This page is for transfer students who believe that their past coursework in a writing course satisfies the WC or WCd core learning goal requirements at Rutgers-New Brunswick.
Note that the Writing Program only handles Transfer Course Equivalency Requests for courses that were offered in an English Department, Writing Program, or an equivalent department at another university. Courses that have a writing component but are offered by other departments (Communications, History, etc.) should be evaluated by that department's Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Steps: Transfer Course Equivalency Process
Transfer equivalency requests will be reviewed once students complete all the following steps:
1. Meet with a transfer advisor / academic advising dean at their respective Rutgers school (SAS, RBS, etc.). These transfer advisors will evaluate a student's previous writing classes on a case-by-case basis and advise the student which writing requirements must be fulfilled at Rutgers.
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- When determining transfer equivalency, school transfer advisors can, among other options, award course equivalency credit or elective hours credit. Such a decision is made not just based on the course's content and how it fit into the previous institution's curriculum, but also according to established policies and precedents at Rutgers.
2. Understand that the Writing Program will review appeals but can only make non-binding recommendations to the appropriate school transfer / academic advising deans, as their decisions are final.
3. Read the information below on common transfer equivalency practices and protocols.
4. Submit materials by:
a. completing this Google form: Transfer Equivalency Review Request Form
b. uploading all supporting documents (syllabi, assignments, work completed, etc.) from the course(s) you wish to be evaluated to this Box folder (also found in the Google form).
5. Soon after completing Step 4, the Writing Program's Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies (Michael Monescalchi) will contact you with either follow-up questions or a decision. If you have any questions or concerns, please email
Policies: Transfer & Study Abroad Course Equivalency Requests
A. Policies Arranged By Student Population
In-state
The New Jersey Comprehensive State-Wide Transfer Agreement (found on njtransfer.org) states that students who transfer to Rutgers University after having earned an AA or AS from a two-year school in New Jersey are considered to have completed all three of their Core Curriculum requirements in Cognitive Skills and Processes: Writing and Communication (WC, WCr, WCd).
Out-of-state
Transfer students from out-of-state two-year schools typically (but not always) need to complete two composition courses to gain transfer equivalency for College Writing at Rutgers.
Students who have completed both composition requirements at Rutgers-Newark (50:989:101 & 102) or Rutgers-Camden (21:355:101 & 102) are considered to have completed the WC core learning goal requirement (College Writing) at Rutgers-New Brunswick.
The SAS Transfer Policies for the Core Curriculum dictate that students who are currently matriculated at Rutgers cannot complete their writing requirements at another university. Only past transfer coursework will be evaluated to satisfy the WC and WCd core learning goal requirements.
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- SAS Policy dictates that students cannot complete the WC or WCr core learning goal requirements while enrolled in a Study Abroad program.
- As a result, a 200-level Business Writing course at a Study Abroad institution will not cover one of our 200-level Business Writing courses in the Writing Program, as those courses satisfy only the WCr core requirement (which must be taken on campus).
- Students who aim to satisfy the WCd core learning goal during a Study Abroad semester should consult the SAS list of WCd courses and find one that resembles a course at the Study Abroad institution.
- The Writing Program will only evaluate courses that are offered by an English Department, Writing Program, or its equivalent at the Study Abroad institution. Study Abroad courses in Writing or English can be deemed equivalent to one of the Writing Program's WCd courses listed on this page.
- Courses that have writing assignments but that are offered in subjects other than English or Writing should be evaluated by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in that equivalent department/subject field at Rutgers. (History courses at a Study Abroad institution with a writing component should be evaluated by the Rutgers History Department, for instance.)
B. Policies Associated with Each Core Learning Goal Requirement
For courses in other subjects that also focus on writing, students must submit a Transfer / Study Abroad Course Equivalency Request to that department's undergraduate director.
All Rutgers students must complete this requirement via a College Writing course.
A composition course will be deemed equivalent to College Writing if students wrote at least 25 pages of essays across various genres, written in their previous school’s flagship composition course, which emphasizes writing as a process that incorporates revision. These essays are typically written in response to challenging readings. Student written work must demonstrate satisfactory attainment of critical thinking, reading, and writing skills.
What kinds of courses are NOT typically deemed equivalent to College Writing?
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- Introductory literature classes or first-year seminars that do not emphasize the teaching of writing as a process that incorporates revision.
- Accelerated, online composition courses that potentially fulfill a general education writing requirement at another university (SAS Policy).
- Introductory composition courses taken at universities outside the United States.
A transfer course will only be deemed equivalent to one of the Writing Program's WCd courses if that past course resembles one of our courses in name, nomenclature, type of assignments, pedagogical method, and rigor.
Note that 100-level classes taken at other schools are not accorded WCd equivalency, which by design is meant to reflect writing achievement in an upper-level undergraduate writing-intensive class.
SAS policy states that students must fulfill their WCr requirement at Rutgers. (The only students exempt from taking a WCr course are students who have received an AA or AS from a two-year NJ school.)