Student Services
Overview
Advising
College of Liberal Arts Placement Exams
AP / IB/ CLEP / Transfer Credit
Forms & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
The Office of Student Services in the College of Liberal Arts provides liberal arts advising and scheduling assistance to all students at RIT. The advising staff can help students select liberal arts courses for their degrees, develop a plan of study, evaluate liberal arts transfer credit, and explain RIT's policies and procedures. This office also provides study abroad advising to help students add an international dimension to their studies and fulfill liberal arts requirements at the same time.
Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office remains open until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday during drop/add. Walk-ins are welcome or students can call 475-2444 to schedule an appointment. The office is located in suite 2210-2222 in Liberal Arts Hall (Bldg. 6).
Liberal arts requirements vary within the individual degree programs on campus. Therefore, it is important that students carefully plan their liberal arts program to meet their specific degree requirements. Academic advisors are available daily to provide assistance in planning and selecting appropriate liberal arts courses. Through this office, the college provides liberal arts advising and audits for each degree program to help students maintain records of progress toward their degree.
To schedule an advising appointment, please e-mail an advisor or call 475-2444.
College of Liberal Arts Academic Advisors:
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Marcia Beattie, Sr. Academic Advisor, mabcce@rit.edu Academic advisor for Criminal Justice, Philosophy, Political Science, and Urban & Community Studies |
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Rachel Scott, Academic Advisor, rmsgla@rit.edu Academic advisor for Advertising & Public Relation, Journalism, Professional & Technical Communication, and Psychology |
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Tammi Wiley Wickson, Academic Advisor tlwgla@rit.edu Academic advisor for students in Economics, International Studies, Museum Studies, and Public Policy |
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Pat Sanborn, Academic Advisor and Career Seminar Instructor pesldc@rit.edu Academic Advisor for students in the Liberal Arts Exploration program |
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Kristen Roach, Academic Advisor klrgla@rit.edu Liberal Arts general education advisor for students in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, College of Science, and University Studies |
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Laurence Ryan, Academic Advisor lrrgla@rit.edu Liberal Arts general education advisor for students in the Saunders College of Business, College of Applied Science and Technology, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, and National Technical Institute for the Deaf |
Learning to write well in higher education depends upon direct instruction in writing as well as multiple opportunities to practice writing. In an effort to provide students writing instruction appropriate to their abilities, the English Department in the College of Liberal Arts has developed the Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam (LAQE). This timed, written exam is required of all first-year students who do not meet at least one of the following criteria:
- a score of 560 or higher on the verbal section of the SAT
- a score of 23 or higher on the English portion of the ACT
- a score of 6 or higher on the SAT essay exam
Students who have not taken either the SAT or ACT need to take the LAQE. The outcome of the exam has no effect on GPA, but is used to determine whether a student will be placed into Basic Writing (0502-100) or Writing Seminar (0502-227). Students who took a college-level English composition course before matriculating at RIT and earned a grade of “C” or better or took an equivalent Language Composition Advanced Placement exam and earned “3” or better may receive credit for Writing Seminar; these students do not need to take the LAQE.
Beginning the summer of 2010, the LAQE will not be offered during Orientation. Instead, the exam will only be available online. To access the exam, students must be enrolled manually, by either the English Department Staff Assistant, or the Writing Program Director. Please direct any questions about the exam to the department of English at (585) 475-6928.
English Comp Level Key:
Level 0: student has not yet taken the LAQE and must do so before registering for any writing course.
Level 1: student has placed in Basic Writing and must take Basic Writing before taking Writing Seminar
Level 2: student has placed in Writing Seminar
Level 3: student is exempt from taking the LAQE and has placed in Writing Seminar
Advanced Placement (AP)
The College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Program allows high school students to test their proficiency by taking an exam which covers college level material. AP examinations are offered in more than 14,000 high schools in the United States, Canada, and 63 other countries. A score of 3 or higher (on a grading scale of 1 to 5) can be considered for credit at RIT. The College of Liberal Arts grants credit for AP in:
- Art History
- Economics: Macroeconomics
- Economics: Microeconomics
- English Language & Composition
- English Literature & Composition
- European History
- Foreign Language (Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish)
- French Literature
- Government & Politics: U.S.
