Reading and Composition Requirement

Guidelines for Reading and Composition Courses

  • In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking for work in the major, the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition — Reading and Composition (R&C), parts A and B, in sequential order.

  • The first half (R&C Part A) must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half (R&C Part B) must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year.

  • A letter grade of C- or better is required.

  • Students who have been admitted to Berkeley and have not completed Entry Level Writingmust enroll in College Writing R1A which satisfies both Entry Level Writing and the first half of R&C. Students must achieve a letter grade of C or better in College Writing R1A in order to satisfy both the Entry Level Writing requirement and the R&C Part A requirement.

Satisfying the Reading and Composition Requirement with High School Work

  • Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition — score of 4 or 5 satisfies R&C Part A.

  • Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition — score of 4 or 5 satisfies R&C Part A.

  • International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English Language A: Literature — score of 5, 6 or 7 satisfies R&C Part A.

  • International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English Language A: Language and Literature — score of 5, 6 or 7 satisfies R&C Part A. 

Satisfying the Reading and Composition Requirement at Berkeley

  • Successful completion with a C- grade or better of two designated Reading and Composition courses in sequence order. Review all approved below.

Satisfying the Reading and Composition Requirement with Transfer Work

  • Transfer courses must be taken on a letter-graded basis and be completed with a grade of C- or better.

  • For courses from California community colleges, review ASSIST for courses equivalent to English R1A and English R1B.

  • For courses from another four year institution in the US or out of state community college, check http://admissions.berkeley.edu/transfer_info

Meets Part A of the Reading and Composition Requirement 

Please scroll down to see complete list of courses.

AFRICAM R1AFreshman Composition
AFRICAM R1ANReading and Composition
ASAMST R2AReading and Composition
CELTIC R1AVoices of the Celtic World
CHICANO R1AReading and Composition
CHICANO R1ANReading and Composition
COLWRIT R1AAccelerated Reading and Composition
COLWRIT R4AReading and Composition
COM LIT H1AEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT N1AEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT R1AEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT R2AEnglish Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature
COM LIT R3AEnglish Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature
ENGLISH R1AReading and Composition
ENGLISH R1ANFirst-Year Reading and Composition
FILM R1AThe Craft of Writing - Film Focus
FRENCH R1AEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of Literature
GERMAN R5AReading and Composition
HUM R1AGlobal Humanities I: From California to the Global
ITALIAN R5AReading and Composition
LEGALST R1AReading and Composition in Connection with the Law as a Social Institution
MELC R1AReading and Composition in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
NATAMST R1ANative American Studies Reading and Composition
RHETOR R1AThe Craft of Writing
SASIAN R5AGreat Books of India
SCANDIN R5AReading and Composition
SEASIAN R5ASelf, Representation, and Nation
SLAVIC R5AReading and Composition
SPANISH R1AReading and Composition Through Readings from the Spanish-Speaking World
THEATER R1APerformance: Writing and Research
XCOLWRI R1AAccelerated Reading and Composition
XCOMLIT R1AEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
XENGLIS R1AReading and Composition
XFILM R1AThe Craft of Writing - Film Focus
XRHETOR R1AThe Craft of Writing
XSEASIA R5ASelf, Representation, and Nation

Meets Part B of the Reading and Composition Requirement

Please scroll down to see complete list of courses.

AFRICAM R1BFreshman Composition
AHMA R1BReading and Composition on Topics in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology
ANTHRO R5BReading and Composition in Anthropology
ASAMST R2BReading and Composition
CELTIC R1BVoices of the Celtic World
CHICANO R1BReading and Composition
COLWRIT R4BReading, Composition, and Research
COM LIT H1BEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT N1BEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT R1BEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of World Literature
COM LIT R2BEnglish Composition in Connection with Reading of World and French Literature
COM LIT R3BEnglish Composition in Connection with Reading of World and Hispanic Literature
EA LANG R1BReading and Composition on topics in East Asian Humanities
ENGLISH R1BReading and Composition
ENV DES R3BReading and Composition in Energy, Society, and Environmental Design
FILM R1BThe Craft of Writing - Film Focus
FRENCH R1BEnglish Composition in Connection with the Reading of Literature
GERMAN R5BReading and Composition
GWS N1BReading and Composition
GWS R1BReading and Composition
HISTART R1BReading and Writing about Visual Experience
HISTORY R1BReading and Composition in History
HUM R1BGlobal Humanities: Old World, New World, Our World
ITALIAN R5BReading and Composition
LEGALST R1BReading and Composition in Connection with the Law as a Social Institution
LINGUIS R1BEndangered Languages: Why does linguistic diversity matter?
LINGUIS R2BLanguage and Linguistics in Science Fiction
MELC R1BReading and Composition in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
MUSIC R1BReading and Writing about Music
NATAMST R1BNative American Studies Reading and Composition
NWMEDIA R1BNew Media Reading and Composition
PHILOS R1BReading and Composition Through Philosophy
RHETOR R1BThe Craft of Writing
SASIAN R5BIndia in the Writer's Eye
SCANDIN R5BReading and Composition
SEASIAN R5BUnder Western Eyes
SLAVIC R5BReading and Composition
SOCIOL R1BSociological Reading & Composition
SPANISH R1BReading and Composition Through Readings from the Spanish-Speaking World
THEATER R1BPerformance: Writing and Research
XASAMST R2BReading and Composition
XENGLIS R1BReading and Composition
XFILM R1BThe Craft of Writing - Film Focus
XHISTAR R1BReading and Writing about Visual Experience

Meets Either Half of the Reading and Composition Requirement

AGRS R44Classics of the Ancient Mediterranean World5
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