English Composition Requirement

Students must earn 6-7 credits of English Composition to fulfill the General Education Academic Foundations requirement. Three to four credits of either WRT 120 or WRT 123 are required as well as 3 credits of 200-level WRT coursework. These credits can be completed via transfer credit. Students must complete prerequisite coursework prior to enrollment into a 200-level WRT course.

WCU is piloting a student-guided self-placement survey to determine the appropriate course sequence for our English Composition requirement. More information about the self-placement survey (the WRITE Survey) can be found below under English Placement. In order to fulfill the requirement, students must complete one of the following course sequences or transfer in credits that fulfill the requirement:

Course sequence A: Supplemental Workshop—7 credits toward graduation, over two semesters

• Semester 1 - WRT 123 (4 credits of writing instruction focusing on discovery, composing, revision, and genre awareness in one semester. WRT 120 plus one credit of workshop "lab" and weekly supplemental peer-mentoring.)
• Semester 2 - WRT 200-level (3 credits of research writing instruction in one semester)

Course sequence B: Sequenced—6 credits toward graduation, over two semesters

• Semester 1 - WRT 120 (3 credits of writing instruction focusing on discovery, composing, revision, and genre awareness in one semester)
• Semester 2 - WRT 200-level (3 credits of research writing instruction in one semester)  

Course sequence D: Advanced—3 credits toward graduation, one semester

• Semester 1 - WRT 200-level (3 credits of research writing instruction in one semester)  
• The WCU WRITE survey may, in exceptional circumstances, place students into the Advanced sequence if their WRITE survey scores are particularly high and if they have a minimum GPA of 3.8 and a Reading/Writing SAT of 620 or ACT English score of 28.

Students should complete their WRT coursework within their first 60 credits at WCU.

English Placement*

The WRITE Survey

Placement in the appropriate first-year writing course is recommended by the WCU WRITE (Writing and Reading InTerest and Experience) advisory system, which all incoming students are required to take prior to the scheduling period for first-year students. The WRITE advisory survey asks students to report on their past interest and experience in school and specifically with reading and writing, combined with numeric data such as their high school GPA, English course grades and SAT or ACT scores.  After the survey is taken, the advisory system will direct students into the appropriate course sequence.

Taking the correct first-year writing courses can be a critical factor for a student's success at college.  The WRITE survey is designed to assist you in making the best decision about which of WCU’s starting courses in writing seems to be the best fit for you. The WRITE survey will integrate your answers with information we have on file to determine which course sequence is likely the best fit for you. It includes each student’s individual:

• Standardized test scores and high school GPA (in most cases, WCU has these on file for you and scores will be provided)

• Writing and reading history, both in and outside of school.

Students who do not take the WRITE survey will not be placed into any required First-Year Writing course or sequence until they complete the survey. 

Instructions on taking the WRITE survey can be found in the WCU Placement Portal on D2L. If students have questions about the WRITE survey they can e-mail the English Department at writesurvey@wcupa.edu.

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Pilot program for 2024-2025 catalog year