To qualify for a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, a student must complete two Compass core writing requirements and demonstrate writing portfolio competency.
ESL or ELL Students
The First-Year Rhetoric and Writing Program advises ESL students to enroll in sections with faculty who are qualified for writing instruction for speakers whose first language is not English. Contact the First-Year Rhetoric and Writing Program Director, Ann Amicucci, at (719) 255-4040 or aamicucc@uccs.edu for ESL placement and enrollment consultations and advising.
Students may meet the Compass core writing requirements in the following ways:
1. Successfully complete ENGL 1300 + ENGL 1305 Stretch, ENGL 1308, or ENGL 1310 and then successfully complete ENGL 1410 or TCID 2080 or 2090 or INOV 2100 at UCCS and then demonstrate writing portfolio competency.
a. Any student admitted to the university is eligible to register for ENGL 1300 ENGL 1308, or ENGL 1310. Students are required to complete the Writing Placement Survey prior to registering in their first English course. Contact FYWPlace@uccs.edu with questions.
b. To be admitted to ENGL 1305 Stretch, students must complete ENGL 1300 Stretch with a C- or better.
c. To be admitted to ENGL 1410, TCID 2080 or 2090, or INOV 2100; students must meet one of the following requirements:
- Complete ENGL 1300 + 1305 Stretch, ENGL 1308, or ENGL 1310.
- Score 29+ on the English ACT.
- Score 700+ on the Reading+Writing SAT (taken after the SAT redesign of March 2016).
- Score 3 or above on the AP English Language & Composition or score 4 or above on the AP English Literature & Composition exam.
- Score a 4 or 5 on the IB English Literature HL Exam or score a 4 or higher on the IB English Language & Literature HL Exam or the IB English Language & Literature SL Exam.
- Successfully complete an approved equivalent to ENGL 1310 at an accredited college or university with a C- or better.
- Score a 50 on the CLEP College Composition exam or score 50 and receive a ‘pass’ on the essay portion of the CLEP College Composition Modular exam with essay. (Not an option for Engineering majors.)
c. To demonstrate writing competency after completing the Compass core writing requirements, students must pass the Writing Portfolio Assessment. For more information, email portfoli@uccs.edu.
The second Compass core writing course for each undergraduate program is listed below:
- : College of Letters, Arts & Sciences*, College of Education, School of Public Affairs, and Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences*
- : College of Business
- : College of Engineering & Applied Science
- : Bachelor of Innovation
*Most Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences students and all College of Letters, Arts & Sciences students except Technical Communication and Information Design majors take ENGL 1410. Students should check their degree plan or speak to an academic advisor for information about specific majors.
Students may transfer approved equivalents for required Compass core writing courses by successfully completing one or two semesters of writing at an accredited college or university with a C- or better. Transfer students must also demonstrate writing competency by passing the Writing Portfolio Assessment after completing their second Compass core writing course at UCCS or upon transfer of their complete core writing requirements from an accredited college or university.
The Writing Portfolio Assessment should be submitted online by registering for PORT 3000 and following the email prompts. Students who choose not to demonstrate competency by earning a ‘pass’ on their writing portfolio may alternately meet the competency requirement by successfully completing ENGL 3010 or TCID 3080 with a grade of C- or better.
2. Qualify for a waiver of writing coursework through the CEEB Advanced Placement Examination.
a. Score 3 or 4 on the AP English Language & Composition exam or score a 4 on the AP English Literature & Composition exam. A score of 3 earns credit in the state-wide Guaranteed Transfer system for CO1 (an ENGL 1310 equivalent), and a score of 4 earns credit for ENGL 1310. Next, successfully complete ENGL 1410, TCID 2080, TCID 2090, or INOV 2100 (depending on degree requirements), then either pass the Writing Portfolio Assessment or take ENGL 3010 or TCID 3080 and earn a C- or better.
b. Score 5 on the AP English Language & Composition exam to receive credit for both ENGL 1310 and 1410, and then either pass the Writing Portfolio Assessment or take ENGL 3010 or ENGL 3080 and earn a C- or better.
3. Qualify for a waiver of composition coursework through International Baccalaureate English exams.
a. Score 4 or 5 on the English Literature HL Exam, score a 4 or higher on the English Language & Literature HL Exam, or score a 4 or higher on the IB Language & Literature SL Exam to receive credit for ENGL 1310, successfully complete ENGL 1410, then pass the Writing Portfolio Assessment or take ENGL 3010 or TCID 3080 and earn a C- or better.
b. Score 6 or 7 on the English Literature HL Exam to waive the ENGL 1310 requirement and receive credit for ENGL 1410, then pass the Writing Portfolio Assessment or take ENGL 3010 or TCID 3080 and earn a C- or better.
CLEP College Composition Exams
Students who would like to earn CLEP credit for ENGL 1310 may take the College Compositionexam or the College Composition Modular exam with essay. Contact the First-Year Rhetoric and Writing Program Placement Coordinator at fywplace@uccs.edu for guidance. For the College Composition Modular exam, students will first be required to take both the essay portion and the multiple choice portion of the test at the PPCC Testing Center. Not an option for Engineering majors.
Writing Portfolio Assessment
For information and applications, email portfoli@uccs.edu. A $25.00 assessment fee will be billed to all students who submit a portfolio to demonstrate writing competency.
First-Year Rhetoric and Writing Course Fees
- Students are billed $10.00 per course to cover support for computer classrooms and laptop sections of ENGL 1300, 1305, 1308, 1310, and 1410.
- Students are billed $15.00 per course to cover support for programmatic assessment of these courses.
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