Placement in Writing Program Courses

ESL Placement Test

The Writing Program is committed to ensuring that all students receive appropriate instruction and support. Students who were required to submit proof of English-language proficiency as part of their applications for admission will be placed into WR097, WR098, or WR100 based on their performance on a placement test developed by the Writing Program. This test will be administered during Summer Orientation to incoming freshmen. It will also be administered during the registration period of each semester. We recognize that there may be some students who were not required to submit TOEFL scores but whose primary language is not English. Any such student may request a placement assessment from the Writing Program by emailing writing@bu.edu.

Students whose primary language is English will be placed into WR100. Some of these students may also be required to take WR096 or to attend individual tutoring sessions through the Writing Program’s Writing Center. Because WR100 and WR150 are a coherent sequence of courses, students will not be exempted from WR100, except in the case of transfer credit.

Transfer Credit Applications

Students requesting transfer credit for courses taken at other universities must submit the following materials in hardcopy to the Writing Program office or by email to writing@bu.edu:

1. A transfer credit form from the student's school or college at Boston University. Downloadable forms are available in PDF format for CAS, CFA, COM, and SMG students. Students in other schools should contact their undergraduate advising offices for forms and further instruction.
2. A catalog description of the course for which the student wishes to receive credit.
3. A syllabus of the course for which the student wishes to receive credit. This may be a sample syllabus provided by the department offering the external class.

Boston University policy dictates that students may not satisfy program requirements through the transfer of credit earned in the summer offerings of other institutions located within the Greater Boston area, unless

a) the credit involved is for a required course, not offered through Boston University Summer Term, OR
b) prior approval has been obtained from both the responsible department chair and dean of the requesting student.