1 year of English- same as 2 courses?

[autodestruction]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I still need to fulfill my English/Writing requirements, and a lot of the schools I'm applying to want 1 year of English. My advisor told me I need to take 2 English courses over 2 semesters (1 course each semester), but isn't 1 year just saying I need 2 courses total?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

A year of English is two semesters. Two classes.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

My advisor told me I need to take 2 English courses over 2 semesters (1 course each semester), but isn't 1 year just saying I need 2 courses total?

Not sure what the difference is in your question.

Your adviser is telling you to take one English frosh comp course during one semester (probably 3 units/credits) and one English comp class during another semester. That would be.....two English Frosh Comp courses total.

What is your question?

 

[Catalystik]

a lot of the schools I'm applying to want 1 year of English. My advisor told me I need to take 2 English courses over 2 semesters (1 course each semester), but isn't 1 year just saying I need 2 courses total?

Some schools are on a trimester system and would need three courses of English to fulfill the requirement.

 

[Coltuna]

I still need to fulfill my English/Writing requirements, and a lot of the schools I'm applying to want 1 year of English. My advisor told me I need to take 2 English courses over 2 semesters (1 course each semester), but isn't 1 year just saying I need 2 courses total?

If you're asking if you need to take these consecutively in back to back semesters, I would say no.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Some schools are on a trimester system and would need three courses of English to fulfill the requirement.

True, which is why the language is "one year". However this student's adviser mentioned 2 courses over 2 semesters. Unless the adviser isn't aware of the difference between a school that is on a trimester system and one that's on a two semester system, the adviser is correct.

@autodestruction is your school on a traditional 2 semester system? One fall semester and one spring semester? (Not including summer sessions which are usually optional)

 

[Coltuna]

Ohhhhhhh you mean he's telling you 4 courses total? No you need 2 semesters of 1 english class each which equals 2 english classes TOTAL.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Ohhhhhhh you mean he's telling you 4 courses total? No you need 2 semesters of 1 english class each which equals 2 english classes TOTAL.

It doesn't look like the adviser is saying that:

My advisor told me I need to take 2 English courses over 2 semesters (1 course each semester),

Adviser is saying "1 course each semester."

 

[PreMedMissteps]

If you're asking if you need to take these consecutively in back to back semesters, I would say no.

Right...as long as the 2 courses are taken before matriculation to med school, they can be completed any time. You could even opt to take one course during one summer session, and then take the other course the following year's summer session. Just need to have the equivalent of one year's worth of English (Frosh Comp) courses. Same with one year of Bio, physics, etc....the semesters do not need to be back to back.

 

[Fluffyone]

Ya they are saying the same thing which is that you need 2 semesters or 1 year of English. 1 semester is considered half a year and 2 is a whole year.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Coltuna]

Okay, I apologize if I've only served to further confuse OP. 2 courses total. That means 2 semesters. Doesn't matter when you take them as long as it's before matriculation.

 

[DBC03]

Some places require you to be complete before application time (UNC comes to mind) and others before January 31 of matriculation year (Cornell comes to mind), so if you're applying to some place that wants "one year" before January, you could complete two one-semester classes in the Fall. Does that make sense? If you're on a trimester system, I guess you'd need three? If the school requires before matriculation, take two classes some time in Fall and/or Spring.

If you need them before applying, and you're in the middle of applying now, you're out of luck. I had to cross two schools of my list for that reason.

 

[autodestruction]

Sorry for the confusion! My advisor is saying that I need to take the English courses over 2 separate semesters (regular 2-semester system), instead of taking both English courses at once. From what you guys are saying, it sounds like it would be okay to take them in the same semester.

One more question- do you think writing courses would count for the English requirement? So the course begins with WRIT: instead of ENGL:

Thanks everyone!

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Sorry for the confusion! My advisor is saying that I need to take the English courses over 2 separate semesters (regular 2-semester system), instead of taking both English courses at once. From what you guys are saying, it sounds like it would be okay to take them in the same semester.

One more question- do you think writing courses would count for the English requirement? So the course begins with WRIT: instead of ENGL:

Thanks everyone!

Well, no. Typically the courses are Frosh Comp i and Frosh Comp II. You usually cannot take them both the same semester. One is the prereq for the other. And, med schools usually don't mean Lit classes for the one year English req't. They're talking about Frosh Comp I and II.

What two classes were you thinking of taking the same semester??

 

[autodestruction]

Well, no. Typically the courses are Frosh Comp i and Frosh Comp II. You usually cannot take them both the same semester. One is the prereq for the other. And, med schools usually don't mean Lit classes for the one year English req't. They're talking about Frosh Comp I and II.

What two classes were you thinking of taking the same semester??

