Composition courses cannot be overloaded, so when they’re full, they are closed.  HAS does not offer add codes for Composition courses, including closed sections.  We recommend that students use Notify.UW to join waitlists.   

Affiliation groups like the Equal Opportunity Program (EOP), the Honors program, Student Athletics, or academic departments may reserve Composition courses for associated students.  If you are in an affiliate group that has spaces reserved in a Composition course, reach out to your advisers within that program for registration assistance.  HAS does not offer add codes for Composition courses, including sections that are reserved for specific student groups. 

Students may see Composition courses that have class-standing registration restrictions (ex: no seniors).  For these restrictions, class standing is determined by the number of college quarters a student has completed (0-3 First-Year, 4-6 Sophomore, 7-9 Junior, 10+ Senior), since their goal is to funnel students to appropriately-leveled Composition classes based on previous college experience. 

However, the UW registration system determines class standing on the total amount of earned credits on a student's transcript.  This includes extension credit taken in AP/IB/Running Start programs, even though they were not completed during a college quarter.  Therefore, students with significant extension credit may face issues registering for some Composition courses. 

If your quarters match the listed class standing, but extension credit is restricting you from self-registering, reach out to HAS to be manually registered.

First-Year interest groups (FIGs) are pre-set course bundles only offered in Autumn Quarter to incoming first-year students.  In order to register for a course in a FIG, students must register for the entire FIG cluster.  To balance out this pre-selected format, FIGs gives students access to courses popular for satisfying a range of key general education requirements.  For this reason, 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.  Learn how to register for a FIG here. 

• 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.   

• • 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.