Reading and Composition (R&C) Requirement

Before coming to Berkeley

You may satisfy both halves of the R&C requirement with one of the following scores or grades:

• Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition - 5
• International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English Language A credential examination - 5
• GCE (General Certificate of Education) "A" Level English Exam - Grade of A, B, or C

You may satisfy the first half of the requirement with one of the following scores:

• Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition - 4
• Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition - 4 or 5

You may satisfy this two-semester requirement as follows:

• letter grade of C- or higher in two designated Berkeley courses

• letter grade of C- or higher in equivalent courses completed in another accredited college. (If you receive transfer credit for the equivalent of one half, you must complete the second half of the requirement with one of Berkeley's "B" courses (or an equivalent at another institution).

• You must complete Entry Level Writing before enrolling in a course to fulfill the R&C requirement (College Writing 1A satisfies both Entry Level Writing and the first half of the R&C requirement).
• Try to enroll in R&C courses as soon as possible - they offer essential preparation for your other University courses, and they fill up fast. Students should normally enroll in "A" as a freshman and "B" as a sophomore.
• If a transfer course approved for the R&C requirement is offered only on a Passed/Not Passed basis, we will accept the grade of P.
• In general, a course used to fulfill the R&C requirement may not also be used to fulfill a College breadth requirement; however, there are a few exceptions.
• Waivers for half of the requirement may be granted under certain conditions.

To verify that you have fulfilled this requirement, contact the Office of Undergraduate Advising, 113 Campbell Hall (642-1483).

Guidelines for R&C Courses:

• You must complete a combination of the courses listed below with a grade of C- or higher.
• You may use first-half and second-half courses from different departments.
• Some of the courses fulfill other requirements besides R&C. By choosing courses wisely, you can realize more than one academic objective.

• College Writing R1A or N1A satisfies the Entry Level Writing Requirement and the first half of the R&C requirement.
• The following courses satisfy the first half ("A") and second half ("B") of the R&C requirement:

  African American R1A-R1B
  Asian American R2A-R2B
  Celtic Studies R1A-R1B (taught in English)
  Chicano R1AN (taught in English)
  College Writing R4A-R4B
  Comparative Literature R1A-R1B
  Comparative Literature H1A-H1B
  Comparative Literature R2A-R2B
  Comparative Literature R3A-R3B
  Comparative Literature N1A-N1B
  English R1A-R1B
  English N1A-N1B
  Film R1A-R1B
  French R1A-R1B (taught in English)
  Gender and Women's Studies R1A-R1B
  German R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  Italian R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  Native American R1A-R1B
  Near Eastern Studies R1A-R1B (taught in English)
  Near Eastern Studies R2A-R2B (taught in English)
  Rhetoric R1A-R1B
  Rhetoric N1A-N1B
  Scandinavian R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  Slavic R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  South and Southeast Asian R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  South Asian R5A-R5B (taught in English)
  Theater R1A-R1B

• Anthropology R5B satisfies the second half of the R&C requirement
• Gender and Women's Studies N1B satisfies the second half of the R&C requirement
• History R1 satisfies the second half of the R&C requirement
• History of Art R1B satisfies the second half of the R&C requirement
• L&S R44 (Western Civilization) satisfies either half of the R&C requirement, and also satisfies one of the following seven-course breadth requirements: arts and literature, historical studies, or social and behavioral sciences.
• The following writing-intensive courses satisfy the second half of the R&C requirement and also satisfy one breadth course in the field designated:
  • Linguistics R6 - must be taken concurrently or after one of the following: Linguistics 5, 11, 16, 21, 51, 52, 55, or 100: seven-course breadth requirement, social and behavioral sciences field
  • Slavic R37W: seven-course breadth requirement, arts and literature, international studies field, or social and behavioral sciences field
• English R50 (for prospective English majors only) satisfies the second half of the R&C requirement.

  Search for R&C courses.

• Juniors and Seniors - Qualified juniors and seniors may petition for a waiver of the second half of the R&C requirement. To seek a waiver, a student must:
  1. be at least a junior (60 or more units completed)
  2. have satisfied the first half of the requirement
  3. have an overall grade-point average of at least 3.3
  4. submit a written rationale for waiving the second half of the requirement along with two or more essays (with the instructor's comments and grade) written for upper division courses completed at Berkeley; at least 10 pages of written work must be submitted in support of the petition for a waiver.
     The essays are evaluated according to the highest standards of college writing. Students are advised that the grade given for a paper that was not written for a course primarily focused on instruction in composition is not a reliable indicator of the outcome of a request for a waiver.

If you meet the above criteria, you should submit a waiver petition along with your essays to the Office of Undergraduate Advising, 113 Campbell Hall.