I don't think my school has those courses.. We have one freshman English Interp. course, but I skipped it due to AP credit. The other freshman 'English' course equivalent might be Rhetoric, but that begins with RHET:. I was thinking about taking 2 courses from the English department- isn't that fairly common? Or should I be taking the English Interp. course even though I have credit for it?

 

[ciestar]

One year means two courses. You can do it however you'd like to, but seem to be taken in a sequence. Like i had freshman english comp and then a more "advanced" (read: specific, like business writing or humanities) for the second course.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I don't think my school has those courses.. We have one freshman English Interp. course, but I skipped it due to AP credit. The other freshman 'English' course equivalent might be Rhetoric, but that begins with RHET:. I was thinking about taking 2 courses from the English department- isn't that fairly common? Or should I be taking the English Interp. course even though I have credit for it?

Hmm... the English Interp course sounds like Frosh Comp if AP English Comp gave you credit for that.

I don't think you can just choose two courses from English, because some of those will be Lit classes...like American Lit, British Lit, etc.

Do you attend a Univ? Or an LAC?

 

[DBC03]

I've talked with quite a few schools about this and have found it's school specific. Some schools take AP credit, some will let me count one upper level English writing class with my Lit class that was writing intensive, some want two writing intensive classes and don't necessarily care if they are English classes, some want one English class and one writing intensive class that is NOT an English class, etc. etc. Your best bet is to call the school and see how you can fulfill the requirements. Every school I have talked with will accept my writing-intensive Lit class as an English requirement.

 

[autodestruction]

Hmm... the English Interp course sounds like Frosh Comp if AP English Comp gave you credit for that.

I don't think you can just choose two courses from English, because some of those will be Lit classes...like American Lit, British Lit, etc.

Do you attend a Univ? Or an LAC?

Yes, I think at least one would be a Lit class- it's in the name. The other includes 'Writing' in the name. I attend a university, and it doesn't seem to have any Eng. composition courses... I could take the English Interp course, but I feel like med school might want me to take a higher level course if I already got credit for that.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Yes, I think at least one would be a Lit class- it's in the name. The other includes 'Writing' in the name. I attend a university, and it doesn't seem to have any Eng. composition courses... I could take the English Interp course, but I feel like med school might want me to take a higher level course if I already got credit for that.

No. It's totally ok to retake a course that you got AP credit in...people do that all the time. Ok by med schools. However, you need to ask others if that's a very time consuming class. It often is. Do you have premed advisers? If so, which classes are they saying you should take?

Is that English Interp class 3 credits or 6?

 

[Coltuna]

Is it lit fam?

Edit: Sorry, I'm an idiot.

 

[autodestruction]

No. It's totally ok to retake a course that you got AP credit in...people do that all the time. Ok by med schools. However, you need to ask others if that's a very time consuming class. It often is. Do you have premed advisers? If so, which classes are they saying you should take?

Is that English Interp class 3 credits or 6?

Oh, okay! That gives me a lot more courses to choose from then. I think it would be less time consuming than the higher level English course I signed up for, since this one is mostly for freshmen. My advisor said that either should be fine, but I get the feeling that she hasn't really looked into it- I actually trust you guys more for this.

 

[DBC03]

Oh, okay! That gives me a lot more courses to choose from then. I think it would be less time consuming than the higher level English course I signed up for, since this one is mostly for freshmen. My advisor said that either should be fine, but I get the feeling that she hasn't really looked into it- I actually trust you guys more for this.

Just a note - I'm taking my English class this summer, entitled "Film and Culture." We watch a film each class and make a commentary on it online. Clearly, I'm suffering through the summer. 😉 I highly recommend finding something similar!

 

[autodestruction]

Just a note - I'm taking my English class this summer, entitled "Film and Culture." We watch a film each class and make a commentary on it online. Clearly, I'm suffering through the summer. 😉 I highly recommend finding something similar!

That sounds neat! So basically any English course fulfills the requirement? I noticed some schools asked for 'Writing', with some specifying 'Expository Writing', but my school doesn't offer many courses like that.

 

[DBC03]

That sounds neat! So basically any English course fulfills the requirement? I noticed some schools asked for 'Writing', with some specifying 'Expository Writing', but my school doesn't offer many courses like that.

Look at the course description in the course catalog to see if it says "writing intensive" or something of the like. I think most English classes will probably be writing intensive, but check just to be sure. Again, it will vary by school and it's difficult to look every single one up when you're not in the middle of the application season. I've really only had to cut one or two schools out so far because I didn't meet requirements, and it was never because of classes but because of time I've been out of school (nearly 15 years).

 

[PreMedMissteps]

That sounds neat! So basically any English course fulfills the requirement? I noticed some schools asked for 'Writing', with some specifying 'Expository Writing', but my school doesn't offer many courses like that.

Not usually.
The courses have to indicate that they're writing intensive.
How many credits were you given for your AP English exam? Can you check online?

