CHALLENGE EXAM

NEXT EXAM DATE:
Fall 2008

The MCWP 40 and MCWP 50 Writing Exams, also known as the Muir Challenge Exams, are offered Fall and Winter quarters only. There are no exams in Spring and Summer. There is no fee for the exams.

Students need to register on the sign-up sheet in the Muir Writing office by noon of the Thursday prior to the exam. Take note of the date, time, and room number on the sign-up sheet.

Students are given six hours in which to write an argumentative essay in response to a specific exam question of general knowledge based on a short reading selection. There will be a separate reading selection for each of the challenge exams each quarter.

The final copy of the exam should be 6-10 pages in length, double-spaced in blue or black ink on lined, white notebook paper.

We will provide a dictionary, an English handbook, and a thesaurus. Students must provide their own paper and pen. Students may leave the room for a five minute break, but all materials must remain in the room with the proctor and no new material should be brought into the room after breaks. Please present your student ID to the proctor at the time of the exam. Don't forget to bring white, lined 8.5 x 11 paper, and a blue or black ink pen.

Students may not be enrolled in either MCWP 40 or MCWP 50 the same quarter they take the exam. Students may not take the MCWP 50 exam in the quarter in which they expect to graduate. If students fail the exam twice, they must enroll in the course. Results of the exam are mailed during the sixth week of the quarter in which the exam was taken.

No grade or units are given for passing; however, if you pass the exam, a letter will be sent to the Muir Academic Advising Office notifying them you have satisfied the MCWP 40 or MCWP 50 writing requirement.

MORE INFORMATION

CHALLENGE EXAM POLICY FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS

Since 1987, transfer students, except those in the TAG and IGETC Programs, have been held for both the MCWP 40 and MCWP 50 requirements. The Muir faculty mandated this requirement because classroom experience had shown them that students transferring to UCSD needed to develop their composition skills to foster their success as university-level writers. The strengthening of the writing requirement is part of a nationwide commitment to the improvement of writing.

Students qualified to take the Challenge Exam for MCWP 40:

Students who have taken two transferable composition classes beyond the Subject A class are eligible to take the Challenge Exam for MCWP 40.

Students qualified to take the Challenge Exam for MCWP 50:

TAG and IGETC students are eligible for the MCWP 50 Exam.

Registration for the exams:

• Students must sign up for the exams in the Muir College Writing Program office by noon of the Thursday prior to the exam. They may not be currently enrolled in a MCWP class.
  
• Samples of passing and not passing exams are available in the office.

Results of the exams:

The results of the exam will be mailed prior to the sixth week of the quarter to the address provided by the student.

Scheduling the exams prior to graduation:

Effective Fall Quarter 1991, students may not take the Challenge Exam for MCWP 50 in their final quarter before graduation. This is to insure that students who fail the exam will have one or two quarters in which to enroll in the class.

The exams for MCWP 40 and 50 may not be taken in the same quarter. Therefore, if qualified transfer students plan to take the Challenge Exam for MCWP 50 as well as the exam for MCWP 40, they must allow themselves enough time. They should take the exam for MCWP 40 at least two quarters before their final quarter.

Enrolling in MCWP 40 and MCWP 50:

Priority enrollment is given to students with less than 90 units since the writing requirement should be completed before upper-division course work is attempted. Junior and senior students are denied access to MCWP 40 and MCWP 50 enrollment via WebReg, and must come to the Muir Writing Program office, HSS 2346, to obtain departmental approval to enroll. For this reason, students transferring to UCSD are strongly urged to complete their writing requirement(s) in their first 3 quarters at the university.

For further information:

If students have questions or need more information they should contact the Muir Writing Program office, located in HSS 2346, at 858-534-2522. Program hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00am to noon and 1-4pm.