Upper Division Writing Intensive Course within a Major

Upper Division Writing Intensive Course within a Major

Upper Division Writing Intensive Course within a Major

All students must complete an upper division writing intensive (WI) course within their major field of study. These courses fulfill the general education requirement for a Writing Intensive course, but because they fulfill major requirements as well, do not increase the required credit hours for general education.

In order for a course to be designated a WI course, the course must possess the following characteristics:

1. Students write to learn. The course uses writing to promote the learning of course materials. Instructors assign formal and informal writing, both in class and out, to increase students' understanding of course material as well as to improve writing skills.
2. The course should distribute writing throughout the semester rather than concentrate the writing assignments at the end. If writing is being used as a mode of instruction, then it is clearly not appropriate to have written assignments concentrated at the end of the semester. The best WI courses tend to contain a series of short papers distributed through the semester rather than one or two major projects.
3. The course provides interaction between teacher and students while students do assigned writing; in effect, the instructor acts as an expert and the student as an apprentice in a community of writers. Types of interaction will vary. For example, a professor who requires the completion of one long project may review sections of the project, write comments on drafts, and be available for conferences. The professor who requires several short papers may demonstrate techniques for drafting and revising in the classroom, give guidance during the composition of the papers, and consult with students after they complete their papers.
4. Writing contributes significantly to each student's course grade.
5. The course requires students to do a substantial amount of writing: a minimum of 5000 words, or about 20 pages. This may include informal writing. Depending on the course content, students may write analytic essays, critical reviews, journals, lab reports, research reports, or reaction papers, etc.
6. To allow for meaningful professor-student interaction on each student's writing, the class is restricted to 20 students. (Any larger enrollments must be justified by other factors related to the instructor's and the department's overall teaching responsibilities.)

Writing Intensive courses will be approved by the Dean of General Education.