All FYC courses share a set of of core goals, or learning outcomes, which are detailed below and are also reflected in the program grading rubric and electronic portfolio assignment (both of which are discussed in greater detail below).
English 1101 focuses on informational, analytical, and argumentative writing (the principal genres of academic discourse that students will encounter in many courses across the curriculum), and on research skills and critical thinking. While there are different varieties of English 1101 classes and instructors design their own syllabi, you can get a general sense of what an English 1101 course looks like by consulting the ENGL 1101 Sample Syllabi posted on the First-year Composition Program’s website, available online through the English Department Home Page at: http://web.english.uga.edu/newsite/fyc/syllabi/syllabi.html.
Students must either place into English 1101 or pass out of the Academic Enhancement Program.
In English 1101 students will learn to:
• write papers in and out of class using processes that include discovering ideas and evidence, organizing that material, and revising, editing, and polishing the finished paper;
• think critically so that they can recognize the difference between opinion and evidence and so that they can support an intelligent, challenging thesis;
• address papers to a range of audiences;
• understand the collaborative and social aspects of the writing process and demonstrate an ability to critique the writing of themselves and others;
• develop a sense of voice appropriate to the subject, the writer’s purpose, the context, and the reader’s expectations;
• understand how genres shape reading and writing and produce writing in several genres;
• follow the conventions of standard edited English and MLA documentation.
Students will write a minimum of three essays (1,000-1,500 words or longer) that count for at least 50% of the student’s final grade. In addition to writing papers and doing other work, all students will create a final electronic portfolio that counts approximately as one-third of their final grade. The ePortfolio is discussed at greater length below.
- Lunsford, ed. The St. Martin’s Handbook, 6th ed.
- Rosenwasser and Stephen, Writing Analytically, 5th ed.
- First-year Composition Guide (Fountainhead Press)
- Any standard college dictionary, such as:
- American Heritage Dictionary
- Random House College Dictionary
- Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
- Webster’s New World Dictionary
To enroll in English 1102, students must have either exempted English 1101 or passed it with a “D” or better. To graduate, however, students must have earned a grade of “C” in English 1101 and have a combined average grade of “C” in English 1101 and 1102/1102M. Students therefore are strongly advised not to enroll in English 1102/1102M until they have received a "C" in English 1101.
According to the University policy on plus-minus grading, a grade of “C-” will not satisfy the requirement for a “C” in ENGL 1101; a combined average of “C-“ or 1.7 in English 1101 and 1102 will not satisfy the requirement for a combined average of “C” in the two courses. For more information on plus-minus grading, see http://bulletin.uga.edu/bulletin/PlusMinusGradingFAQ.html. (FAQ #9 is particularly relevant to the requirements of First-year Composition.)
English 1102 shares many of the core goals, or learning outcomes, of English 1101, but the goals and assignments assume a higher level of competency; English 1102 also includes further goals specific to the course. The content also varies: while English 1101 focuses on different varieties of non-fiction writing, English 1102 focuses on informational, analytical, and argumentative writing through literary texts in various genres; as in English 1101 and English 1102M, research and critical thinking skills are also emphasized. While there are different varieties of English 1102 classes, and instructors design their own syllabi, you can get a general sense of what an English 1102 course looks like by consulting the ENGL 1102 Sample Syllabi posted on the First-year Composition Program’s website, available online through the English Department Home Page at: http://web.english.uga.edu/newsite/fyc/syllabi/syllabi.html.
In English 1102 students will learn to:
• extend the skills of writing, research, and critical thinking established in English 1101;
• read, appreciate, and interpret fiction, drama, and poetry and write analytically about them;
• understand literary principles and use basic terms important to critical writing and reading; and
• document essays using textual evidence.
Students will write a minimum of three essays (1,000-1,500 words or longer) that count for at least 50% of the student’s final grade. In addition to writing papers and doing other work, all students will create a final electronic portfolio that counts approximately as one-third of their final grade. The ePortfolio is discussed at greater length below.
- Lunsford, ed. The St. Martin’s Hand-book, 6th ed.
