WPE

All CSU students must demonstrate competence in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. All Cal State L.A. postbaccalaureate and graduate students who entered Cal State L.A. summer 1984 or later and who are pursuing a graduate degree or a credential are required to satisfy this requirement with the exception of a few who qualify for exemption.

Enrollment in WPE

Competence in writing skills for graduate students is demonstrated by passing the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) required for the Cal State L.A. baccalaureate. Postbaccalaureate students who select this option must register for the WPE (listed as UNIV 400 in the Schedule of Classes) no later than the add deadline for the first quarter they are enrolled in a graduate

or credential program. Failure to register for the WPE will void enrollment for that quarter.

Exemptions

Graduate students who hold an earned doctorate from an accredited college or university where the primary language of instruction is English may substitute such a degree for passing the WPE
Graduate students who have passed a writing proficiency examination or a graduation writing assessment examination, in English, at any accredited college or university where the primary language of instruction is English may petition to substitute such a result for passing the WPE at Cal State L.A.
Petitions for certification of the postbaccalaureate writing requirement shall be made at the school level and results reported to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Time Frame for Completion

Students must satisfy this postbaccalaureate writing proficiency requirement within the first three quarters of their graduate (conditionally classified or classified) program or prior to the completion of 16 units, whichever comes later. Students must satisfy this postbaccalaureate writing requirement within the required time in order to be eligible for continued registration.

Rectifying WPE Deficiency

Students who receive a No Credit (NC) grade on the WPE must meet with a WPE consultant in the University Writing Center to discuss deficiencies identified by the exam and receive recommendations of activities to correct these deficiencies. Based on the recommendations from the WPE consultant, students may retake the WPEor enroll in UNIV 401, the upper division writing proficiency course.

Further Information

Additional information about the WPE is available in the Schedule of Classes and at University Learning Services.