- Government & Politics: Comparative
- Music Theory
- Psychology
- Spanish Literature
- U.S. History
- World History
The College Board's AP Website:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
International Baccalaureate (IB)
RIT recognizes IB level work. Credit may be awarded for higher level examinations completed with a grade of 5 or better. Credit is
awarded on a course-by-course basis and in the context of the student's intended program at RIT. Each department will determine the
specific amount of credit to be awarded. Students may forward IB transcripts to the Office of Admissions for evaluation.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP is a nationwide system of credit by examination offered by The College Board. Any person entering college, presently attending
college or out of college may take CLEP examinations and seek credit by submitting the test results to RIT for evaluation. Credit
recommendations for CLEP vary depending on the subject and examination results. Please consult with an advisor in the Office of
Student Services for further information and to determine which examination will fulfill Liberal Arts course requirements.
Transfer Credit
The Office of Student Services evaluates liberal arts transfer credit for prospective and matriculated RIT students. Students thinking
about taking liberal arts courses at another college or university will need to consult with an advisor in the Office of Student Services
and complete a "Transfer Credit Prior Approval Form" before registering. Prospective students can call the Office of Student
Services at (585) 475-2444 for questions about acceptable courses for transfer to RIT.
RIT's transfer credit policies:
http://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/registrar/transfer-credit
For common course equivalencies at local colleges or universities near Rochester, see lists below.
Forms:
- Liberal Arts Independent Study Form
- Registrar's Office Forms
- Liberal Arts Transfer Credit Prior Approval Form
- Liberal Arts Concentration/Minor Substitution Form
RIT Resources:
Why can't I register for Writing Seminar?
Students must take the Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam (LAQE) in order to register for Writing Seminar (0502-227). Students are given the opportunity to take the LAQE at fall orientation. Students who did not take the exam at orientation can call 475-6928 or stop by the Department of English to find out when future examinations will be offered.
What is the Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam (LAQE)?
The purpose of the Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam is to determine whether students may register directly for Writing Seminar (0502-227) or must take Basic Writing (0502-100) before taking Writing Seminar. The LAQE is a writing test in which the student is asked to write a 250 word essay of four to five paragraphs. Students may have fifty (50) minutes to write the essay. Students may take the LAQE only once, so they should endeavor to do their best on the exam.
How do I find out the results of the LAQE?
Students are assigned an English Composition Level (0-3) as a result of the Liberal Arts Qualifying Exam. Your English Composition Level may be found on SIS under Liberal Arts Courses or in the student's home department, the Office of Student Services, or in the Department of English of the College of Liberal Arts.
0 - Student has not taken Qualifying Exam and needs to do so.
1 - Student is required to take Basic Writing before taking Writing Seminar.
2 - Student is approved to register for Writing Seminar.
3 - Student is exempt from taking the Qualifying Exam.*
*Students who achieve either (1) a 560 or higher on the verbal section of the SAT, (2) a 23 or better on the English portion of the ACT, or (3) a 6 or higher on the SAT essay exam may automatically register for Writing Seminar.
Why can't I register for a Liberal Arts class that still has open seats in it?
This means that the course section has registration restrictions in effect. Seats may be reserved for a particular program, concentration or minor, which may either be temporary or permanent. Please check the Academic Planning Website for the course criteria for registration. If you do meet the criteria and are still unable to register, please contact the Office of Student Services in the College of Liberal Arts for assistance.
How can I get into a closed class?
In many circumstances, an instructor may be unable to accept additional students due to the size of the classroom and/or nature of the particular curriculum. As class enrollment can fluctuate during pre-registration and drop/add periods, continue to monitor SIS for openings that will permit you to register. Student Services can register you during drop/add period with written permission from the instructor.
How do I declare a Minor or Concentration?
For more information, please click on the Minor and Concentration website at: www.rit.edu/cla/minors_and_concentrations.php#1
Students are advised to declare a minor or concentration in their second year.
How do I find my professor's office?
Please check the RIT directory website at: http://www.rit.edu/directories/
Students may also call 475-2444 for more information.
What is Tiger Tracks?
Tiger Tracks is a computerized degree audit program that allows students and advisors to evaluate all courses taken against any major requirements at RIT. Tiger Tracks can be utilized for checking general education requirements as well as major and minor requirements. Students transferring in credits from another school must have those credits evaluated by the College of Liberal Arts and their home department before they will be included in Tiger Tracks. Students may run their own Tiger Tracks audit from the SIS website.
When should I seek advice from the Office of Student Services in the College of Liberal Arts?
Students should see an advisor when they have questions or concerns regarding:
- liberal arts curriculum requirements for your degree program
- choosing a concentration or minor
- registering for liberal arts courses
- audit of their liberal arts requirements (good idea to check at least once a year)
- liberal arts transfer credit or study abroad
- changing your program to a liberal arts major
- choosing liberal arts courses that will enhance your field of study
