The University Writing Program (UWP) is part of the University’s strategic planning efforts to enhance academic excellence at GW. UWP includes the First-Year Writing Program (UW20), the Writing in the Disciplines (WID) Program, and the University Writing Center. The new writing requirement is a University-wide requirement and consists of UW20 (a 4-credit freshman writing seminar) and two sophomore/junior-level 'writing intensive' courses. Writing-intensive courses are offered by individual departments throughout the University; collectively, these courses, and the faculty who teach them, constitute the Writing in the Disciplines (WID) Program.

The UWP is designed to promote scholarship and critical thinking in all schools and undergraduate degree programs. It is predicated on the idea that writing and learning are inseparable and that the University should produce students who will be able to write well in any number of areas and forms. Universities throughout North America have developed similar programs and have reported an improvement both in their students' writing skills and in the degree to which students are intellectually challenged and engaged by their courses of study.

UWP is administered by the Director of UW20, the WID Program Director, and the Director of the Writing Center. Together, they work to foster student writing, facilitate faculty involvement in writing in their disciplines, and develop training workshops for faculty and graduate assistants. The University Writing Advisory Council (UWAC), made up of faculty from a wide range of disciplines and schools, helps to oversee the entire University Writing Program and serves as an advocate for UWP. It also plays a key role in assisting faculty in the development of 'writing intensive' courses and approving courses proposed for inclusion in the WID program.

Students enrolled in the University Writing Program will satisfy their literacy requirement by taking

• University Writing 20 (a four-credit, four-hour course) in their first year; AND
• Two “Writing in the Disciplines” (WID) courses. These are regular, content-area courses that include a writing component and are offered by a variety of departments and programs throughout the university. Students must complete two WID courses to satisfy the new literacy requirement. Ideally, one will be taken in the sophomore and one in the junior year. WID courses cannot be taken concurrently and must be taken after completion of UW20.

| Last Updated: June 18, 2009 |