Exemptions, Transfers, and Substitutions

WRIT 1120, Liberal Education Requirement Part I

(a) Writing and Information Literacy (WRIT 1120)

Any student will be exempted from WRIT 1120 at UMD through acceptance of transfer courses if one of the following criteria is met:

  1. The student has completed the first-year writing requirement at an accredited institution of higher education.
    Note: Colleges and Universities structure this requirement differently:  they may require one, two, or three courses, of anywhere from 3-5 credits each.  If the other institution requires two classes and the student completes only the first course in the sequence, the student may need to complete UMD’s WRIT 1120.
  2. The student has scored a 32 or above on the ACT English exam.
  3. The student has earned an Associate’s Degree from an accredited institution; (thereby the student is exempt from all of the Liberal Education Requirements at UMD).

Any student will be granted three credits for WRIT 1120 at UMD if one of the following criteria is met:

  1. The student has scored a 4 or higher on the Educational Testing Service Advanced Placement examinations in Language and Composition. Effective April 1, 2017, UMD will no longer grant credit for WRIT 1120 (for any score) for the examination in English: Literature and Composition.
  2. The student has scored a 63 or higher on the CLEP College Composition Exam. Effective May 12, 2023, UMD will no longer grant credit for WRIT 1120 for the CLEP College Composition Modular.

For more information, visit the webpage of the Admissions office.

Advanced Writing Requirement (Writ 31xx)

The Advanced Writing requirement is designed to serve upper-division students within their specific disciplinary communities, taking advantage of their specific expertise in their advanced status in their majors.  While Advanced Writing courses are not part of the Liberal Education Requirements, they are a requirement for graduation within most majors at UMD.

Any student will be exempted from the Advanced Writing (Writ 31xx) requirement at UMD through acceptance of transfer courses if one of the following criteria is met:

  1. The student has completed an upper division course* of at least three credits in business writing, professional writing, or writing in an academic discipline at an accredited institution of higher education.
  2. The student has completed the requirement for “writing across the curriculum,” “writing in the disciplines,” or “writing intensive courses” at an accredited institution of higher education where these courses
    1. Are at the upper-division* and in the disciplinary or professional community of the student, AND
    2. Provide opportunities to write for multiple audiences (e.g., professional, academic, and public.)

*An “upper-division course” typically requires at least sixty semester credits for enrollment.