Nov 09, 2024  
2021 - 2022 Catalog 
    
2021 - 2022 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

English Composition Course Placement


The University of Mary is committed to ensuring its students develop into successful and capable writers, in order to prepare them not only for advanced academic writing in university courses, but for successful careers after the completion of their undergraduate degrees. To this end, the university offers a sequence of up to three composition courses to allow students to build their writing skills over time.

ENG 098 - Writing in Sentences and Paragraphs  

ENG 111 - Composition I  

ENG 121 - Composition II  

Incoming students are placed into the appropriate entry-level composition course based on their previous academic experience and ACT/SAT performance in the area of English composition and reading. Students must complete the sequence by working through these courses in order. The sequence is complete once the student has successfully completed ENG 121.

These are the guidelines the English program uses to place students into the appropriate English course in composition based on ACT English subscores and SAT EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) score. As a note, we have eliminated the typical “border cases” for placement in which we use high school GPA to help determine placement; be assured that the English faculty is committed to assessing student skills within the first week of class to see if a student needs to be moved.

Placement for Composition Courses - Using Standardized Test Scores (ACT/SAT)

ACT English* SAT EBRW Score Required Course
0-18 0-460 ENG 098 - Writing in Sentences and Paragraphs  
19-23 470-490 ENG 111 - Composition I  
24-36 500-800 ENG 121 - Composition II  

Note that the ACT English score is determined by averaging the ACT English score and the ACT Reading score (E+R/2)

Placement for Composition Courses - In the Absence of Standardized Test Scores (ACT/SAT)

High School GPA Required Course
2.97 or lower ENG 098 - Writing in Sentences and Paragraphs  
2.98-3.54 ENG 111 - Composition I  
3.55 or higher ENG 121 - Composition II  

Continuations:

  • A minimum grade of D or better is required in ENG 098  to advance to ENG 111  .
  • A minimum grade of D or better is required in ENG 111  to ENG 121 .

Course Notes:

  • ENG 098  is a remedial course. Credits for this course therefore do not fulfill the Liberal Arts Core or English composition requirements, but can be applied toward total credits earned toward the degree. A minimum grade of “D” or better is required in ENG 098 in order to advance to ENG 111.
  • ENG 111  can be applied toward Liberal Arts Core elective credits, but cannot be used to fill the composition requirement for the core. A minimum grade of D or better is required in ENG 111 to advance to ENG 121.

North Dakota Residents Completing
College Ready English and Math (CREAM) or College Lab for Math and English (CLEM)

CLEM OR CREAM Pearson English test score

Course Number

Course Name

Borderline Cases
 

<59%

ENG 098

Writing in Sentences and Paragraphs

A Pearson English test score of ≥59% and an A in the highest level of high school English completed-either Jr. or Sr. English.

60-69%

ENG  111

Composition I

A Pearson English test score of ≥69% and an A in the highest level of high school English completed-either Jr. or Sr. English.

70%+

ENG 121

Composition II

 

An official record of the student’s test score in CREAM/CLEM must be requested by the student and sent to University of Mary Admissions Office by the officiating school or the test vendor, Pearson, to receive consideration. Upon receipt, the Office of Admissions shall forward these results to the English department for a recommendation on course placement, which shall be added to the student’s file for registration purposes.

All relevant continuations and notes based on ACT/SAT scores apply to students who are placed in an English course based on their CREAM/CLEM results.