I called the operator and asked for English, but I keep getting transferred from place to place.
This occurrence is common because several departments on campus deal with English classes. Please refer to the table below for the appropriate department to meet your needs.
If you are registered for… Contact: ENC 0002 / 0020 / 0021 and REA courses - Credit courses that do not count towards degree. College Prep English, Room 6319, 305-237-2178 EAP courses - English as a Second Language and English for Academic Purpose ESL / Foreign Languages, Room 3207, 305-237-2165 ENR / ENB / VPI courses - Non-Credit Courses (usually free of charge for qualified individuals) VESOL, Room L-139, 305-237-2142 English CE courses - Non-Credit Courses for Personal Interest Community Education, Room 3129, 305-237-2161 English Composition, Literature, Creative Writing and all other english (college-level) courses - Advanced English courses. Applicable and required towards degree. English & Communications, Room 2217, 305-237-2284
Who do I need to see for advisement?
If your major is: English, Mass Communications, Journalism or Speech, you can visit our office and see the Chairperson, Prof. Jose M. Blanco, or anyone of the following:
- English - David McGuirk, Department Chair
- Speech - All Speech Faculty
- Communications and Journalism - Prof. Merwin Sigale
Do I need an appointment for advisement? How can I get one?
We have an open door policy that allows you to walk in during business hours, but we do recommend calling to confirm availability, especially if the advisor is a faculty member.
Can I get an override for a class that is full?
Although there are other departments in the college that allow overrides, the English and Communications Department has a very strict policy on overrides. In order to make sure that all students get the best from their respective class, including interaction with the teacher and fellow classmates, we must enforce our override policy.
All classes in our department have a maximum number of students that can be accommodated without disrupting the class environment. Classes like ENC 1101, ENC 1102, LIT 2480 and SPC 1026 require a lot of writing and/or speeches in front of the class. In turn, the kind of testing offered in these classes (papers written by the students) requires reading and grading of each paper or speech that the student prepares.
*Try to understand the following example and you’ll see why we cannot allow overrides for these classes.
Ex:. Prof. John Doe is teaching ENC 1101 this semester. The class maximum is 28 students. In this class each student is required to write 8 to 10 papers, and Professor Doe has to read and grade every single one. He also has another ENC 1101 class, one LIT 2480 and two ENC 1102 classes, and if he has an overload, he may be teaching one or two extra classes. You do the math!
I registered for a class and didn’t pay in time, or my financial aid was not processed in time, and my class was dropped. Now the class is full. Can I get an override?
We know this is very common. If there is another class that fits your schedule, either in the full term or the mini-term, we will definitely help you get into that one, but as long as the class is full, there is nothing we can do about it.
The class I registered for was cancelled. What do I have to do now?
If your class is cancelled by our department, we will contact you and provide you with the available options. If for any reason you do not hear from us, please call us at 305-237-2284.
I’m registered for a course in your department. Can you tell me the name of the books?
As a general rule, we recommend that you attend the first day of classes to confirm which book(s) your respective professor will be using. Keep in mind that if you buy the book(s) for a class and for any reason you need to change the class, or the class is cancelled, you may end up with books that you may not be able to use for another class or even return to the bookstore.
I want to take my class with Prof. John Doe because I hear he is very easy. Can I get in his class?
You are free to take classes with any professor available in our department as long as the class has available seats. All of our faculty members are fully, if not over qualified, to teach their respective courses. If the class is full, refer to our override policy.
I need to talk to my professor. Do I need an appointment?
We recommend that you make the necessary arrangements to meet with your professor. Usually, faculty members are available to provide you with support or to answer your questions during the “office hours” stated in their schedules, and posted outside their respective offices. “College-campus hours” are usually for the faculty members’ class planning or other college duties.
My work schedule changed and conflicts with my class, what are my options?
If your work schedule changes before the beginning of classes, you will probably not have much difficulty finding a class replacement. However, when it happens during the semester, it is a different situation. Our first recommendation is to contact your professor immediately, to check if there is any arrangement you can make to fulfill your class requirements (e.g., attending the same class, with the same professor, but at a different time or day). If this is not feasible, then you will need to see the chairperson as soon as possible.
