Composition Registration

About the Composition Requirement

English Composition courses teach students how to effectively express their ideas in writing through engaging with rhetorical choices, organization strategies, and the drafting process.  View the variety of Composition courses taught at UW by visiting the Writing @ UW Website.   Every UW student must complete Composition credits in order to graduate.  

It is recommended that students complete the Composition requirement during their first year to have the most time apply these skills across other courses. Many Composition classes have first-year registration priority to encourage early completion of the requirement.  

N.B.: AP and IB credit cannot apply to the Composition requirement.  

Composition Registration Tips

1) Plan Ahead

Composition courses cannot be overloaded, so when they’re full, they are closed.  Students can use Notify.UW to join waitlists.  

 

2) Check Class Standing Registration Restrictions

The English department applies class standing registration restrictions (ex: no seniors) to Composition courses to help students identify which classes are the most appropriate for them to take.  These class standings connect to the number of college quarters completed at UW and/or transferred to UW (0-3 First-Year, 4-6 Sophomore, 7-9 Junior, 10+ Senior).

On the other hand, the UW registration system bases class standing on the total amount of earned credits.  It cannot separate the credits earned through college quarters from those earned through AP/IB/Running Start programs.  Therefore, students with ample AP/IB/Running Start credit may be unable to self-register for certain Composition courses even though their quarter count matches the class standing listed.

If your quarters match the class standing, but AP/IB/Running Start is restricting you from self-registering, reach out to HAS for help with manual registration.  Learn how to use the time schedule to check registration restrictions here.  

 

3) Don't Rely on Add Codes

HAS does not have add codes for Composition classes. As mentioned above, our team can manually register students whose AP/IB/Running Start credits are restricting them from self-registering for courses, so long as there is space on their schedule.

Students interested in adding courses with other registration restrictions (ex: Honors students only, EOP students only, etc.) must reach out to advisers in those programs for registration assistance.  Learn how to use the time schedule to check registration restrictions here.  

 

4) Understand First-Year Interest Groups

First-Year interest groups (FIGs) are pre-set course bundles available in Autumn Quarter to incoming first-year students.  Students must register for all courses in the FIG bundle together in order to access any individual course.  As a result of this pre-set configuration, FIGs consist of sought-after courses that satisfy key general education requirements, such as 100-level Composition classes. 

Most 100-level Composition courses are part of a FIG cluster in Autumn Quarter.  Therefore:

  • Taking a FIG with a Composition course is the easiest way to complete the Composition requirement in your first quarter at UW.  
  • Students not eligible for or interested in FIGs should take higher-level courses or wait for a future quarter to complete the requirement.

In rare cases, students can register for a single FIG course without taking the entire cluster by using FIG extra seats.  These typically become available in late summer.  

Tips For Specific Student Groups

    • • Take a First-Year Interest Group (FIG) cluster that includes a Composition course during Autumn Quarter. 
    • • Generally, any Composition course at the 100-level should be available to you.  If you cannot self-register due to AP/IB/Running Start credit, reach out to HAS for more information. 
    • • Take a disciplinary Composition course that requires dual enrollment, like ENGL 197/198/199, allowing you to satisfy a general education requirement during the quarter in which you complete your Composition requirement without enrolling in a FIG.
    • • Take your Composition course during Winter, Spring, or Summer Quarter.  Since First-Year Interest groups are not available during these quarters, there will be less registration traffic for 100-level Composition courses.
    • • Focus on 200-level courses- especially in Autumn Quarter; most 100-level Composition courses will have registration restrictions due to FIGs.  Plus, you'll be able to register for 200-level courses in Autumn Quarter before incoming first-year students.
    • • Take your Composition course during Winter, Spring, or Summer Quarter.  Since First-Year Interest groups are not available during these quarters, there will be less registration traffic on 200-level courses. 
    • • If you still have general education requirements left, take a disciplinary Composition course that requires dual enrollment, like ENGL 296/297/298/299, which allow you to satisfy a general education requirement during the quarter in which you complete your Composition requirement. 

    • • Take 200-level or 300-level Composition courses.  Many 100-level Composition courses will have registration restrictions for first-year students or sophomores and may be too rudimentary considering your experience.  

    • • Take your Composition course during Winter, Spring, or Summer Quarter.  FIGs aren’t offered during these quarters, and there is more space in 200 and 300-level courses as a result.

    • • In a time crunch for graduation?  You may need to consider extending graduation or taking an approved composition course at a local community college and transferring it in.  

    • • Taking a First-Year Interest Group (FIG) cluster that includes a Composition course is the best way to ensure you complete the Composition requirement before the quarter in which major applications are due.  
    • • If you cannot or do not want to take a FIG in Autumn Quarter, take 200-level Composition courses or courses that require joint enrollment in other classes.  These will have the most space available. 
    • • Look for sections of Composition courses that are reserved for pre-majors on the time schedule. 
    • • Registration for Composition courses is less competitive in Winter, Spring, and Summer Quarters.  If your graduation timeline allows for it, consider applying to your major later to give yourself more time to complete this requirement.  Check in with advisers to ensure this fits with your plan. 
    • • Run an audit or talk to your adviser to see of any transfer courses have been pre-approved to apply to the Composition requirement by the Office of Admissions. 
    • • Students transferring from WA-state community colleges can use the transfer equivalency guide to see if their Composition course satisfies their requirement. 
    • • Students transferring from 4-year institutions or out-of-state community colleges should reach out to their UAA, OMA&D, or major adviser for help with Composition equivalencies. 
    • • Transfer students without this requirement satisfied can use the tips above based on their quarter standing. 

    Note: the English department requires transfer Composition credit to be taken at institutions located in the US, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, or New Zealand.  Courses taken in other countries will not apply to the Composition requirement, even if they were taught in English by a native speaker. 

    • • EOP offers the Composition courses ENGL 109 and 110, which are taken together to earn Composition credit.  These courses will also award you with DIV and W credit, as well.  Reach out to your assigned EOP adviser for help with registration.
    • • Specific sections of 100-level Composition courses other than ENGL 109 and 110 are often held for EOP students.  Check the time schedule for more information.