<p>I was just searching around the Rice website and I believe I came across something that said that there are "distribution" requirements like core classes that all studens at Rice have to fulfill. Is that true and if so, what are the classes and are they similar to Columbia's core classes?</p>
<p>Here's a quote from jenskate in one of her previous posts:</p>
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[quote]
Academic strengths - Rice built its reputation on science and engineering programs, so these departments are pretty strong. The humanities departments, although less well known, are also fairly good. You will be well-rounded, but not overwhelmed by Rice's distribution courses. It usually works out to 4 classes in each of 2 areas, plus a major in a third area. You can use your AP credit to fulfill these requirements as well. DFon't worry, rice is no tech school. You can learn things other than science here. I sure have.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The full post can be found here: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=19977%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=19977</a></p>
<p>They are distribution requirements, not "core" classes like Columbia. They can be filled by taking any of a huge number of classes.</p>
<p>I want to do a science major, probably premed because I want to go to medical school.</p>
<p>I better not have to take any English Literature. I hate that crap.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rice.edu/catalog/2004_2005/PDF/07_UndergradInfo.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.rice.edu/catalog/2004_2005/PDF/07_UndergradInfo.pdf</a> Look at page 15 and 16 of the General Announcements. It describes the distribution requirements. And Texasmathwhiz, you WILL have to pass a writing proficiency exam the first week or you WILL be taking an English/writing class.
Clarification-- it is a Writing composition exam. If your writing skills are not up to snuff, guess what, you get to take a writing class.</p>
<p>Here are the guidelines for the composition exam :
Time allowed: 2 hours</p>
<p>This examination is used to identify students who will benefit from a course in constructing arguments and academic writing. Students whose examinations do not meet Rice University standards must take English 103: Introduction to Argumentation and Academic Writing in either the fall or spring semester. Others may not enroll. Results of this exam are sent to the colleges.</p>
<p>Each examination is graded on these criteria:
Quality of the controlling idea
Degree to which the paper addresses the task given
Structure of the argument
Adequacy and appropriateness of the evidence
Ability to integrate sources correctly
Style (clarity, word choice, and syntax) and grammatical correctness</p>
<p>The writing composition looks fair enough. What kind of composition is it though.. like an essay on literary analysis or what?</p>
<p>Go to the Rice webiste and look up the information on orientation week. It will describe it in a bit more detail. Heres the link. <a href="http://www.riceoweek.com/gen_instructions.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.riceoweek.com/gen_instructions.html</a>
The description is from '03 but it doesn't really change.</p>
<p>According to my son, most everyone tests out of the English Comp requirement that is done during O=Week. I know he had no problem with it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the additional information.</p>
<p>Yes, its not a terribly difficult test. Someone joked that they fail just enough students to fill the manadatory class :)</p>
<p>jym almost all premed students have to take a writing class, I said I don't have to take a Literature class. That's reading in case you were unclear, I like writing. I just hate reading Shakespeare and analyzing all the touching meanings.</p>
<p>English is good for you, something that will probably help you no matter what field you go into. Make a weakness a strength.</p>
<p>bump................</p>
<p>Texasmathwhiz-
My comment about the writing class was merely to give you the head's up that you won't be able to steer entirely clear of the English Dept. if you don't pass the writing test, which you take the first week you are on campus.</p>
<p>i wonder if Rice offers Bio-Chemulus II</p>
<p>FUN!!!</p>
<p>The writing exam is a complete baloney. I agree that they probably fail just enough students to fill that class. I'm a good writer ( I mean, if you need scores I got 5's on my AP Lit and Language exams, always got A's in English, all that) and I got a low pass on that exam. A lot of people who are English majors and got the same scores I did got a low pass. As long as you pass, you don't have to take that class. It was advised that the low pass people take it, but I don't know anyone that did. Distribution classes can be fun, I had one that was on German Fairy Tales, a class the prof called "Bombs and Rockets" about the politics of national security, one on Constitutional Law that was really easy... they provide a nice break from all the science classes I take for my majors.</p>