UCCS First-Year Rhetoric and Writing Course Placement

This video explains options UCCS students have to fulfill their first writing requirement. The video explains ENGL 1310, ENGL 1308, and ENGL 1300 followed by ENGL 1305 course options. Email [e-mail] with any questions.
Video transcript:
Welcome to UCCS & the First-Year Rhetoric & Writing Program! I’m Director Dr. Ann Amicucci. We're excited that you’ve chosen UCCS, and we want to help you pick your first English course. No one knows better than you what you’re capable of as a writer and that’s why we want you to play a role in choosing your first writing requirement.
You’ll have three courses to choose from: English 1310, English 1308, and English 1300, which is followed by English 1305. All three courses will give you practice in critical reading abilities, analytical writing, and writing as a process.
And all of them will focus on rhetorical theory, so you’ll use concepts like ethos, logos, and pathos to analyze a variety of nonfiction texts ranging from classics like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Gloria Anzaldua’s “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” to more contemporary contributions like Zadie Smith’s “Generation Y.”
The major difference between these choices is the attendance each requires, and, consequently, the amount of instructor support that’s built into each course.
I’m going to explain your options, and then you’ll take a quick survey about your writing experiences and needs. That will help us make a recommendation for what course might be the best fit for you.
ENGL 1310
Your first choice is English 1310. This course is worth 3 credit hours, which means you’ll complete your first writing requirement in a single semester. You’ll be in a class of no more than 20 students, and you’ll meet twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes each time.
You’ll have weekly reading assignments, and you’ll also write essays of about five to six pages long, typically about once a month.
ENGL 1308
Your second choice is English 1308. This course is similar to English 1310, but it has additional support built in. It’s a 4-credit course, which does mean it’s more expensive than a 3-credit course.
In this course, you’ll also be in a group of no more than 20 students. You’ll meet twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes each, but then you’ll have an additional meeting once a week for 50 minutes with half your class. This additional meeting will give you extra time with your instructor to work on understanding ideas you learn in class and practicing your writing.
Just like English 1310, in this class you’ll have weekly reading assignments, and you’ll write essays of about five to six pages, typically once a month.
ENGL 1300 and 1305
Your third option is English 1300. This is a semester-long course, followed by another semester long-course, English 1305. Because this option takes two semesters to complete, you’ll pay for 6 credit hours.
With this option, your learning will be stretched out over two semesters. You’ll be in a small class, no more than 15 students, and in both semesters, your class will meet twice a week, for an hour and fifteen minutes each time. This option offers the most instructor support, and it also requires the most attendance of the three choices.
In English 1300, you’ll start with shorter reading assignments and essays that are typically shorter than five pages long. As you progress to and through English 1305, you’ll work your way up to longer readings and essays with longer page requirements.
Your next steps
Some students come to college with prior credit for English courses, such as from taking an advanced placement exam or from taking a previous college-level English course. If you think you might already have credit, you’ll want to check with your academic advisor. You can email [e-mail] or stop by the advising office in Main Hall, room 208.
If you’ve reached this point, congratulations! This concludes our overview of your options for your first writing requirement.
Your next step is to take the Writing Placement Survey. Even if you think you might have credit already, you should still take the survey. That way, if you end up needing a writing course, you’ll already have a recommendation. After you take the survey, you’ll receive an email from us with a placement recommendation. If you have questions about the course options or about the recommendation you receive, just email us at [e-mail] and we’ll be happy to help you.
Best of luck, and Go Mountain Lions!