The Program in Writing and Rhetoric offers courses that fulfill the University's D.E.C. category A English Composition requirement. The program also provides electives for students who want to explore writing in different contexts and enhance their proficiency in academic writing. The philosophy of the University's Program in Writing and Rhetoric is that writing is an ongoing process as well as a finished product.
Courses require multiple drafts of all papers submitted for the final writing portfolio.
Writing courses stress collaborative learning in the classroom and are designed as workshops. Students work in small groups to learn aspects of writing analysis and criticism in order to better analyze their own writing as well as the writing of fellow students. By learning how to analyze their writing, students learn to improve their writing. All group work is supervised by writing instructors experienced in workshop teaching and in critical commentary on student writing. The primary goal of all writing courses is effective communication, orally and in writing.