Credit hours do not count toward graduation.)
For placement purposes, students without ACT or SAT scores must submit a writing sample to the writing program in Columbine 1041.
To be admitted to ENGL 141, students must meet one of the following requirements:
- Complete ENGL 131 at UCCS
- score 29+ on the English ACT
- score 650+ on the English SAT
- score 4 on the CEEB Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Exam
- score 4 on the CEEB Advanced Placement Language and Literature Exam
- score 5 on the IB English exam
- Successfully complete a first-semester composition course (equivalent to ENGL 131) at an accredited college or university with a C- or better
- Score 67% and receive a pass on the essay portion of the CLEP Freshman College Composition with essay examination to earn credit for ENGL 131
- Score 67% on the multiple choice section and receive a pass on the essay portion of the CLEP English Composition with essay exam to earn ENGL 141 placement, without credit for ENGL 131
To demonstrate writing competency after course completion, students must pass the writing portfolio assessment administered by the Writing Program. Students who choose not to demonstrate competency by earning a pass on their writing portfolio may meet the competency requirement by successfully completing a 300-level, advanced composition course at UCCS with a C- or better, i.e. a course beyond those stipulated within their degree plan. The “final” composition course for each undergraduate program is listed below:
- For LAS and nursing students: ENGL 141
- For BUS students: ENGL 307 or COMM 32
- For EAS students: ENGL 307 or 309
2. Transfer equivalent course work in written communication taken elsewhere at an accredited college or university with a C- or better and demonstrate competency by passing the writing portfolio assessment.
Students should submit their portfolios after completing their final composition course at UCCS, or upon transfer of their complete composition requirements from an accredited college or university. Students must demonstrate competency within 30 credit hours of completion or transfer of their final composition course. Students who do not pass the portfolio assessment within 30 hours of completion of their final composition course must complete an additional writing course at the 300-level, a course beyond those stipulated within their degree plan.
3. Qualify for a waiver of composition course work through the CEEB Advanced Placement Examination and complete remaining requirement:
- Score 4 on the AP English Language and Composition to receive credit for ENGL 131, successfully complete ENGL 141 and then pass the portfolio assessment
- Score 5 on the AP English Language and Composition to receive credit for both ENGL 131 and ENGL 141 and then pass the portfolio assessment
- Score 4 on the AP English Composition and Literature to receive credit for ENGL131, successfully complete ENGL 141 and then pass the portfolio assessment
- Score 5 on the AP English Composition and Literature and then pass the portfolio assessment.
4. Qualify for a waiver of composition course work through the International Baccalaureate higher level English exam and complete remaining requirement:
- Score 5 to receive credit for ENGL 131, successfully complete ENGL 141 and then pass the portfolio assessment
- Score 6 or 7 to receive credit for both ENGL 131 and 141 and then pass the portfolio assessment.
To take the writing portfolio assessment, contact the Writing Program in Columbine 1046, phone (719) 255-4038. Students who would like to take the CLEP English Composition Exam to earn credit for ENGL 131 should contact the testing office at (719) 255-3255.
Quantitative and Qualitative Reasoning Proficiency Requirement
Well-educated people should be able to think at a certain level of abstraction and to manipulate symbols. The quantitative and qualitative reasoning proficiency requirement has two principal objectives. The first is to provide students with the analytical tools used in core curriculum courses and in their major areas of study. The second is to help students acquire the reasoning skills necessary to assess adequately the problems that confront them in their daily lives.
Students completing this requirement should be able to do the following:
- construct a logical argument based on the rules of inference
- analyze and interpret numerical data
- obtain exact results when appropriate
- apply mathematical methods to solve problems in their university work and in their daily lives.
There are four ways in which students can fulfill this requirement, described as follows:
- Pass the UCCS Qualitative and Quantitative Reasoning Exam. This exam is offered by the testing office (719) 255-3255. A $20.00 test fee must be paid in advance. Credit hours are not awarded to those who meet the requirement by passing the proficiency examination.
- Successfully complete I D 105 Quantitative and Qualitative Reasoning Skills OR I D 200 Mathematics: A Human Endeavor OR MATH 120 Reasoning about Data.
- Successfully complete MATH 301 and MATH 302.
- Successfully complete College Algebra (MATH 104) or a mathematics course that has college algebra as a prerequisite, OR score a 20 or above on the Algebra Diagnostic Exam AND complete a course in statistics or a course in symbolic logic. Choose from the courses below.
Area Requirements: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences
Each prospective LAS graduate is expected to have completed 12 semester hours in each of three areas—humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The total requirement is 36 hours, and, with the exception of the core humanities course, can be satisfied entirely by lower division (freshman/ sophomore) courses.
Foreign Language Requirement
As of January 1, 1993, the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences no longer has a foreign language requirement. However, a variety of language classes will continue to be offered for students who wish to study a foreign language. Students contemplating graduate school should be aware that many graduate schools require proficiency in a foreign language.
Newly admitted freshmen are still required to have completed two units of foreign language at the high school level. Freshmen admitted who are deficient in this requirement may make up the deficiency as outlined in the beginning of the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences section of this Catalog. The foreign language placement examination will continue to be administered for those students wishing to determine their level of placement in a foreign language course. For information, contact the Language Technology Center on the second floor of Dwire Hall at (719) 255-3691.
Students are urged to continue language study in a timely manner, as proficiency declines rapidly without application of skills.
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