Alternatives to ENGL1105 & ENGL1106

Virginia Tech accepts several forms of credit as alternatives to enrolling in the regular semester-long ENGL1105 and ENGL1106 courses. Those forms of credit include College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, dual enrollment, and transfer equivalency from another accredited college or university. To learn more about these options and the required scores for ENGL1105 and/or ENGL1106 credit, please contact your academic advisor and/or visit http://vt.edu/admissions/transfer/transferable-credits.html.

One additional alternative to taking 1105 or 1106 is credit-by-exam (CBE). CBE is a Virginia Tech model for awarding academic credit by completing an exam. CBE for ENGL1105 and ENGL1106 is being piloted by the University Writing Program (UWP) in the 2022-2023 academic year. The exams will be offered once in the Fall 2022 semester, with the exam portal opening on Friday, October 14, and the exams being due no later than Friday, October 28. Provided that you meet the eligibility criteria listed below, CBE is a good choice for you if you already have substantial written projects to show as evidence of writing proficiency. Each exam involves assembling this writing and also writing an account of the ways the samples accord with the applicable course outcomes.

Eligibility, Terms, and Restrictions for ENGL1105 Credit-by-exam

If you have questions regarding your eligibility for credit-by-exam, please contact your academic advisor to review the list below. The following conditions determine who is eligible for ENGL1105 credit-by-exam at Virginia Tech:

  • Students may complete no more than 3 hours of credit by exam in the University Writing Program. This means credit-by-exam may be earned for ENGL1105 or ENGL1106 (not both). 
  • Students are eligible who completed  ENGL1106 at Virginia Tech but did not complete ENGL1105 (must be classified as a sophomore or higher).
  • Students are eligible who are in their junior or senior year who do not have credit for ENGL1105 or ENGL1106.
  • Credit by examination is not available to a student who has previously audited or enrolled in the course, or has previously attempted credit-by-examination in the course.
  • Credit established by examination may not be used to satisfy the in-residence requirements for graduation, and no grades or quality credits will be assigned.
  • Only currently enrolled undergraduate students are eligible for special examinations allowing university credit.

Next, review the checklist below to confirm that you understand the terms and restrictions applicable to credit by examination at Virginia Tech.

  • I have obtained a letter from the Director of the University Writing Program indicating that I have been approved to take credit-by-exam for ENGL1105.
  • I have paid the $30 fee at the Bursar’s Office and kept a copy of the receipt. 
  • I understand that qualified faculty affiliated with the University Writing Program will evaluate the exam and post results within two weeks of completion.  
  • Credit by exam for ENGL1105 involves assembling and submitting a portfolio of at least two (2) samples of writing completed in the past three years in addition to writing and submitting a reflective cover letter that accounts for how the writing samples accord with the course’s five outcomes.

Note: If you have not already completed substantial written projects to show for your proficiency with writing, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a better option for pursuing ENGL1105 equivalency credit. Learn more about CLEP at http://clep.collegeboard.org/.

Eligibility, Terms, and Restrictions for ENGL1106 Credit-by-exam

If you have questions regarding your eligibility for credit-by-exam, please contact your academic advisor to review the list below. The following conditions determine who is eligible for ENGL1105 credit-by-exam at Virginia Tech:

The following conditions determine who is eligible for ENGL1106 credit-by-exam at Virginia Tech:

  • Students may complete no more than 3 hours of credit by exam in the University Writing Program. This means credit-by-exam may be earned for ENGL1105 or ENGL1106 (not both). 
  • Students are eligible who completed ENGL1105 at Virginia Tech, but did not complete ENGL1106 (must be classified as a sophomore or higher).
  • Students are eligible who are in their junior or senior year who do not have credit for ENGL1105 or ENGL1106.
  • Credit by examination is not available to a student who has previously audited or enrolled in the course, or has previously attempted credit-by-examination in the course.
  • Credit established by examination may not be used to satisfy the in-residence requirements for graduation, and no grades or quality credits will be assigned.
  • Only currently enrolled undergraduate students are eligible for special examinations allowing university credit.

Next, review the checklist below to confirm that you understand the terms and restrictions applicable to credit by examination at Virginia Tech.

  • I have obtained a letter from the Director of the University Writing Program indicating that I have been approved to take credit-by-exam for ENGL1106.
  • I have paid the $30 fee at the Bursar’s Office and kept a copy of the receipt. 
  • I understand that qualified faculty affiliated with the University Writing Program will evaluate the exam and post results within two weeks of completion. 
  • I understand that credit-by-exam for ENGL1106 involves assembling and submitting a portfolio of at least two (2) samples of research-based academic writing completed in the past three years in addition to writing and submitting a reflective cover letter that accounts for how the writing samples accord with the course’s five outcomes.

If you have questions about credit by exam for ENGL1105 or ENGL1106, please contact the University Writing Program leadership team at writing@vt.edu.