- Clifford and Schilb, eds. Making Literature Matter, Desmet, Hart and Miller, eds., Prentice Hall Literature Portfolio, or another approved text of the instructor’s choice
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- First-year Composition Guide (Fountainhead Press)
- Any standard college dictionary, such as:
- American Heritage Dictionary
- Random House College Dictionary
- Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
- Webster’s New World Dictionary
English 1102M focuses on developing effective critical writing and reading skills, using core texts that explore the multicultural dimensions of American literature and culture, with an emphasis on African American, Latino/a, Asian American, and/or Native American literary traditions. This course offers three hours of credit toward the First-year Composition requirement as well as the Franklin College Multicultural Literacy requirement. This course is both reading and writing intensive. While English 1102M instructors design their own syllabi, you can get a general sense of what an English 1102M course looks like by consulting the ENGL 1102M Sample Syllabi posted on the First-year Composition Program’s website, available online through the English Department Home Page at: http://web.english.uga.edu/newsite/fyc/syllabi/syllabi.html.
In English 1102M, students will learn to: extend the skills of informational, analytical, and argumentative writing, research, and critical thinking established in English 1101; read, appreciate, and interpret fiction, drama, poetry, film, and other genres; write analytically about them; situate literature in the historical and cultural context of production and reception; understand literary principles and use basic terms important to critical writing and reading; effectively use and accurately document textual evidence.
Students will write a minimum of three essays (1,000-1,500 words or longer) that count for at least 50% of the student’s final grade. In addition to writing papers and doing other work, all students will create a final electronic portfolio that counts approximately as one-third of their final grade. The ePortfolio is discussed at greater length below.
- Lunsford, ed. The St. Martin’s Handbook, 6th ed.
- An approved text of the instructor’s choice
- First-year Composition Guide (Fountainhead Press)
- Any standard college dictionary, such as:
- American Heritage Dictionary
- Random House College Dictionary
- Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
- Webster’s New World Dictionary
Honors students have the option of substituting for English 1102 either English 1050H (Composition and Literature) or English 1060H (Composition and Multicultural Literature). These courses have the same general goals as other First-year Composition courses at the University of Georgia, but each class is designed individually by the instructor, often around a special topic.
Special sections of English 1101 and 1102/1102M are reserved for students who have a native language other than American English and who can benefit from an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) emphasis in these classes. Students enroll only with the permission of the department (POD), but the classes are not marked differently on their transcripts. The ESOL sections, like the classes for native speakers, focus on writing academic argument in English 1101 and writing about literature in English 1102/1102M. In addition to offering three hours of credit toward the First-year Composition requirement, English 1102M will also fulfill a graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences for a course in multicultural studies.
First-year Composition classes for ESOL offer non-native speakers opportunities for vocabulary development, for grammar practice, and for orientation to American styles of writing and organization. Residents of the United States whose first language is not American English, as well as international students, may qualify for these classes. To determine your eligibility and to obtain a POD to register for the ESOL classes, contact the First-year Composition Program Office (706-542-2128).
Each semester, the Program offers several English 1101 and 1102/1102M sections taught via the Internet and the World Wide Web. First-year Composition Online has the same goals and requirements as other FYC classes at the University of Georgia: our version of the course has an additional advantage in that it asks students to communicate through writing frequently and in different contexts. Students who would be best served by these online sections include: those who have an interest in or experience with technology; those who have personal computers of their own; or those who are eager to explore and learn new things.
The First-year Composition Program is involved in a number of innovative programs on campus and offers several alternative versions of its core courses. Each of these courses has the same prerequisites, goals, and requirements as the more traditional versions.
• Special Topics:Experienced instructors may design a special topics version of FYC that is approved in advance by the First-year Composition Committee. These courses often focus on topics related to the instructor’s research or scholarly interests, and the sections are marked by a special note in OASIS.
• UGA Learning Communities: The FYC Program has played a major role in the development of UGA’s Learning Communities. As part of each Learning Community, students take a First-year Composition class that is linked to the theme of the LC and sometimes to the content of their other courses in the LC. A description of the UGA Learning Communities and a current list of LC’s being offered may be found online at: http://www.uga.edu/learningcommunities/.
• FYC in the Franklin Residential College: Each Fall semester the FYC Program offers one section of First-year Composition for the Franklin Residential Community. This special class is designed specifically for the community by the instructor. For more information on the FRC, see http://www.uga.edu/frc/.
• Reacting to the Past: The FYC Program has now begun to offer sections of composition that incorporate the innovative pedagogy of UGA’s Reacting to the Past curriculum. You can find out more about Reacting at the University of Georgia at: http://www.classics.uga.edu/courses/reacting/index.htm. We are delighted to be a part of this exciting program!
