SWR Course Approval Questions
Before submitting a CCI form, instructors (or department staff) must complete the following questionnaire and upload a copy of the course syllabus and weekly schedule. By answering these questions, instructors will specify which criteria their SWR course will use and briefly explain how the course will incorporate each component of the criteria. Before submitting the questions, instructors will be asked to attach their syllabus and weekly schedule.
Two Criteria Options for SWR Courses
Existing SWR Criteria
Courses using the existing SWR Criteria to meet the SWR must adhere to the following:
1. Be designated as appropriate for the development of writing skills;
2. Have at least two writing assignments totaling 4,000 words (20 pages or more);
a. Assignments must be written in English
b. Blue books, quizzes, and exams do not count.
3. Have a student/instructor ratio no greater than 30/1;
a. Teaching Assistants may be counted as instructors, but graders may not.
New WE Criteria
Courses using the new WE criteria to meet the SWR must adhere to the following:
- One major learning objective for the course must be the development of student writing, which is reflected in the final course grade.
- Multiple writing assignments are sequenced and distributed over the course of the semester. Students should write a minimum of 15-20 double-spaced pages (or the equivalent in word-dominant multimodal projects), which may include both drafts and final versions of assignments. Of this total, at least 10 double-spaced pages should be finished, polished writing.
- Students are required to revise at least 1 longer assignment based on feedback from the instructor and/or peers. This longer assignment should be developed through a multi-step drafting process.
- The course provides writing instruction and repeated opportunities to discuss and practice writing.
Regardless of the criteria used, all SWR courses must be taught in the College of Arts and Sciences, in order to fulfill the CAS requirement. Exception: If a student took an otherwise qualifying course in another School of the University of Virginia before transferring into the College, the course will satisfy the SWR.