Advising FAQs
Department of English Advising FAQs
TOPIC: ADVISING
Q: How do I access Department of English advising?
A: We offer in-person, messaging, phone, and Zoom advising. Details on our advising services can be found HERE.
To make the most out of your advising session, please review your degree audit beforehand and write down any questions or concerns you may have.
To access major/minor degree checksheets and other resources, visit our English Advising Box Folder.
Q: I have a question about my unit minimum or maximum; GE or Foundation requirements; IGETC; or study list petitions. Where should I go for help?
A: Please consult with your assigned central counseling unit: AAP, Athletics, College Academic Counseling, or Honors. To identify your central counseling unit, check the top portion of your degree audit.
Q: I have a question about another Department’s major, minor, or courses. Where should I go for help?
A: Please check in with the undergraduate advisor for the host Department. You can check the relevant Department’s website for contact information or refer to this database.
Q: I have a question about an English Composition (ENGCOMP) course, the Informed Placement Process (IPP,) or my Writing I requirement. Where should I go for help?
A: English Composition courses and writing placement exams are administered by UCLA Writing Programs, not by the Dept. of English. Visit wp.ucla.edu for more information.
TOPIC: MAJOR PREPARATION
Q: Can I take more than one major preparation course at a time?
A: No—major preparation courses must be taken one-at-a-time and in order.
Q: Can I take upper-division courses while I am working on my major prep?
A: Yes! English 100 to 119; English 125 and M126; English 130 to 139; English 165A; and English 170A – 179R may be taken by students who have completed English Composition 3 or, in some cases, English 4W. You may take these courses while working on your 10 series (English majors) or 11/87 (American Lit majors.)
TOPIC: UPPER-DIVISION REQUIREMENTS
Q: How do I identify which courses map on to which major/minor requirement?
A: Use the “Courses” tab of our website. Be sure to navigate to the appropriate major and the relevant quarter!
Q: I checked the Courses tab and took a class to fulfill a specific major requirement, but the course isn’t appearing correctly in my DAR. What do I do?
A: Contact our office via MyUCLA MessageCenter (Academic counseling unit: English) or drop by Kaplan 158/160. We can assist you with necessary degree audit adjustments.
Q: How do senior seminars work?
A: To learn about your options for fulfilling the senior seminar requirement for our majors, visit our Senior Seminars page.
TOPIC: FOREIGN LANGUAGE/LITERATURE REQUIREMENT
Q: I came to UCLA as a first-year or I came to UCLA as a transfer student without IGETC/UC Reciprocity. How does this requirement work?
A: Our majors must complete 5 quarters worth of coursework in foreign language/literature. The College of Letters & Science requires that all students complete Level 3 study of a foreign language. Your Level 3 College credit will also count towards your major. Once you have reached Level 3 via coursework, AP/IB credit, or placement exam, you may choose to study two additional quarters of foreign language OR two additional quarters of foreign literature that has been translated into English.
Q: I came to UCLA as a transfer student who completed IGETC/UC Reciprocity. How does this requirement work?
A: Our majors must complete 5 quarters worth of college-level coursework in foreign language/literature. You do not need to worry about the College Level 3 requirement, because it is covered by your IGETC/UC Reciprocity. This means you may take any combination of foreign language or foreign literature in translation to satisfy your major requirement.
Q: I took a foreign language in high school or I am a native or heritage speaker of a language. Can I earn credit towards the major’s foreign language requirement through placement exam?
A: Yes! Visit the website for the Department that hosts the matching language program at UCLA to learn about their placement exams. Please be sure to provide your placement results to our office!
If you took an AP/IB language exam, you should see the credit reflected in your degree audit.
If you speak a language that is not taught at UCLA, please contact our office to learn about exam options.
Q: I am looking for foreign literature in translation courses. How do I find them?
A: Please review the reference list posted to the UCLA Registrar’s website.
TOPIC: CREATIVE WRITING
Q: How do Creative Writing Workshops work?
A: Our Creative Writing Workshops (English 20W, 136A/B, 137A/B, and M138) enroll by application only. To read more about Creative Writing Workshops and how to apply, visit our Creative Writing FAQs page.
TOPIC: DECLARING THE MAJOR OR MINOR
Q: How do I declare an English or American Literature & Culture major?*
A: Students who have completed one quarter at UCLA in good academic standing may contact our office to update the listed major on their academic record.
Q: How do I declare the English minor?*
A: Students who have completed English 10C with a grade of C or better and who are in good academic standing may contact our office to declare the minor.
Q: How do I declare the Literature and the Environment minor?*
A: Students who have successfully completed Writing II with a C or better and who are in good academic standing may contact our office to declare the minor.
Q: How do I declare the Professional Writing minor?*
A: The Professional Writing minor requires an application process. Students who have successfully completed Writing II and who have completed one quarter at UCLA in good academic standing may apply here.
Applications are reviewed only once per quarter. The quarterly application deadlines are posted here. We encourage students to apply prior to their senior year whenever possible.
Q: How do I declare the Creative Writing minor?*
A: The Creative Writing minor requires an application process. Students who have successfully completed the lower-division requirements, as well as at least one 136A/B or 137A/B workshop, may be eligible to apply during specified application windows.
Interested students are encouraged to subscribe to our email listserv to receive the announcement of the application window and criteria each quarter.
Q: How do I declare a double major?
A: Students may petition for a double major with their central counseling unit once they meet the following requirements: all major preparation courses for both majors have been completed AND two upper-division courses for each major have been completed. To learn more about declaring a double major, click here.
*Note: Students who have earned 150 or more units must work with an advisor to ensure that they can complete the major or minor within time-to-degree expectations. Undergraduates in the College of Letters and Science are allowed to enroll through the Spring or Summer of their fourth-year if they entered UCLA as first-year direct entry students. Transfer students in the College are allowed to enroll through the Fall of their third year. Enrollment beyond time to degree is not guaranteed, and requests will be reviewed via the College’s petition process.
TOPIC: NON-MAJORS/NON-MINORS
Q: Why are some sections of English 4W restricted to Dept. of English majors and minors?
A: Our majors and minors must take English 4W as part of their major preparation, whereas other students may take any UCLA Writing II course. Each quarter we offer many open sections of English 4W, so non-majors may enroll in any non-restricted section.
Q: Can I take an upper-division English course if I’m not a Dept. of English major or minor?
A: Yes, as long as you meet the course requisites and space remains available. Upper-division courses are restricted to our majors/minors on first pass, and will open to non-majors/minors on second pass.