English & Modern Languages

Composition Program

Welcome to Cal Poly Pomona! The University is committed to preparing students to communicate effectively in whatever career path they might choose. Composition Program runs courses that fulfill two General Education areas:

  • GE A2: Written Communication
  • GE A3: Critical Thinking

GE A2 courses in Written Communication

We know that students bring into the university a diverse set of experiences with writing, so we offer two options:

  • a two-semester sequence of courses (ENG 1100: Stretch Composition I + ENG 1101: Stretch Composition II)
  • a one-semester course (ENG 1103: First-Year Composition)

Both options have the same learning outcomes and types of major assignments. The only difference is how much time students have to develop as readers and writers.

Both options also have sections designated for multilingual students: these are ENG 1100M, 1101M, and 1103M. Our multilingual sections are designed for students who grew up using English at school and another language at home, and they also support students who use English as a second or other language. These sections have the same kinds of readings and assignments as the monolingual sections; the major difference is that they are taught by faculty with a strong background in linguistics and language acquisition, in addition to rhetoric and writing.

For more information, see the Composition Courses page.

Placement

Students place into our GE A2 courses through the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) survey, which factors in students’ previous coursework, standardized test scores, CSU multiple measures placement category, linguistic background, and experiences with and attitudes about reading and writing in English. For more information about placement, see the Directed Self-Placement page.

GE A3 course in Critical Thinking

Students who want to continue developing as writers while completing the GE A3 requirement in Critical Thinking should take ENG 2105: Written Reasoning. This course in written reasoning builds on the rhetorical concepts taught in our GE A2 courses to analyze and build more complex claims and arguments, inquire into how culture and style shape persuasion, and undertake ambitious critical revision.