General Education - Foundations of Communication

Students take two courses in this area for a minimum of six credits. The two required courses are:

EN 111 College Composition (4 credits) or EN 109W Intensive College composition (5 credits).

And, one of the following:

Students must have a “C” or better in EN 111 or equivalent course in order to take the second course in foundations of communication. Students must earn a “C” or better in the second course in foundations in communication.

Those students judged to have a deficiency in writing must achieve a grade of "C" or better in EN 090 Basic Composition before taking EN 111.

Honors Program Participants

Students participating in the honors program may fulfill the foundations of communication requirement in the following ways: those who enter with advanced placement (AP) credit in English must complete HON 101 and either HON 111 or HON 112; students who enter without advanced placement (AP) credit in English must complete HON 101, either HON 111 or HON 112, and one of the following courses: EN 111 or one of the approved alternate foundations of communication courses available to qualified students from the English Department.

Course Placement and Requirements

All students, except transfers who have satisfactorily completed the equivalent of EN 111, will have their ACT scores and high school grades reviewed for appropriate placement in EN 111 and/or learning skills courses. Some students may be required to write a placement examination.

Those students who demonstrate exceptional ability in writing may complete the foundations of communication requirement in either of two ways:

  1. Students receive course credit for EN 111 by passing the appropriate AP-CEEB examinations or CLEP general test for English Composition with Essay or the appropriate international baccalaureate test, then take EN 211.
  2. Students receive a waiver for EN 111 without credit, begin the foundations of communication sequence with EN 211 and complete the sequence with another approved foundations of communication elective at the 200 level or above. A list of approved alternate foundations of communication courses is available to qualified students from the English Department, the Academic and Career Advisement Center, and the Registrar’s Office.

Enrollment in EN 109 is open only to designated populations determined by the English department.

  1. A grade of "B" or better fulfills the level one composition requirement and placement into EN 211.
  2. A passing grade of "B-" or lower will place a student into EN 111 or require a repeat of EN 109.


Bulletin Year: 2011 - 2012 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.