Composition/Writing and the University Writing Program

Core Composition/Writing Requirement:

College Composition (English C050, C051, H090, R050, or R090) and five designated Writing-Intensive courses.

The ability to use language properly, effectively, and persuasively is a basic skill needed throughout one's academic career and beyond. Developing students' writing ability is therefore an essential part of the Core Curriculum. Basic writing skills are the explicit focus of College Composition, an introductory course required of all students (except those exempted by placement testing) in the first semester in which they are eligible. Composition prepares students for university-level writing standards, and for the further development of their skills as they move into advanced work. It should be taken before any Writing-Intensive (W or X) course.

After Composition, students take five Writing-Intensive courses. (Advanced transfer students should see Core Transfer Programs for their Core writing requirements.) In all Writing-Intensive courses, students learn the conventions and the kinds of writing used in the course's discipline. In many cases, students will submit first drafts and then revisions of their written work.

Two of the five Writing-Intensive courses are Intellectual Heritage X051 or X091 and X052 or X092 (see Intellectual Heritage).

Note: All students transferring into Temple must take at least two of their Writing-Intensive courses at Temple. Intellectual Heritage courses cannot be used to meet this transfer Writing requirement, except by students eligible for the 45+ Transfer Core who choose to take a second IH course, and students eligible for Core-to-Core Transfer.

Another kind of Writing-Intensive course, taken by all undergraduates, is the designated writing capstone in the student's major. Each department designates the capstone course(s) required for its majors, and these are identified in the list of Writing-Intensive courses. Students should check with their department's undergraduate advisor for further information on capstone courses.

The remaining two Writing-Intensive courses may be required by the major or chosen by the student. Some Writing-Intensive courses also fulfill other Core requirements (X and some R courses), some are general electives, and others may be courses in the student's major. X and R courses are included in the lists of courses approved for the various Core areas.

The "W" Writing-Intensive courses--those that are not also in another Core area--are offered by departments throughout the University. They incorporate a significant amount of writing (at least ten pages in at least two different assignments) within the context of disciplinary work. They highlight the conventions and argumentation accepted in the discipline, and they require at least one revision based on response from a professor, TA, writing associate, or peer-reviewer.

The University Writing Program

The University Writing Program consists of the First Year Writing Program, other writing components of the undergraduate Core Curriculum, the University Writing Center, and New City Writing: Institute for the Study of Literature, Literacy, and Culture.

In the Core, the Writing Program combines an entrance-level introduction to academic discourse with writing courses in the disciplines at every level to provide Temple students a comprehensive experience writing to learn and learning to write.

For further information, see the Program's website or click here for New City Writing.