1. How do I place into English 110/112 or English 120/122?

All incoming students should take the NDSU English Placement Survey, which will help you choose the first course you should take in the program. This is a survey, not an exam, and will only take 10-20 minutes of your time. After you take the survey, you will receive an email indicating your course options. Please speak with your advisor after completing the survey to make sure you are enrolled in the right course.

If you have ACT, SAT, or other standardized test scores, you may use these for placement, but we recommend the survey as the best measure of the right placement for you. Please contact your advisor or the Office of Registration & Records for more information. 

2. What happens to the ENGL 110 General Education requirement if I am placed directly into ENGL 120?

If you are placed directly into ENGL 120 and receive a “C” or better, you will receive placement credit (3.0 hours) for ENGL 110 and will not need to take ENGL 110. The placement credit for ENGL 110 will fulfill the General Education requirement for the course. Please refer to the NDSU Bulletin for more information about English placement.

3. I scored 4 or 5 on my AP English Literature and Composition Exam; why do I get credit for ENGL 110/112 and ENGL 220, Introduction to Literature, but not ENGL 120/122?

The English Literature and Composition AP Exam tests students' comprehension of literature. ENGL 120/122 is a writing and rhetoric course, not a literature course. A score of 3 on this AP exam grants credit for ENGL 220 only. A score of 4 or 5 on this AP Exam indicates ability in the writing skills covered in ENGL 110/112, in addition to literature.

4. If I take ENGL 120/122 my first semester and do not earn a C or higher, will I have to take ENGL 110/112?

In this situation, you should consult your advisor and/or the Director of First-Year Writing to decide on the option that makes the most sense to you:

• You may repeat English 120/122 immediately; if you earn a C or higher, you will receive credit for English 110/112.*
• OR you may take English 110/112 and then consider retaking English 120/122.**

* If you received a D or an F in ENGL 120/122 because you did not attend class, did not turn in work, or turned in work that does not reflect your best effort, you should probably repeat ENGL 120/122, attend class, turn in your work, and earn a higher grade.

** If you attended class regularly, turned in your best work, and still received a D or an F in English 120/122, you will likely benefit from taking English 110/112 in order to develop the skills you will need to be successful in your major and your 300-level writing class. You may repeat English 120/122 If you earn a C or higher the second time you take it.

5. I am taking ENGL 120/122 my first semester. May I take my 300-level writing class the second semester of my first year?

No. You must have full junior standing (at least 60 cumulative credits) to take your 300-level writing class, and you will benefit from having those two writing classes staggered over your university career, rather than taking them both in your first year at NDSU.

6. I am very good at English. Is it possible to skip and earn credits for ENGL 120/122?

The English Department recommends that all first-year students take ENGL 120/122. This course will introduce you to NDSU-specific research databases, will introduce you to a genre-based, rhetorical approach to writing (not commonly taught in high schools), will emphasize the integration of visual and verbal communication, and will introduce you to strategies for collaborative writing. That said, it is possible to challenge ENGL 120/122.

Do you have more questions? Here are the people to contact:

For questions about first-year writing, contact Dr. Lisa Arnold.

For questions about upper-division writing, contact Ben Melby.