New English course caters exclusively to transfer students

The original version of this article contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.

A new class was added to the course catalog this quarter for about half of the students in the English major – transfer students.

The class, English 110T “Writing in the English Major,” is aimed at teaching skills for critical reading and writing in upper-division English classes, said Karen Cunningham, faculty coordinator and teacher of the course.

The course is capped at 20 students and open only to transfer students within the English major. Eight transfer students are currently enrolled in the new class.

Cunningham, who created English 110T, said she was motivated to develop the course after transfer students in her classes approached her over the last few years and said they were receiving lower grades than they expected in their English classes.

Those students said that the grades they received in their UCLA English classes did not correspond to the high grades they generally got at their community colleges.

While some UCLA English classes are geared toward first- and second-year students, like English 4W and the English 10 series, the English department lacked upper division courses that specifically targeted writing and critical analysis skills, Cunningham said.

James Brazil, a third-year English transfer student, said he is taking English 110T to familiarize himself with what UCLA expects.

Brazil, who attended College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., said that in the multiple English classes he took, he obtained top scores on several papers. But he said he didn’t know if he received high scores because of the grading standards at College of the Canyons or the content of his papers.

“There’s this fear that community colleges have really low expectations of students, and coming to UCLA, I didn’t know how that transition would play out,” Brazil said. “So in case I wasn’t actually prepared, I wanted to refresh all my skills and be confident with them for the rest of my experience here.”

Cunningham said the course is advertised at transfer student orientations, and that UCLA requires students to enroll in the course directly through the undergraduate counselor of the English department, which, she said, could be reasons why just eight students enrolled in the class.

Lauren Ram, a third-year English student who transfered from Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., said she already felt prepared for her UCLA classes.

“I needed help when I was at (Saddleback). I don’t need help while I’m here,” Ram said.

For now, Cunningham said she hopes to see course enrollment increase. She added that the English department is discussing the possibility of opening the class to non-transfer students within the English major.

Correction: English 110T can satisfy one of two elective courses required by the English major.