Graduation Writing Requirement

Two students holding their degrees while wearing their caps and gowns at a graduation ceremony

Overview

This page has been developed to define and explain the graduation writing requirement; to introduce the work of the Committee that supports the requirement; and to aid faculty in developing and revising writing requirement courses.

The Committee

The Graduation Writing Requirement is supported by a subcommittee of the Committee on University Effectiveness. In conjunction with the Center for Writing Excellence, the subcommittee approves courses designated by departments as mandatory for fulfillment of the Graduation Writing Requirement. This requirement is separate from the General Education Communication: Writing/Literature requirement and the requirement that all General Education courses include substantial written work (minimum of 2,000 words of formal writing).

The Graduation Writing Requirement Subcommittee evaluates courses designated as writing requirement courses. Typically this evaluation process takes place when new programs are developed, or when existing programs are revised. The Center for Writing Excellence and the subcommittee are also available to facilitate and further writing in the disciplines. For more information, contact the subcommittee chair, Dr. Melinda Knight.

Graduation Writing Requirement Catalog Description 

“Each department must evaluate the writing ability of its majors by means of a required course (or choice of courses) with substantial writing assignments (formal and informal, opportunities for revision and instructor feedback.) Normally this course should be taken in the junior year. Students with serious writing problems will be referred to the Center for Writing Excellence and/or provided with individual tutoring by the instructor. Students may not graduate until they have passed the course. Students should consult their academic advisor or major department chairperson regarding this course and other aspects of the department’s writing policy.” (Undergraduate Catalog)

Procedures for Writing Requirement Course Proposal or Alteration

When a new major is created or a current major is revised, sponsors must include a proposal for meeting the Graduation Requirement in Writing. Within the documentation it should be clear that writing is central to the course, and it should also be clear how instructors will provide instruction and assessment of student writing. Successful proposals offer specific examples of assignments and activities, and detail instructor role in providing feedback and assessment. All proposals include clear language in the course description itself, indicating that the course is designated as the Writing Requirement course. (For example: This course will fulfill the Graduation Writing Requirement.)

Occasionally departments mistakenly “lose” their writing requirement by eliminating this course from their departmental offerings. When this happens students will not graduate in the major as the Registrar’s office is unable to complete such students’ audits. This problem can be remedied by either writing a new course or revising an existing one for inclusion of the Graduation Writing Requirement.

 

Guidelines

To meet the needs of a highly evolving workforce that demands strong written communication skills, Montclair State graduates need to be able to write clearly and effectively.  To accomplish this goal, students should have sustained engagement with writing throughout their undergraduate studies. Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) courses provide students with the opportunity to become familiar with the various modes and genres of writing used within an academic discipline and to learn how the conventions and expectations for writing differ between disciplines.

GWR courses are based on the principles of writing in the disciplines (WID).  A WID course is designed to both emphasize writing to learn and learning to write. WID courses thus strengthen student writing and, in the process, student capacity for intellectual inquiry.  GWR courses are included in major requirements and are separate from the General Education curriculum.

Because writing varies considerably across the disciplines, word and page counts or numbers of papers are inappropriate criteria for evaluating WID courses.  In addition, departments will need to decide which upper-level course is most appropriate for their majors.  The following principles and characteristics provide a roadmap for designing new, or redesigning existing, courses to meet the GWR requirement at Montclair State:

Principles of WID:

  1. Centrality of writing to the course. Writing is an essential component of the course.  Students not only complete writing assignments, but they also receive explicit instruction in disciplinary-specific writing.
  2. Feedback. Students receive effective and timely feedback from instructors and their peers and learn that writing is a social act.  They also learn how to use feedback successfully.
  3. Revision. Writing is a process; all writers revise their work to meet their objectives and the needs of the audience.
  4. Disciplinarity. What is considered good writing varies according to the discipline.  Students are introduced to discipline-specific ways of thinking, writing, and conducting research, and they complete multiple writing projects designed for different purposes and to communicate with a variety of audiences.

Characteristics of WID Courses:

  1. Students write frequently throughout the semester. Students are given regular practice in, and feedback on, their writing. Assignments will vary widely across disciplines and courses.  Some examples are critical essays, lab reports, grant proposals, marketing plans, literature reviews, and research proposals.  Assignments can be long or short or divided into sections (such as a major research project).
  2. Students discuss the work they are doing as they move through the course. Students respond to each other’s work. That may include presenting papers to the class, collaborating on assignments, posting drafts on Canvas, or writing blogs, among other possible activities.  Students thus serve as real readers for each other’s work.
  3. Students reflect on and improve their work as writers. Students analyze their strengths and weaknesses and consider strategies for improvement.  They become active participants in their own learning.
  4. Students consider the roles and uses of writing in the discipline they are studying. Students analyze the structures of various genres to become familiar with what is expected for both argumentation and documentation in their disciplines.

Submission Process:

Please complete the proposal form in CIM.  The proposal for either a new upper-level course or an alteration of an existing upper-level course to meet the GWR requires the following:

  1. Rationale that addresses how the proposed upper-level course will meet the GWR criteria
  2. A sample syllabus for the GWR couse
  3. A a justification for how the proposed upper-level course addresses the principles of WID (see above)
  4. An explanation for how the proposed upper-level course demonstrates the characteristics of WID courses (see above)

Direct any questions to Dr. Melinda Knight:  knightm@montclair.edu