English and Humanities - Programs

Each student must successfully complete 60 credit hours (excluding HPE) with a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

Portfolio Requirement for All Liberal Arts-Humanities:

Liberal arts-humanities (430) students must satisfy the writing portfolio graduation requirement. The writing portfolio, submitted during the student's last semester of study, has these specific requirements:

1. The portfolio must contain a minimum of four papers.
2. One of the four must use outside sources and correct documentation format.
3. Not more than three of the four papers should be from an English or humanities class.
4. One of the papers should be from the student's first semester of study.
5. One paper should represent the student's best work.
6. The portfolio may contain up to two other pieces of writing that the student would like included to demonstrate writing ability (for a maximum of six papers total).
7. If available, a record of the composing process, including prewriting steps and drafts with evidence of editing, should accompany one of the papers.

Papers submitted in the portfolio must be copies (not the originals handed in for class) and be clear of any grades or comments. A signed professor certification form must accompany each paper. The student should indicate on that form the semester the paper was written.

The portfolio must contain a letter to the Department of English and Humanities writing faculty containing these items:

1. a brief explanation of what the assignment was for each of the enclosed papers,
2. a self-evaluation of the work with reference to the Alfred State College writing rubric,
3. any additional information the student would like the writing faculty to consider, and
4. commentary on any increased thinking and writing ability demonstrated throughout the portfolio.

The criteria for evaluation are contained in the ASC writing rubric. Students should include papers that demonstrate these abilities:

1. establish a central idea (thesis) and a controlling viewpoint,
2. create an appropriate organization plan - with a clear beginning, middle, and end - suitable for the audience and purpose of the paper,
3. develop paragraphs with specific, concrete information,
4. write sentences that avoid errors that decrease the writer's credibility, and
5. use external sources appropriately by paraphrasing, quoting, summarizing, and documenting all sources properly.

The writing faculty of the Department of English and Humanities will evaluate the portfolio to determine whether it should be graded "high pass," "pass," or "fail." This evaluation will appear on the student's permanent Alfred State College transcript.

Questions about this graduation requirement should be directed to the student's academic adviser.