Are there any student activities that I can get involved in?
The English & Communications Department at MDC – Kendall Campus is the proud home of state and national award winners Miambiance (Literature and Arts Magazine) and The Catalyst (Campus Newspaper). We also feature a Debate Team. Please visit their respective web pages for more information.
Is there a BA in (English, Mass Communications, Journalism or Speech) available at MDC?
Unfortunately at this time a BA is not available, but we are positive that sometime in the near future it will be.
The final grade I got must be wrong because I thought I was getting a different one. What do I do now?
Clerical or data entry errors do happen. If you believe that your final grade is incorrect, you must first contact your professor as soon as possible for confirmation or correction. Then, if a change needs to be made, we will process a “Change of Grade Form.” It will take approximately 3 or 4 weeks for your grade to be changed.
What kind of support and/or tutoring services do you offer?
Our department can offer you with tutoring and support services for English and Speech courses in the Writing Works and the Speech Lab. Please visit their respective web pages for more information.
Can you please tell me my final grade over the phone?
As a college policy, student information, including grades, is forbidden to be disseminated over the phone. You can check your final grades on the website.
I am having conflicts with my professor. What can I do about it?
You should always talk with your professor first and try to resolve the matter at hand. If the matter cannot be resolved this way, then you can opt to take the matter to the department chair or to the dean of student services.
I got an Incomplete grade (I). What do I have to do now?
The college catalog reads as follows: “When a student is unable to complete the requirements of a course by the end of the semester, the student may be given an ‘Incomplete’ or ‘I’ grade. The incomplete grade is given by the instructor, if the student has valid reasons for not being able to finish the work. The student and instructor complete an ‘Agreement for Grade of Incomplete form,’ which stipulates the work to be completed for a grade. Students have until the end of the next major term to finish the coursework or a failing grade for the course may be assigned.” Major terms are Fall and Spring.
Can I register for ENC 1101 even though I have not finished my college preparatory requirements?
No, you must complete your college preparatory requirements as stated in your degree audit before registering for any ENC course.
Can I register for two courses at the same time when one is a pre requisite for the other? (e.g., ENC 1101 + ENC 1102 or ENC 1101 + SPC 1026)
Many students try to do this, and sometimes they successfully manage to register. However, when a class description states that there is a pre-requisite in order to register, you must assume that there are skills that you must learn before advancing onto this class.
Also, while the registration system may allow you to register for the classes, during the first week of classes the system will run an audit of courses, and if a passing grade is not found in the pre-required class, it will most likely drop your class.
I have to turn in a paper to my professor’s mailbox; where is it located?
Mailboxes for English faculty are located in room 2217. Mailboxes are clearly labeled and in alphabetical order. Mailboxes for Speech and Communications faculty are located in room M-201.
If your instructor requires that the assignment be stamped (day/time), you must do so during the main office's hours of operation: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Do LIT (literature) courses count for Humanities credit?
Some LIT (literature) courses may fulfill the Humanities requirements on your degree audit. For more information you should see your respective advisor or the English & Communications Department chairperson.
I printed my Degree Audit which shows ENC 2301 as my requirement under the Oral Communications, but I have been told that this course is no longer offered in the college. What are my class options to fulfill this requirement?
This is correct ENC 2301 is no longer offered at MDC. However, students who have been enrolled in the College prior to August 1997, and have attended continuously since then, may still show ENC 2301 as a requirement under the Oral Communication section in their Degree Audit. These Students should see the English & Communications Department chairperson for advisement.
Do I have to take the English portion of the CLAST?
Yes, all students must take the English portion of the CLAST Exam, unless they are exempt. To be exempt, students must have a 2.5 average between their ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 courses.
If your point average, between ENC 1101 and ENC 1102, is below 2.5 you may be exempted from the English portion of the CLAST Exam, only if you take and succesfully pass ENC 2106.
Students who are pursuing a major in Edcuation must take the English portion of the CLAST, regardless of exemption based on point average.