University General Course Catalog 2025-2026 
    
    Dec 05, 2025  
University General Course Catalog 2025-2026

Core Objectives 1 & 3: Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information


Every student must complete ENG 102  or its equivalent.*  Most students take an additional prerequisite course such as ENG100I + ENG 100L, ENG 101, or ENG 113 before advancing to ENG 102. ** Consult the Core Writing website for additional information about the differences between these three classes 

Initial placement in Core Writing courses will be based on test scores (if available). If test scores are not available, the default placement is ENG 101.

Students have additional placement options if they do not have test scores or feel that their test scores are not an accurate measure of their ability. Consult the Core Writing web pages for more information on different placement options.

This table details how test scores are typically used to place students into Core Writing classes:

English Course Units ACT English ACT ELA SAT ERW AP Language and Composition AP Literature and Composition IB Higher Level English
ENG 100I  + ENG 100L   3 + 2 = 5 less than 18 less than 20 less than 480 N/A N/A N/A
ENG 101  or ENG 113   3 18-29 20 or higher 480-659 1 or 2 1 or 2 less than 4
ENG 102  or ENG 114   3 30 or higher 32 or higher 660 or higher 3 or higher* 3 or higher* 4 or higher*

Consult the Core Writing website for additional information about the difference between these three classes. 

* Students with an AP score of 4 or 5 on the Language and Composition exam may use their score to fulfill the CO1 and CO3 requirement. Students with an AP score of 4 or 5 on the Literature and Composition exam may take ENG 104  in lieu of ENG 102 to fulfill the CO1 and CO3 requirement. Students with an IB English Language A: Literature or English Language A: Language and Literature score of 5 or higher may take ENG 104  in lieu of ENG 102  to fulfill the CO1 and CO3 requirement. ENG 114  may fulfill the CO1 and CO3 requirement for students for whom English is a second or additional language.

** For degree programs that do not include any elective units, taking ENG 100I to satisfy the prerequisite for ENG 102 will increase the total units for the degree.

ENG 102 builds a foundation for both CO1 and CO3, and these Core Objectives are then developed in the major and integrated into the Capstone Integration & Synthesis course:

  • Core Objective 1: Effective Composition & Communications. Students will communicate effectively using writing, speaking, or multimedia for scholarly, professional, or creative purposes.
  • Core Objective 3: Critical Analysis & Use of Information. Students will be critical consumers of information, able to engage in systematic research processes, frame questions, read critically, and apply observational and experimental approaches to obtain information.

Core English and Math Completion Policy   

Information for Transfer Students   

Return to: Core Curriculum