All students at Stetson University are required to take or earn credit for two courses from the first-year English sequence EH 111, 121, and 131. The skills developed in EH111 are prerequisite to EH121, and EH121 is prerequisite to EH131, so the courses need to be taken in order. Starting with the first semester at Stetson, students must be continuously enrolled in one of the first-year English courses until the requirement is met. Students may not drop a first-year English course without adding into a different section.
Most entering first-year students are adequately prepared to start the sequence at EH121, and should initially register to take EH121 during their first semester at Stetson. Students with extensive writing experience are encouraged to take the EH121 exemption exam, but they should register for EH121 until they have taken the exam and know the result.
The English Department uses entering test scores to identify students who are required to start the sequence with EH111. These students are required to take EH111 during their first semester at Stetson. The only students allowed to take EH111 are those placed in the course by the English Department.
Students with extensive writing experience are encouraged to take the EH121 exemption exam. The exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students should check with the English Department to find out the dates and times it is being offered.
The exemption exam has two parts. Students must earn 92% or above on the first part, consisting of grammatical comprehension and reading comprehension in order to take the second part, which is a written essay. Students must choose one of three standardized questions, then formulate and defend a position regarding that question. An essay must receive approval from at least two of the three evaluators to receive a passing score. Those who pass are awarded three credits and are exempted from EH121, which satisfies half of the first-year English requirement. They should register for EH131.
The English Department also offers an exemption exam for EH131. The exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students should check with the English Department to find out the dates and times it is being offered.
The exam consists of one critical/analytical essay. The student will read a given piece of literature and formulate an analysis or interpretation of it using the provided guidelines. Again, two of the three evaluators must approve the essay for a passing grade. Those who pass are awarded three credits and are exempted from EH131.
Students who take an English course at another institution or who participate in Dual Enrollment may be able to transfer credit to cover EH121 or EH131. It is not uncommon for transfer credit to be given for EH131, but this does not exempt the student from taking EH121. The student will still have to take EH121 or pass the EH121 exemption exam.
Students who take an English exam in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate Program (IB), or an Advanced Placement (AP) exam may score well enough to earn exemption credit for EH121 and/or EH131. If credit is earned for EH131 but not EH121, the student still needs to either take EH121 or pass the exemption exam for EH121. Contact the English Department for further details.
See the pages maintained by the English Department:
Revised: 02/22/06