University Requirements for Undergraduates

The University of California has two requirements that undergraduates must satisfy in order to graduate: (1) Entry-Level Writing or English as a Second Language and (2) American History and Institutions.

The University of California has established two requirements that all undergraduate students must satisfy in order to graduate: Entry-Level Writing or English as a Second Language (ESL), and American History and Institutions. It is each student’s responsibility to see that these requirements are fulfilled.

(1) Entry-Level Writing

Because proficiency in English composition is so important to successful performance in many courses, Entry-Level Writing is the only requirement for graduation that students must satisfy before entering UCLA or during their first year in residence. They may meet this requirement by

Scoring 3, 4, or 5 on one of the College Board Advanced Placement Tests in English OR

Scoring 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate High Level English A Examination OR scoring 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Standard Level English A Examination OR

Scoring 680 or better on the SAT II Subject Test in Writing OR

Presenting transfer credit for an acceptable college-level course in English composition (passed with a grade of C or better) at another institution OR

Passing the University of California Analytical Writing Placement Examination (all freshmen from California high schools should have taken the examination during the month of May before they enrolled; others take an examination at UCLA early in their first term)

If students do not meet the requirement in one of the ways described above, Academic Senate regulations require them to enroll in either English Composition A or 2 (determined by performance on the Analytical Writing Placement Examination) or 2I (determined by performance on both the Analytical Writing Placement Examination and English as a Second Language Placement Examination) as early as possible during their first year in residence. Each course must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C or better. Students receiving a final grade of C- or less must repeat the course during their next term in residence. Satisfaction of the Entry-Level Writing requirement is a requisite to English Composition 3 and all subsequent English courses.

Or (1) English as a Second Language

The English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) is required of all entering UCLA students whose native language is not English and who have not otherwise satisfied the English as a Second Language (ESL) requirement. Neither the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) nor any other English proficiency test can be submitted or accepted in lieu of the ESLPE. Undergraduate students may take the ESLPE once only. Unauthorized retakes of the examination result in an invalid examination score.

Nonnative-speaking first-year students who have taken the Analytical Writing Placement Examination are evaluated on the basis of their composition and informed if they need to take the ESLPE before the term in which they are to register. Failure to take the ESLPE results in a hold on student records. Results of the ESLPE and the Analytical Writing Placement Examination are reviewed to determine which track (Entry-Level Writing or ESL) is a more appropriate placement. Students placed in the Entry-Level Writing track may satisfy the Entry-Level Writing requirement by following the guidelines listed above. If students are placed in the ESL track, they must complete the requirement by taking the designated courses through the ESL track.

Nonnative-speaking transfer students who have completed the English Composition 3 and English 4W equivalent courses at their transfer institution may nonetheless be held for the UCLA ESL requirement at the discretion of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools. This includes but is not limited to all students who received a grade below B in either of these equivalent courses. Any transfer student held by UARS to the ESL requirement must take the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) before the term in which they are to register. Failure to sit for the ESLPE results in a hold on student records. Depending on the ESLPE results, students may be required to successfully complete one or more courses in the English as a Second Language series to satisfy the ESL requirement.

Results of the ESLPE are used to determine placement into the required sequence of ESL courses or exemption from the ESL requirement. In the case of a non-passing score on the examination, students are placed in one or more of the credit-bearing courses—English as a Second Language 33A, 33B, 33C, and 35. School of Theater, Film, and Television students enrolled in English as a Second Language 33A, 33B, 33C must take the courses for a letter grade. Students must begin taking courses during their first term in residence at UCLA and must complete the courses in sequence with grades of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable). All units are applied toward graduation but cannot be applied toward general education requirements. Certain ESL courses fulfill major requisite requirements and provide upper division elective units.

(2) American History and Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirement is based on the principle that a U.S. citizen attending an American university should understand the history and public institutions of the U.S. under the federal and state constitutions. Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the American History and Institutions requirement by one of the following methods:

Completing a year’s course in American history or American government, or a one-year combination of both, in high school with an average grade of B or better OR
Completing any one of the following UCLA courses with a grade of C or better, or a grade of Passed:
1. *Afro-American Studies M104A, M104B, M104C, M158A, M158B, M158C, M158E
2. *Asian American Studies M171D
3. *Chicana and Chicano Studies M159A, M159B, M183
4. *Economics 183
5. *English 80, 85, M104A, M104B, M104C, 115A, 170A, 170B, 171A, 171B, 172A, 172B, 173A, 173B, 173C, 174A, 174B, 174C
6. *Geography 136
7. *History 13A, 13B, 13C, 138A, 138B, 138C, 139A, 139B, 139C, 140A, 140B, 140C, 141A, 141B, 142A, 142B, 142C, 143A, 143B, 144A, 144B, M144C, 145A through 145D, 146A through 146D, 147A through M147D, 149A, 149B, M150A through M150E, M151A, M151B, M151C, 152, 153, 154, M155, 156
8. *Political Science 40, 114A, 114B, 140A, 140B, 140C, 142A, 143A, 143B, 145B, 145C, 146A
9. *Equivalent courses completed in UCLA Extension or at another college institution, and accepted by the Board of Admissions, may be used to fulfill the requirement OR
Presenting a satisfactory result of the requirement, by examination, as administered at another college or university within the state OR
Scoring 500 or better on the SAT II Subject Test in American History OR
Scoring 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Test in American History.

Candidates for an instructional credential, but not for a degree, must take one of the following courses: History 143A, 143B, Political Science 145B, or 145C.

Students attending the University on an F-1 or J-1 visa may petition for exemption from this requirement by showing proof of temporary residence in the U.S.

For more information on this requirement, contact the undergraduate History Department counselor in 6248 Bunche Hall. (310) 825-3720

Revised: Fri Aug 8, 2008
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University Requirements for Undergraduates

The University of California has two requirements that undergraduates must satisfy in order to graduate: (1) Entry-Level Writing or English as a Second Language and (2) American History and Institutions.

(1) Entry-Level Writing

Or (1) English as a Second Language

(2) American History and Institutions

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