Foundations Writing for Transfer Students

Foundations Writing for Transfer Students

All new, incoming transfer students (regardless of previous coursework or examinations) must first complete the Foundations Writing Evaluation, available through your Next Steps Center. This online tool will determine whether your previous writing/English coursework fulfills the University Foundations Writing requirement, so long as your official transcripts have already been processed through the Office of the Registrar

Students with 40 or more transfer credits whose previous writing/English composition coursework does not satisfy the Foundations Writing requirement have two additional options to fulfill the requirement: 
  1. Enroll in ENGL 306T, or

  2. Submit a Transfer Portfolio 

Students who prefer to take our Foundations Writing sequence (ENGL 101/107+102/108 or ENGL 109H) to fulfill the requirement are still welcome to do so. We recommend that students work closely with their academic advisor to decide which option best suits them and their degree requirements. 

Option 1: English 306T

One requirement, one course

This intensive, 7.5-week course covers the major outcomes of our ENGL 101/107 and 102/108 courses while emphasizing students' unique backgrounds, professional interests, and academic disciplines. Students who enroll in the course are also eligible to complete the Transfer Portfolio, but elect to take the course as a means of receiving more direct instruction and support to help them through the portfolio compilation and reflection process.

Who should do it?

ENGL 306T is ideal for students who:

  • have non-academic experiences that have exposed them to different types of workplace or recreational writing;

  • have taken at least a few courses in their major discipline and want to know more about how writing and research are done in their discipline.

What is it?

The course is extended study in rhetorical knowledge to support writing development. Students will be expected to do more independent work, discovering, analyzing, and producing the kind of writing used in their unique academic disciplines or intended professions. Through both formal and informal writing activities, this course emphasizes awareness of how writing differs across academic and professional contexts with guided practice in shifting purpose, style, and register.

How do I start?

Complete the Foundations Writing Evaluation in order to select this option (you may select this option even if you are recommended something else!). Once you have submitted your FWE, you will be eligible to register for ENGL 306T.

Option 2: Transfer Portfolio

Earn a waiver for previous writing experiences

With this free, non-credit bearing option, students compile a portfolio of previous writing along with a reflection that explains how their writing demonstrates familiarity with the concepts stated in our Foundations Writing Student Learning Outcomes.

If you select this option, you will be enrolled in a D2L workshop that provides guidance for compiling a successful portfolio. Most students are able to compile and submit the portfolio within 4-6 weeks.

Who should do it?

If your previous course(s) do not satisfy the Foundations Writing requirement (either partially or fully), the requirement can be waived if you successfully complete the Transfer Portfolio. We typically recommend this option to students who have taken at least one English composition course but this course has not been approved to satisfy the Foundations Writing requirement.

What is it?

The Transfer Portfolio is:

  1. A collection of at least 4 writing "artifacts" that serves as evidence of your familiarity and experience with the concepts stated in the Foundations Writing Student Learning Outcomes.

  2. An accompanying Reflection Essay that discusses why you have included each artifact in the portfolio.

How do I start?

Complete the Foundations Writing Evaluation in order to select this option (you may select this option even if you are recommended something else!). Please read our Transfer Portfolio policies below. When you feel ready to work on your Transfer Portfolio, you'll email a Writing Placement administrator (see below for more details)

Foundations Writing Transfer Portfolio Policies

Time to completion

You have one semester (or two submission deadlines) from the date of your enrollment in the Transfer Portfolio D2L course to successfully complete the Transfer Portfolio. We have four submission deadlines each year: January 15th, March 15th, August 1st, and October 1st. Please email us when you are ready and committed to completing the Transfer Portfolio within one semester. If you do not have enough writing artifacts now, we recommend that you wait for a few months to collect more.

Submission

If you submit your Portfolio by the first submission deadline and you do not pass, we will give you feedback and you can submit your Portfolio for the next submission deadline. If you do not pass the second time, you will need to take a course to satisfy the Foundations Writing Requirement.

Extensions

If you do not submit a Transfer Portfolio by the end of one semester (two submission deadlines), you will be removed from the Transfer Portfolio workshop and need to take a course (or courses) to satisfy the Foundations Writing requirement. No extensions will be granted.

Enrollment

When you are ready to begin compiling your portfolio, email writingplacement@arizona.edu to request enrollment in the D2L workshop.