English Composition 1 for Credit: AP, CLEP or a Course

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ENG 1013 creditsNCCRS recommended

English Composition 1 for credit: AP, CLEP or a course

Yes: English Composition 1 can be earned online, by a CLEP exam or by a self-paced course with a credit recommendation, and AP English Language is a third route for high school students. College Board recommends 3 semester hours for CLEP College Composition Modular and 6 for College Composition, which adds two essays; each college sets its own policy. UPI Study's English Composition 1 (ENG 101) is self-paced and online, with an NCCRS recommendation for 3 semester hours in English Composition or College Composition.

$97 an exam

CLEP College Composition

Two versions: Modular, all multiple choice, and College Composition, which adds two essays.

From College Board

In high school

AP English Language

Reading nonfiction as a writer and writing evidence-based arguments. Exams are in May.

From College Board

CLEP options
Modular or with essays
A DSST Comp 1 exam?
No exam by that name
UPI Study credit
3 semester hours (NCCRS)

What you learn

ENG 101 from its syllabus; CLEP's areas from College Board, the same for both versions.

What ENG 101 covers

  • Rhetoric and critical reading
  • The literacy narrative essay
  • Rhetorical analysis
  • The argumentative essay
  • Research and MLA/APA citation
  • The research paper
  • A final portfolio

What CLEP College Composition tests

  • Standard Written English (10%)
  • Revision skills (40%)
  • Using source materials (25%)
  • Rhetorical analysis (25%)
  • Two essays (not in Modular)

Side by side

Every route to English Composition 1 credit, side by side
 What it isCost and credit
CLEP College Composition ModularAbout 90 multiple-choice questions in 95 minutes$97 plus a proctoring fee; College Board recommends 3 semester hours
CLEP College Composition50 multiple-choice questions and two essays$97 plus a proctoring fee; College Board recommends 6 semester hours
AP English LanguageA high school course; exams in May$99 in the U.S.; College Board scores it 1 to 5
DSSTNo exam named English or College CompositionPrinciples of Advanced English Composition: 3 semester hours (ACE)
A college's own ENG 101On campus or online, on its term datesThat college's tuition and transcript
UPI Study ENG 101A self-paced online course with written assignmentsNCCRS: 3 semester hours

English Composition 1 is recommended by NCCRS only, not ACE, so if your college takes ACE recommendations only, ask before you enroll. It ends in a proctored final of 100 multiple-choice questions; a transcript is $20, and UPI Study sends it to your college.

Which route fits you?

CLEP if

  • Your college takes College Composition or the Modular exam
  • You already write well and want to sit one exam
  • You know which version your college wants

AP English Language if

  • You are in high school and your school offers it
  • Your college gives credit for your score

ENG 101 if

  • Your college works with NCCRS recommendations
  • You want to practise essays, research and citation step by step
  • You want to start any day, at your own pace

Questions, answered

Which CLEP exam counts as English Composition 1: College Composition or Modular?

It depends on your college's CLEP policy. College Composition Modular is about 90 multiple-choice questions in 95 minutes, and College Board recommends 3 semester hours for a score of 50. College Composition is 50 multiple-choice questions plus two essays, scored by college English faculty, and College Board recommends 6 semester hours. The skills tested are the same; College Board says most colleges give course credit for College Composition as a first-year composition or English course that emphasizes expository writing.

Is AP English Language the same as English Composition 1?

Not always. AP English Language and Composition is a high school course in reading nonfiction as a writer and writing evidence-based arguments, with exams in May. AP scores run 1 to 5, and College Board says many U.S. colleges grant credit or placement for 3 and above; which course a score replaces, and whether it is Comp 1, is your college's decision.

Does DSST have an English Composition exam?

Not by that name. DSST's list has Principles of Advanced English Composition, on effective writing, arguments and using secondary sources, for which ACE recommends 3 semester hours at a score of 400, and Technical Writing. Ask your college which of its courses the DSST exam would count as before you take it.

How much credit is English Composition 1 worth?

NCCRS recommends 3 semester hours, lower division, in English Composition among other subjects.

Which subjects can English Composition 1 count toward?

Its NCCRS recommendation lists English Composition or College Composition. Your college decides which requirement it fills.

How long is English Composition 1?

Its syllabus has 10 chapters and 73 instructional hours. It is self-paced, so you finish as fast or as slow as you want.

Does English Composition 1 have a prerequisite?

No prerequisite is listed: English Composition 1 starts from the beginning of the subject.

What is on the English Composition 1 final exam?

100 multiple-choice questions, counting for 25% of the grade.

Which textbook does English Composition 1 use?

The syllabus lists Miller-Davis, Kimberly. English Composition I. San Jacinto College. Creative Commons Attribution License, with other references.

Does English Composition 1 have an ACE recommendation?

No: it is not on the ACE list. It has an NCCRS recommendation for 3 semester hours in English Composition. Not being on the ACE list never means not recommended for credit.

What should I take after English Composition 1?

English Composition 2. In the “A writing requirement” order on the English and writing courses page, it follows English Composition 1. Your program may set its own order.

When can I request my English Composition 1 transcript?

Once English Composition 1 shows 100% complete in your dashboard. Assignments take about 48 hours to be checked, so allow about two days after your last submission; then request the transcript and UPI Study emails it to your college.

What grade do I need to pass English Composition 1?

70 or more passes English Composition 1. Your transcript's grading scale shows the letter grade 70 maps to, which most colleges read as a C.

Will my college accept English Composition 1?

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. For CLEP or AP, check the CLEP and AP credit-policy searches or ask your registrar which exam and score it takes. Search your school in Find My College. It helps to name the subject: NCCRS recommends English Composition 1 in English Composition.

Where these credits can go

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

  • Thomas Edison State University (TESU) logo
  • University of the People logo
  • Strayer University logo
  • Post University logo
  • Charter Oak State College logo
  • Indiana Tech logo
  • Columbia Southern University logo
  • University of Arkansas Grantham logo
  • American College of Education logo
  • Nexford University logo
  • Newlane University logo
  • Pathways College logo
  • Dunlap-Stone University logo
  • Woodmont College logo
  • University of Management and Technology (UMT) logo
  • Crestpoint University logo
  • Maestro University (formerly Bottega University) logo
  • Gracelyn University logo
  • EC-Council University logo

Plus many more partner colleges and ACE and NCCRS cooperating colleges.

Find My College →

Keep exploring

Check your college first

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

Sources (14)

UPI Study facts are from our course catalog, syllabi and course rules. CLEP and AP are registered trademarks of College Board, which is not connected with UPI Study. DSST is a trademark of Prometric, which is not connected with UPI Study; DSST facts are as getcollegecredit.com stated them.