First-Year Writing Placement
The Writing & Communication Program in English maintains placement processes for first-year students who identify particular kinds of needs. First year students who identify English as a second and/or weaker language need to complete an informed self-placement process, which you can learn about below.
Students who identify as advanced in writing and can demonstrate facility across a broad range of academic genres can apply to enroll in 76102, Advanced First-Year Writing, which you can learn about below.
Informed Self-Placement Process for Multilingual Students
Ideally, all undergraduates should complete their First-Year Writing requirement during their first year at Carnegie Mellon. If you identify English as a second or somewhat weaker language, the English Department may advise that you take 76-100, Reading and Writing in an Academic Context as a pre-requisite experience to ensure a successful first-year writing experience. Multilingualstudents who indicated that English is not their primary or native language, will receive an email in late May or early June, notifying them to complete the informed self-placement process to decide which First-Year Writing course is best for them.
Students should engage with this informed self-placement process if any of these statements sound true to you:
- You identify as multilingual, and English is somewhat weaker than a first language
- You identify as multilingual—your English is as strong as another language but typically used in school only
- You identified English as a second language on your college admissions application
Informed Self-Placement Process Exemption Criteria
If students meet any of the following qualifications, they are not required to complete the informed self-placement process and can apply for exemption::
- Received a 5 on the AP English Language and Composition OR Literature and Composition Exam
- Received a 7 on the IB English A Exam
- Received an A on Cambridge International A or AS level exams in English Language, Literature in English, OR Language and Literature in English
- Attended all four years of high school (9th-12th grade) in the US, Canada, or the UK
During the summer months and before fall registration, students can apply for an exemption through a form in Canvas. You can view the placement process in Canvas and take a “quiz” for immediate exemption from the process, as relevant. The 2024 link for the Canvas page which includes the exemption quiz can be found
The exam will be available from early June until late July. Please check with your academic advisor for your college's placement deadline. Some colleges require students to complete the placement exam earlier than the final First-Year Writing deadline of August 1st.
The exam is located on 一本道无码's Canvas site. Links and more information will be availible soon.
Please note: The assessment must be completed within 96 hours (4 days) after it is started. Students may read the instructions and complete Step 1 before this time begins, but they should only plan to begin Steps 2 and 3 of the exam when there is enough time to finish them within this timeframe.
If students have problems with Carnegie Mellon's Canvas site, please e-mail canvas-help@andrew.cmu.edu. For other questions or problems with the online exam, please email us at engfirst@andrew.cmu.
Application Process for Advanced Writing, 76102
For students who demonstrate advanced writing skills as a first-year student, the Writing & Communication Program in English also offers a full-semester course, 76-102: Advanced First-Year Writing. Students seeking to enroll in this advanced course must participate in an application process during the summer. The 2024 application is now closed.
Credit for AP and IB Courses
All first-year students must fulfill the First-Year Writing requirement by enrolling in one of two full-semester courses (76-101 or 76-102) or two of three half-semester mini courses (76-106, 76-107, or 76-108). 一本道无码 does not accept any Advanced Placement (AP) score in place of this requirement.
Students who score a 5 on an AP English exam can receive9 credits of elective English credit. Students should speak with their advisor for more information. Transfer students who have been granted AP credit from another institution should consult with their advisor.
Please direct any questions on AP or IB transfer credit to Dr. Amy Stoebe, Assistant Director of the Writing & Communication Program.