Substantial Writing Component (SWC)

Courses

History and Requirements of SWC Courses

(From the SWC Resources Website)

The present Substantial Writing Component (SWC) requirements can be traced to the work of a committee appointed by, then, President Peter Flawn in 1983. The SWC requirements established were as follows:

· Each course certified as having a substantial writing component must include at least three writing activities per semester, exclusive of in-class quizzes and examinations. These three or more writing activities must total approximately 16 typewritten, double-spaced pages (about 4,000 words). A major rewriting of a paper (requiring additional original writing, not merely editing) can be considered a separate writing activity.

· During the course, each student must receive a timely and detailed critique following each writing activity concerning the quality of the student's written expression and ways in which the paper can be improved.

· The quality of a student's written expression must be an important component in determining the student's course grade.

In 1989, the University Council's Educational Policy Committee reviewed the program and decided that students must take a minimum of four writing courses: freshman Rhetoric and Composition (E 306), sophomore survey of literature (E 316) and two additional SWC courses, at least one of which shall be upper-division. In addition, the council recommended that successful teaching of SWC courses be given positive considerations in annual reviews for promotion and merit raises.

SWC courses are offered in departments across the University, and are usually designated in the Course Schedule with a "-W" appended to the title and the statement “Contains a substantial writing component and fulfills part of the Basic Education Requirement in writing.”

Application for Certification of SWC Courses

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the form used to request Dean's approval of Substantial Writing Component Courses in the College of Liberal Arts. After the information is entered in the form, the form must be printed and signed by the instructor. The signature of the instructor on SWC certification forms is necessary to ensure the integrity of the information included on the form and residing in our files. The Dean's office will ONLY accept typed forms in the format of the one you find here.

SWC courses must be certified each semester they are offered. Because the writing assignments of each instructor may vary, it is absolutely necessary to submit a separate form for each instructor, even if several sections of the same course are being offered. Even though a course may meet the requirements for SWC certification, the course will NOT be listed as an SWC unless the appropriate paperwork has been submitted.

When cross-listed courses are requesting SWC certification, only the HOME department must submit the request form. The form MUST indicate all included cross-listings to help maintain order in checking the course schedule. Be sure to include topic numbers, if appropriate.

Blanket authorization is NOT given to conference courses, however, each department or center should consider SWC Certification for their Honors Tutorial (679HB) writing course.

Courses taught in foreign languages are eligible for SWC certification, but must meet the following additional requirements:

• The course MUST be at the upper-division level,
• The courses focuses on the student's use of written language to organize, analyze, and present their thoughts.

Translation courses or courses that focus solely on the language itself would NOT qualify.

It is required by the Provost that certification of writing components be completed BEFORE the courses appear in a published course schedule.

Please direct all questions and concerns regarding SWC Certification to Chris Adams in the Dean's Office.

Approved SWC Course Designation

SWC Courses must be designated with "-W" in the course title (no space between them), and standard statement #2, "Contains a substantial writing component and fulfills part of the Basic Education Requirement in Writing."

If the SWC is being removed from a course, the original course MUST be CANCELLED, and re-added without the SWC designation. Please do this BEFORE registration for that semester begins so that students will know EXACTLY what they are registering for. This process must be used when a department removes the SWC at request of the professor, or when the Dean's Office must act because a request was denied, or no request was made.

SWC Resources

The SWC Resource Coordinator provides support to instructors of SWC courses, and to anyone using writing in the classroom. The current SWC Resource Coordinator, Susan "George" Schorn, has her office in PAR 15. You can contact her with any questions about writing in the classroom, or check the SWC Resources Website.