School of Arts and Sciences
Department of English

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. Arts and Science (A &S) students need to fulfill both Eng 1 and Eng 2 (or, alternatively, Eng 3 and Eng 4). Engineering students need to fulfill only Eng 1 (or, alternatively, Eng 3)

  • Yes. A score of 5 on the AP Literature and Composition and/or English Language and Composition Exam fulfills the entire writing requirement (i.e., students do not need to take Eng 1 and 2). A score of 4 only exempts you from Eng 1 (or, alternatively, Eng 3). For more details, please visit the requirements and equivalencies page.

  • Yes. British General Certificate A-Level scores and International Baccalaureate Higher Level and Subsidiary Level scores may also fulfill one or both parts of the requirement. See the Tufts Bulletin for more information.

  • Yes. Courses at other schools can fulfill one or both parts of the requirement if they meet the criteria for transferring credit outlined in the Tufts Bulletin and if they meet the expectations for a First-Year Writing course as set out above. Please note that not all “writing intensive” or “first year seminars” which fulfill a writing requirement at another school will necessarily fulfill the First-Year Writing requirement at Tufts. Online writing courses cannot be transferred as English 1, 2, 3, or 4 equivalents.

  • You must submit a transfer request through SIS. This should include an official course description which should specify the writing component of the class.

  • NO. English 2 alternative courses, such as Philosophy 2, may not be taken at another university for credit towards the writing requirement. All such courses must be taken at Tufts.

  • English 3 and 4 also fulfill the writing requirement. These courses are designed for students for whom English is an additional language. The Director of English 3 and 4 can advise on placement into English 3 and 4. Please note that these courses are equivalent to English 1 and 2 respectively and are not upper-level courses. English 3 and 4 are taken in place of English 1 and 2. Students seeking to fulfill the Writing Requirement should take either the English 1 and 2 sequence or (if English is an additional language for them) English 3 and 4. If you have fulfilled your writing requirement and wish to take additional writing courses please look at the other, more advanced courses currently offered by the English department.

  • YES. Either English 2 or English 4 will fulfill the second half of the writing requirement. The Director of English 3 and 4 can advise on placement into English 2 or 4.