Writing Requirements Guide

If you received any of the test scores listed on the General Catalog you will not need to complete the CWP or ELPE. Please make sure to submit those scores to admissions. 

For California Community College courses please refer to the section below labeled Transferring Courses from California Community College: Use Assist.org.  

For courses from an out of state community college or a different 4 - year college, once the course is completed, please submit your transcript to Admissions. After submitting your transcript, if Admissions does not clear the GE Area you believe this course fulfills please email wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu. 

Please note: There is no possibility of petitioning UCSB courses that do not appear on the lists for GE credit. For General Subject Area requirements (A-G), only courses that appear on the lists of approved courses can satisfy those requirements at UCSB.

What is Assist.org? 

Assist.org is the official course transfer and articulation system for California colleges and universities. 

How to Use Assist.org? 

1. Log in to Assist
2. Use this box 
   • Type in the name of the California community college, CSU, or UC (other then UCSB) under Institution 
   • Type in University of California, Santa Barbara under Agreements with Other Institutions
   • Click View Agreements 
3. Click View Agreement by General Education / Breadth
4. Select which of the three options applies best: All General Education, College of Engineering General Education Requirements, or College of Letters and Science General Education Requirements. 
5. Scroll down to General Education Courses Section and refer to Area A1 and Area A2. 

If you are a prospective student...

The Writing Department is only able to do Area A evaluations for current students. We recommend reaching out to the Admissions Office. They do the preliminary evaluation of incoming units to see if the units will be accepted. You can find their contact information here: https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/contact-us

If you are a UCSB student currently enrolled in the course you would like evaluated...

If you are currently enrolled in a California Community College course please refer to the section above labeled Transferring Courses from California Community College: Use Assist.org.  

For courses from an out of state community college or a different 4 - year college, once the course is completed, please submit your transcript to Admissions. After submitting your transcript, if Admissions does not clear the GE Area you believe this course fulfills please email wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu. Please note: There is no possibility of petitioning UCSB courses that do not appear on the lists for GE credit. For General Subject Area requirements (A-G), only courses that appear on the lists of approved courses can satisfy those requirements at UCSB.

If you are a UCSB student and you would like a course evaluated to see if you can take it in the future...

If you would like to attend a California Community College course to fulfill the GE Area A-1 or A-2 requirement, please refer to the section above Transferring Courses from California Colleges and Universities: Use Assist.org

For courses from an out of state community college or a different 4 - year college please email wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu

If you are an EOP student...

For courses taken outside of UCSB in fulfillment of the A-1 or A-2 requirement through a study abroad experiences through EAP or international universities please email wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu

1. Log in to your Gold Account
2. Click on Progress and select Major and GE Progress Checks from drop down menu
3. Mark box for "Use in-progress courses on my major progress check." (Please keep in mind by checking this box you acknowledge your understanding that a 'work-in-progress' major progress check includes courses that have not yet received final grades. In order to receive credit you will need to complete this course.) 
4. Click "Run This Progress Check"
5. Scroll down to see the results. 
   1. First click the plus next to "University Requirement - Entry Level Writing" to expand this section. If it is complete, there should be a green check mark and by expending the section, you will see how it was fulfilled or if there is no green check mark, it will explain how to fulfill the requirement. 
   2. Second click the plus next to either " General Education Requirements" or "Area A - General Education - English Reading & Composition" depending on your major.  If it is complete, there should be a green check mark and by expending the section, you will see how it was fulfilled or if there is no green check mark, it will explain how to fulfill the requirement. 

If the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) has not been satisfied....

...domestic students and international students whose first language is English are required to take the Collaborative Writing Placement (CWP)

...international students whose first language is not English are required to take the Entry Level Placement in English (ELPE).

If you think you need to take the ELPE please visit: https://www.ems.ucsb.edu/undergrad/faq

If you are not sure whether or not you have satisfied ELWR, contact your college (College of Creative Studies, College of Engineering, or College of Letters and Science) advising office.

1. Take the CWP (Collaborative Writing Placement)

   • please visit: Writing Placement (CWP)

2. Meet ELWR (Entry Level Writing Requirement)

   • After receiving placement enroll in Writ 1 or if test out move on to the next step.

3. Meet GE Area A-1 

   • enroll in Writ 2

4. Meet GE Area A-2 

   • After completing Writ 2 enroll in an upper division writing course. 

   • For the College of Letters and Science GE Area A-2 any of the Writing 105AA-ZZ, Writing, 107AA-ZZ, or Writing 109AA-ZZ classes meet GE Area A-2. Students will need upper division standing or permission from the instructor to enroll. To view these courses visit the Upper Division and Specialized Courses Website. You can also meet this requirement with Writ 50 or Engl 10.

