WRITING REQUIREMENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


  1. What is the Writing Requirement?
  2. Who does the requirement apply to?
  3. How do I know which courses satisfy the requirement?
  4. Can the same course satisfy the major requirement and the 600+ requirement?
  5. Can a WI course be taken Pass/Fail?
  6. What if a student has more than one major?
  7. What if a student is earning two degrees? Are 8 courses required?
  8. How many WI courses does a transfer student have to take?
  9. Can WI courses be taken at another school or while abroad?
  10. What about students in the Thompson School?
  11. What if a student needs an exception to the rules?
  12. How is a course designated as Writing Intensive?

  1. What is the Writing Requirement?

    Students in Bachelor’s degree programs must take four courses designated as Writing Intensive (WI).  One must be English 401 or an equivalent transfer or AP course. Of the remaining three courses, there must be one in the major, a course numbered 600 or higher, or one which is both. A longer description of the requirement can be found in the University Academic Requirements of the Undergraduate Catalog. 

    Two courses are required for students in Associate in Arts degree programs.  One must be English 401 or equivalent; the other can be any course designated as Writing Intensive.

  2. Who does the requirement apply to?

    Students admitted for 1998 and 1999 who must satisfy the Writing Requirement are coded in BANNER with a student attribute of WRIT.  Faculty and staff with BANNER accounts can find this information on the Additional Student Information form, SGASADD.
     

  3. How do I know which courses satisfy the requirement?

    Lists of approved courses appear in the undergraduate catalog, the Time and Room Schedule, Course Time and Room and Registration Page and on the Writing Center web site.  The notation ‘WI’ appears beside individual sections in the Time and Room course listings. Catalog course descriptions include the statement “Writing Intensive”.  Faculty and staff with BANNER accounts can look at the SCADETL form for this information.

  4. Can the same course satisfy the major requirement and the 600+ requirement?

    Yes, one course can satisfy both of these requirements.  The student still must take a total of four WI courses.

  5. Can a WI course be taken Pass/Fail?

    No, Pass/Fail cannot be used for courses taken to satisfy the Writing Requirement. (Credit/fail courses can be used for the Writing Requirement.)

  6. What if a student has more than one major?

    One WI course must be taken for each major.

  7. What if a student is earning two degrees? Are 8 courses required?

    No, as long as the student takes one course in each major, only 4 WI courses are required.

  8. How many WI courses does a transfer student have to take?

    All students must complete 4 WI courses. Check the Transfer Credit Evaluation form to see if any of the courses transferred in count towards the Writing Requirement.

  9. Can WI courses be taken at another school or while abroad?

    Yes, if they meet our WI guidelines. If you think a course offered at another school is writing intensive, include a course description and syllabus with the Prior Approval Form (available at the Registrar’s Office) and ask for a WI evaluation of the course.

  10. What about students in the Thompson School?

    The Writing Requirement does not apply to Thompson School students. If a student transfers to a UNH four-year program, the courses taken to satisfy the Thompson School Communications requirement will satisfy the English 401 Writing Requirement. Students who plan to transfer to a four-year program should talk to their advisers about course choices.

  11. What if a student needs an exception to the rules?

    The Writing Committee will act on petitions for exceptions to the Writing Requirement. Petitions should be sent to the committee c/o the Writing Center.

  12. How is a course designated as Writing Intensive?

    If a course is a Gen Ed, the General Education Committee must approve it as writing intensive.  If a faculty person or department wishes to have a course designated as writing intensive, the Writing Intensive Course Designation Appendix form should be downloaded from the Academic Affairs web site. The completed form should be sent to Professor Ronald LeBlanc (Director of Writing Across the Curriculum) at the Robert J. Connors Writing Center in Hamilton Smith Hall with supporting documents (syllabus, sample assignments, etc.). The proposal will be reviewed and then forwarded to the General Education Committee.

    If a course is NOT Gen Ed, download the Writing Intensive Course Designation Proposal Form from the Academic Affairs web site and forward it to the Writing Center with the supporting documents.

    Writing Intensive requests should be submitted as early as possible, preferably at least two semesters prior to the WI offering. FALL courses must be submitted no later than April 1; requests for SPRING courses must be submitted no later than October 1.


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