Students: Please use this advising guide thoughtfully as you make your decision about which level WR course to take.
The Writing Program asks all incoming students with an English proficiency test score on record at BU to take our Multilingual Writer Placement, an interactive and reflective online course that reflects current research and theory in the fields of composition and TESOL; orients students to writing across BU; empowers students to register for the level of WR that is the best fit for them; and provides an introduction to the Writing Program in line with our values. You also need to take the placement if you are interested in taking CC 101 in Core.
WR 111 and WR 112 are vibrant, literacy-rich Hub classes that discuss and debate issues of interest to all multilingual students, offering Hub units while also increasing your English reading, writing, and speaking skills. These courses are also Pass/Fail, encouraging you to take risks and grow as a writer and student while not worrying about a negative effect on your GPA. We strongly encourage you to register for the level WR indicated by your placement.
Students who have already taken the Multilingual Writer Placement and are interested in registering for a level other than that of their placement should take the following steps:
- Discuss your situation with your BU academic advisor
- Carefully review the advising guide and the information on these pages, including our placement FAQ
- Request a Zoom placement conference to discuss your placement [note that conferences will be available for scheduling after May 15th]
- Address any remaining questions to Christina Michaud, Director of ELL Writing.
Special note for students interested in taking CC 101 in Core: Students who wish to take CC 101 must receive a placement of WR 120 or must successfully take and pass WR 112. Please do not register for CC 101 if you have received a placement of WR 111 or WR 112, as you will be dropped from the class. Refer to Core’s placement policies for additional information.
If students are registered for a class one or two levels BELOW that of their placement (for example, the placement indicates WR 120, but students are registered for WR 111 or WR 112), they may stay in the course if they desire additional support for multilingual writers and extra time to adjust to the demands of reading, writing, and speaking in English at BU, as well as the Hub units provided by WR 111 or WR 112.
If students are registered for a class one or two levels ABOVE that of their placement (for example, the placement indicates WR 111, but students are registered for WR 112 or WR 120), they should consider dropping their WR class and registering for the class that matches their placement, though ultimately the decision about which level to register for is up to them.
Students who receive a placement of WR 111, in particular, are strongly urged not to place themselves in WR 120 solely because they wish to take a class for which WR 120 is a pre- or co-requisite (such as some COM classes). When tracking student progress, we note that students with WR 111 placements may really benefit from the extra writing and oral communication practice that WR 111 provides. Please schedule a Zoom placement conference if this paragraph describes your situation.
Please note that WR 111, WR 112, and WR 120 are designed as a sequence of courses. If you begin the WR sequence in WR 111, we expect that you will continue through WR 112 and successfully complete both WR 111 and WR 112 before taking WR 120.
You may consult our Placement FAQ for additional information.