1. Take the CWP (Collaborative Writing Placement)

   • please visit: Writing Placement (CWP)

2. Meet ELWR (Entry Level Writing Requirement)

   • After receiving placement enroll in Writ 1 or if test out move on to the next step.

3. Meet GE Area A-1 

   • enroll in Writ 2

4. Meet GE Area A-2 

   • After completing Writ 2 enroll in an upper division writing course. 

   • For more information from the College of Engineering, visit the College of Engineering Undergraduate Requirements Website and scroll down to the College Requirements (General Education) General Subject Areas section. Students will need upper division standing or permission from the instructor to enroll. Writ 50 or Writ 50E also meet this requirement. (for 50E you would need to email me and wait until pass 3)

1. Take the ELPE (English Language Placement Evaluation)

   • please visit: https://www.ems.ucsb.edu/undergrad/faq

2. Meet ELWR (Entry Level Writing Requirement)

   • Finish the EMS Series Based on Placement 
     Ling 3A ->LING 3B ->LING 3C-> LING 12

3. Meet GE Area A-1 

   • enroll in Writ 2

4. Meet GE Area A-2 

   • After completing Writ 2 enroll in an upper division writing course. 

   • For the College of Letters and Science GE Area A-2 any of the Writing 105AA-ZZ, Writing, 107AA-ZZ, or Writing 109AA-ZZ classes meet GE Area A-2. Students will need upper division standing or permission from the instructor to enroll. To view these courses visit the Upper Division and Specialized Courses Website. You can also meet this requirement with Writ 50 or Engl 10.

1. Take the ELPE (English Language Placement Evaluation)

   • please visit: https://www.ems.ucsb.edu/undergrad/faq

2. Meet ELWR (Entry Level Writing Requirement)

   • Finish the EMS Series Based on Placement 
     Ling 3A ->LING 3B ->LING 3C-> LING 12

3. Meet GE Area A-1 

   • enroll in Writ 2

4. Meet GE Area A-2 

   • After completing Writ 2 enroll in an upper division writing course. 

   • For more information from the College of Engineering, visit the College of Engineering Undergraduate Requirements Website and scroll down to the College Requirements (General Education) General Subject Areas section. Students will need upper division standing or permission from the instructor to enroll. Writ 50 or Writ 50E also meet this requirement. (for 50E you would need to email me and wait until pass 3)

Enrolled students should attend class on the first day in order to remain enrolled in the class. If a serious emergency prevents you from attending the first class, make every effort to alert the instructor before the first class day. Since there are extreme pressures on enrollment in all writing courses, instructors may assume that students who fail to attend the first class are no longer interested in enrollment, and no-shows may be dropped from the class.

If on the Waitlist...

If you are still on the waitlist for a course on the day instruction begins, please email the instructor if the course is online before the first meeting or attend the first in-person meeting and speak with the instructor after class. Writing Program instructors do not receive add codes until the first day of the term. In no cases will instructors be able to e-mail students add codes before the beginning of instruction. Students are added to courses based on space and instructor discretion.

If not on the Waitlist...

Writing Program policy requires that students who do NOT enroll in a particular Writing Program course through GOLD attend the first day of class to sign up on a waiting list provided in class by the instructor (please email the instructor before the class begins if the course is online) The instructor-generated lists are checked for prerequisites and class standing. Please note that enrolling in one section does not improve the odds of crashing another section with the same instructor.

Writing Program instructors do not receive add codes until the first day of the term. In no cases will instructors be able to e-mail students add codes before the beginning of instruction. Students are added to courses based on space and instructor discretion.

 In order to enroll in an upper division course while having a lower class level, the instructor would need to give you permission to enroll in their course. I recommend emailing them and letting them know the situation.

If it is an upper division course (Courses numbered 100 to 199), 

Go to the registration tab in Gold and check your class level. If it is says freshman or sophomore class level you have not met the required units to have upper division standing. Upper division standing is required for the Upper Division Writing Courses.

If you are a transfer student,

you may be blocked because a course equivalent to Writing 2 needs to be manually cleared. If the Writing Program block is not removed after the quarter begins, or if a student receives a Writing Program block three quarters in a row, it will become a more serious block from the College of Letters and Science. Email the Writing Program at wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu to have the block removed.

If your progress checks shows you met the requirements but Gold will not let you register,

Please email wpinfo@writing.ucsb.edu. 

Writing Program classes are impacted. If you are not able to enroll on GOLD, you are welcome to crash courses on the first day of class. In order to increase your chance of getting into a Writing Program class, crash any and all sections that will fit in your schedule. Writing Program courses cannot be over enrolled so students should not count on successfully crashing. Writing Program instructors have add codes they can give at their discretion if space becomes available after the first day of class, but the Writing Program office does not distribute add codes.

No, students cannot take Writing Program classes P/NP.