Information About W Courses
What is a "W" Course?
How will
I recognize the "W" courses?
Why should I take "W" courses?
Which "W" courses are running?
If this link doesn't return a list of current W courses, you can query the online
Schedule of Classes for specific W courses
What is a "W" Course?
(from the Academic Senate Agenda, May 16, 1996)
Courses are designated W ("Writing Intensive") by the Academic Senate, on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) and its Writing Intensive Subcommittee (WISC). To be considered for the W designation, a course must meet the following four criteria:
* As of Spring 2010, the enrollment for W courses is capped at 25.
How will I recognize the W courses in the QC Registration Booklet?
In the Registration Booklet, you'll notice 3 different kinds of w courses:
1. Courses that have a number + W (for example, 234W Black Women Writers)
These courses are usually 3 hour, 3 credit courses that integrate writing into the course curriculum. You can expect that you'll be doing a significant amount of writing on that course topic.
2. Writing tutorials that are linked to content area
courses
(for example, 151W Great Works of English Literature and 134W Writing
Tutorial)
The 1 hour, 1 credit Writing Tutorial is added on to a subject matter course on a co-registration basis. Co-registration means that all students in a writing tutorial must be in the same subject-matter course, but all students in the subject-matter course need not be in the writing tutorial.
The tutorial meets for 50 minutes per week to work on writing that is relevant to the subject matter of the main course. The instructor of the subject-matter course will teach one or more of the attached writing tutorials. The writing workload for all W courses applies to Writing Tutorials. Tutorials can be repeated for credit.
3. Writing workshops that are linked to content area
courses
(for example, 340W Styles of Cinema and 135W Writing Workshop)
The 1 hour, 1 credit Workshop is added on to a subject matter course on a co-requisite basis. Co-requisite means that all students registered in the subject matter course must also register for the Writing Workshop and vice versa.
The Writing Workshop meets for 50 minutes per week to work on writing that is integral to the subject matter of the main course. The instructor of the subject-matter course will teach one or more of the course's writing workshops. The writing workload criteria for all W-courses apply to Writing Workshops.
A student will be assigned the same grade for both the subject matter course and its co-requisite workshop. Writing workshops can be repeated for credit.
W courses are required.
In order to be eligible for graduation, all students must fulfill the
College's writing requirement. To fulfill the writing requirement, all
students who entered the college after Fall 1997 must accrue 3 W units.
(Transfer students may be able to transfer 1 or 2 W courses from their previous
colleges.)
Writing about a subject area helps you learn.
Writing forces you to think more deeply about a certain topic. When you
write, you organize your ideas. And by writing not only do you articulate
what you understand about the topic but you are also able to discover
the gaps in your knowledge.
Good writing skills help you succeed in your profession.
Whatever your career goal - accountant, technician, engineer, lawyer,
police officer - you can be sure that it will involve writing. In fact,
most employers ask for a writing sample as part of the interview process.
Believe it or not, writing can be fun!
For many, writing is relaxing and entertaining. Honing your skills in
a W course can advance your writing in many creative venues: email, journal,
poetry, novels, memoir, personal web site, etc.
