Writing Course Placement Information for FSSP Participants

Step 1: Complete the General University Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR)

Students must fulfill the ELWR before enrolling in any courses that fulfill the Area A requirement of the General Education Program. 

Ways to Fulfill ELWR before enrolling at UCSB

• AP Exams: Score a 3+ on AP English Language, AP English Literature, AP Research, or AP Seminar

• ACT: Score 30+ on combined English Language Arts (ELA) Exam, or 63 or better on ACT English + Reading

• SAT: Score 680+ on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) 

• IB Exams: Score 5+ on HL English A or 6+ on SL English A1

• Transfer Credit: Receiving a C or higher in an English composition course that satisfies GE Area A-1

• Placement Exams:

  • Place into Writing 2 via the UCSB Collaborative Writing Placement (CWP).

    • The Collaborative Writing Placement (CWP) will be offered twice during Summer Orientation and once a quarter. More information can be reviewed here.

  • Pass the Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE). 

    • UCSB will only accept AWPE results from students transferring from another UC campus.

International Students: Before you take your first writing courses at UCSB, you must either satisfy ELWR via qualifying test scores and grades or take the Entry Level Placement in English (ELPE).

Step 2: Understand the Multipart Area A Requirement

Students can begin taking Area A courses once ELWR is satisfied. The Area A Requirement consists of two parts: Area A1 and A2. Students must complete A1 then A2.

This requirement may be fulfilled in one of three ways:

• By credit received from Advancement Placement Exams or International Baccalaureate Exams. See the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and A Level Credit charts to check if you’ve earned credit for Area A1 or A2 through a test score.

• By credit from appropriate courses transferred from another institution— contact a FSSP advisor at fssp@summer.ucsb.edu for more details.

• Fulfill Area A by successfully completing two approved UCSB courses:

  • Courses that fulfill Area A1: Writing 2, 2E, 2LK

  • Courses that fulfill Area A2: English 10, 10AC, 10EM, 10LC; Writing 50, 50E, 105 AA-ZZ, 107AA-ZZ, 109AA-ZZ.

Only Writing 50, 50E, 105CD, 105CW, 105M, 105PD, 105PS, 105S, 105SW, 107B, 107EP, 107G, 107J, 107L, 107M, 107T, 107WC, 109ED, 109ES, 109HP, or 109ST will apply for the College of Engineering.

Step 3: Select Your FSSP Writing Course

Writing 2 - Academic Writing

• Satisfies the Area A1 Requirement

• Available to FSSP students who have fulfilled the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement

English 10 - Introduction to Literary Study

• Satisfies the Area A2 Requirement

• This course is equivalent to Writing 50 for L&S students. Given that Writing 2 is a prerequisite for this course, English 10 will only be available to L&S FSSP students who have received a score of 4 on the AP English Language or English Composition exam. English 10 can be selected under “Writing” on the course preference form.