Graduation Requirements
Writing (W) courses (typically 3000- and 4000-level) build upon your earlier work in WRI 1000 and WRI 1100 by providing instruction in the technical and stylistic requirements of writing appropriate to a particular discipline.
For current W courses offered, please refer to the Course Catalog.
Students entering SPU with freshman or sophomore standing are required to complete 8 credits in writing (“W”) courses prior to graduation.
Students entering as a junior are required to complete 5 credits in writing (“W”) courses prior to graduation.
Students entering as a senior are required to complete 3 credits in writing (“W”) courses prior to graduation.
W Course Standards
To be a W course, courses must
––include one outcome on the syllabus related to writing
––identify itself as a W on the course syllabus
––include revision as a substantial component of the course, as reflected by the course calendar
––meet the following disciplinary-specific page requirements. Note: an assignment here can be a wide range of tasks: a research proposal, a literature review, an annotated bibliography, a research paper, a cover letter, a memo, a resume, a technical report, a specs sheet, a short story, an artist’s statement, a grant application, etc.
ARTS (Art, Music Theatre)
5- credit course: at least 4 assignments totaling together at least 8 revised pages (2,000 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
3-credit course: at least 3 assignments totaling together at least 6 revised pages (1,500 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
STEM: (Biology, Chemistry, Engineering & Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Food & Nutritional Sciences, Mechanical & General Engineering, Math, Physics, Health Sciences, Nursing)
5-credit course: at least 3 assignments totaling together at least 12 revised pages (3,000 words; figures included) with extensive revision throughout the quarter
2- and 3-credit courses: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least 8 revised pages (2,000 words; figures included) with extensive revision throughout the quarter
1-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 6 pages (1,500 words; figures included) with extensive revision throughout the quarter
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology; Family & Consumer Sciences; Education; Psychology; Business, Government, & Economics)
Research-based, 5-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 12 pages (3,000 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
Research-based, 3-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 6 pages (1,500 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
Applied/Technical, 5-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 6 pages (1,500 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
HUMANITIES (Communication, Journalism, & Film; English; History; Language, Cultures, & Linguistics; Philosophy; Theology)
5-credit course: at least 3 assignments totaling together at least revised 12 pages (3,000 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
3-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 8 pages (2,000 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
foreign language, 5-credit course: at least 3 assignments totaling together at least revised 8 pages (2,000 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
foreign language, 3-credit course: at least 2 assignments totaling together at least revised 6 pages (1,500 words), with extensive revision throughout the quarter
Applying for the W Attribute for your Class
If you are applying to add a W attribute to your class, you will need to answer the following questions in Courseleaf:
How does this course build on the course outcomes for WRI 1000/1100 of rhetorical knowledge, critical inquiry, process, and conventions?
How does this course fit within your major’s overall offerings pertaining to writing instruction?
What kinds of writing will students do in this course?
How do these assignments fulfill the W standards as established by your disciplinary cluster?
Please submit a syllabus that explicitly identifies this course as W, includes at least one course outcome related to writing within the discipline, lists the main writing assignments of the course, and shows where students will revise their writing.