Specific Questions about Students

How do I know if my advisee needs or has taken any WL courses?

The advisor's printout that you will receive each semester just before pre-enrollment will show specifically which courses each of your advisees needs to take and which ones are done.

What if my advisee is a transfer student?

If your advisee has entered PSU with fewer than 55 credit hours, then see which General Education courses he or she still has to take, and make sure that the student takes two of these courses as WL. See above if your transfer student has already completed English 101 or both English 101 and English 299.

Some transfer students come to PSU with their General Education courses completed, and with almost the entire 55 credit hours done, but not quite. Any transfer student who comes to PSU with 45 or more hours and has trouble taking the second WL course can opt to "test out" of the second course (i.e., take a specially devised test, and, on passing, be given a waiver for the second WL course). The test-out specifically tests the student's ability to read an article and write a short response to it, as in a Writing to Learn course. The written response has to demonstrate a reasonable level of critical thinking and a reasonable ability to articulate an idea on paper. In this case, you -- as the advisor -- may write a letter to the dean of the college in which your advisee is majoring and request the student be allowed to take the WL test-out.

More information on waivers can be found under Troubleshooting.

Which WL courses should my advisee take?

In a typical Writing to Learn course, students have to generate much individual thought on the issues discussed and to articulate those thoughts in speech and writing. For this reason, it is best if students take WL courses in subjects they enjoy and want to explore in some depth. For instance, science students might want to take calculus or zoology as WL. Humanities students might want to take art history or sociology for the WL course. Be sure to remind your advisee that the WL courses are small, inviting much teacher/student interaction.

On the other hand, if a student is afraid of a course, the WL section could be less threatening than a regular section because it is small and the teacher could have more personal involvement with the students. If your advisee feels secure in writing but is afraid of math, for instance, then an algebra WL course might be useful.

Most WL courses are part of the General Education package, so that students earn the WL credit at the same time as they fulfill their General Education requirement. However, some WL courses are introductions to the discipline, not specifically General Ed. These courses would be good for students who are considering that discipline as a minor or alternative major or who want to explore that subject as part of their free electives.

Should my advisee take English 190?

Back to Advisor FAQs