 

[autodestruction]

Not usually.
The courses have to indicate that they're writing intensive.
How many credits were you given for your AP English exam? Can you check online?

I don't think any of the descriptions I've read have said that.. they will say that there is a writing portion, but not how large it is. I got 3 credits from AP, but I'll be taking 2 English courses regardless. Gosh, this is so confusing haha

Would any of you be willing to share which courses you took to fulfill this?

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Does your school have any General Education/Core Reqts? If so, look and see what they're recommending to satisfy the English req't, which is usually 2 courses for a school on semester system....not usually the courses that satisfy the Lit req't.

We don't know your school, but often there are categories/designations like:

Natural Science 8 credits, and you have to take 2 courses (bio? Chem? Physics?), maybe with a lab, to satisfy.


Look to see a recommended schedule for freshman...what 2 English classes are recommended?

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Are you applying this cycle?

 

[autodestruction]

Does your school have any General Education/Core Reqts? If so, look and see what they're recommending to satisfy the English req't, which is usually 2 courses for a school on semester system....not usually the courses that satisfy the Lit req't.

We don't know your school, but often there are categories/designations like:

Natural Science 8 credits, and you have to take 2 courses (bio? Chem? Physics?), maybe with a lab, to satisfy.


Look to see a recommended schedule for freshman...what 2 English classes are recommended?

We just have that English Interpretation requirement, and then Rhetoric- both of which I have checked off (AP for Interp., and actually took the Rhetoric). I'm thinking some schools might accept that rhetoric course, though it isn't in the English or Writing department. Nope, I'm planning to apply next cycle!

 

[DBC03]

We just have that English Interpretation requirement, and then Rhetoric- both of which I have checked off (AP for Interp., and actually took the Rhetoric). I'm thinking some schools might accept that rhetoric course, though it isn't in the English or Writing department. Nope, I'm planning to apply next cycle!

I honestly think the Rhetoric class may be good for most schools. Suck it up and take an additional English class for the second course. You may want to contact Cornell, Emory, Miami, USF, or Icahn to see if you would satisfy their requirements. I'm calling Columbia tomorrow, so I'll try to ask. I'm thinking of those off the top of my head because they had more specific requirements for the English credits. Especially USF. - it requires two semesters of English on a college campus, but doesn't care about Organic Chemistry (???). You can usually find what they'll accept from the FAQs portion of their webpages.

I'll try to add schools that I see as I go through my list (i'm going somewhat slowly and checking each off as I make sure I have fulfilled its requirements). I have two semesters of English Composition credit from AP, so I'm in a slightly different position.

 

[DBC03]

Ok, for example, this is what Columbia writes about English:

"What writing course can suffice the English requirement?

Courses designated 'writing-intensive' by the undergraduate institution will be accepted if they meet the following criteria:

1) at least 70% of the course grade is based on the student's essays (as opposed to exams or other forms of assessment)

2) students are required to hand in at least four essays as part of the course requirements

3) the course fulfills a writing requirement at the undergraduate institution"

 

[autodestruction]

I honestly think the Rhetoric class may be good for most schools. Suck it up and take an additional English class for the second course. You may want to contact Cornell, Emory, Miami, USF, or Icahn to see if you would satisfy their requirements. I'm calling Columbia tomorrow, so I'll try to ask. I'm thinking of those off the top of my head because they had more specific requirements for the English credits. Especially USF. - it requires two semesters of English on a college campus, but doesn't care about Organic Chemistry (???). You can usually find what they'll accept from the FAQs portion of their webpages.

I'll try to add schools that I see as I go through my list (i'm going somewhat slowly and checking each off as I make sure I have fulfilled its requirements). I have two semesters of English Composition credit from AP, so I'm in a slightly different position.

Yeah, I think that's the closest thing I have to a writing intensive course. I'm planning to take two more English courses just in case- a couple of the schools on my list don't take AP credit for English. Good tip- I didn't look at any of the FAQs and was just planning to call..

 

[autodestruction]

Ok, for example, this is what Columbia writes about English:

"What writing course can suffice the English requirement?

Courses designated 'writing-intensive' by the undergraduate institution will be accepted if they meet the following criteria:

1) at least 70% of the course grade is based on the student's essays (as opposed to exams or other forms of assessment)

2) students are required to hand in at least four essays as part of the course requirements

3) the course fulfills a writing requirement at the undergraduate institution"

Thanks for sharing this! Super helpful.

 

[DBC03]

Yeah, I think that's the closest thing I have to a writing intensive course. I'm planning to take two more English courses just in case- a couple of the schools on my list don't take AP credit for English. Good tip- I didn't look at any of the FAQs and was just planning to call..

You have to really dig to find the requirements for these! It's a pain, but I think you should satisfy everyone if you take two semesters of English!