English Composition Program - History

History of the Composition Program at Mississippi State

The freshman writing program at Mississippi State University consists of two courses (six hours) traditional at land-grant institutions. Although a uniform core curriculum did not exist at Mississippi State until the 1984-85 academic year, most colleges within the university required six hours of freshman composition prior to 1970. Some colleges then reduced the requirement to three hours, and the Department of English responded by establishing an introductory literature course in which writing is emphasized and by requiring a minimum of four critical papers in all sophomore-level survey courses. However, by a mandate of the state's Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning, all students entering Mississipi State in the fall semester of 1984 and after must complete six hours of composition a requirement for graduation; and Mississippi State's own General Education Committee has specified that each student entering the university in the fall semester of 1986 and after "must earn six credit hours (or the equivalent) in freshman writing courses, including EN 1113 or its equivalent. It is intended that these courses establish a foundation for the students' continued writing experiences in all academic courses. The freshman writing sequence provides progressive structure to express ideas and information accurately, clearly, and logically. The Committee feels that writing in virtually all courses should be required."

The foundation of a track-level program existed in the separation of the honors sections from the traditional freshman structure, but it was not until 1973 that a fully stratified program was introduced. Currently, freshman composition is offered on three track levels:
EN 1103, first-semester composition, a prerequisite to EN 1113, the regular second-semester composition course; EN 1163, Accelerated Composition I, designed to lead to EN 1173; and EN 1103H, English Honors, open by invitation and designed to lead to EN 1113H.

For questions or information about this page contact: Marty Price

Last Modified: August 13, 2007