W & C Courses

Proficiency requires a solid knowledge of rhetorical concepts such as audience awareness and the ability to match language to the occasion or type of document being produced. A proficient communicator argues well, thinks critically, and solves problems. A proficient communicator can analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information from various sources; document and cite properly; and organize text logically. Skill with grammar, mechanics, format, and usage is required.

Proficiency in communication cannot be achieved all at once, during a single, First-Year English or speech course, but must be acquired through practice over time, for many different audiences, in different situations, and in different genres. Because writing conventions and ways of communicating vary somewhat from discipline to discipline, novice communicators need the guidance of experienced writers in the disciplinary communities they aspire to join.

Experienced writers produce multiple drafts, edit and proofread, and participate in reviews and critiques of their work. Good prose and fluent speaking requires the investment of time and effort.

All TAMU students must pass two courses in their major that fulfill the graduation requirement for writing and oral communication. The amount of course credit can vary; however, zero-credit courses cannot be used to fulfill the requirement.  Since the TAMU 2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog #130, the university has required two (2) W (writing) courses in the major. Since 2008, students have been able to take either one W and one C (communication) course or two (2) W courses in the major.The W/C graduation requirement may not be met by any course listed as a University Core Curriculum communication requirement.

A course must have a 900 section number and be approved for the student's major to count as the W or C course on that student's degree plan.

A department may request that a course outside the major count in a specific degree plan if that course is relevant to the student's discipline. Both the department offering the course and the department offering the major should agree that the course can be added. To make the request, submit the Request for Approval of W- and C- Courses Outside the Major Form to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.

W or C credit cannot be given. The syllabus should specify that a student will fail the course in this case. In some situations, the department (with the approval of the dean) may change that student's section number from a 900 to a 500 (using a drop/add form), so that the student can pass the course without fulfilling the W or C requirement.

Departmental academic advisors can help students identify W amd C course that count in their degree plans. Rather than being listed as W/C in course catalogs, W/C courses are designated by section numbers in the 900 range in the online Schedule of Courses in Howdy. For further detail on numbering, see the table below.

Departments that wish to offer a W or C section must submit a form to the Office of the Registrar. This form, available from the Office of the Registrar web site, verifies that a course is currently approved as W or C. Return the completed form to the Office of the Registrar at 0100 TAMU.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to request a waiver. Students may request a waiver from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies through the University Adjustment System. Instructions are available  on the web site of the Office of the Registrar. Questions may be directed to Dr. Valerie Balester (uwc@tamu.edu).

Yes, with the approval of the dean of the student's college and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Upon request, students will provide their dean with a course description, syllabus, and/or writing sample from the course being transferred.

No.

So long as a course designated as W or C meets the basic requirements for writing or oral communication as agreed upon during certification, it can qualify as a W or C course, regardless of format. Thus, for example, summer courses, online courses, and study-abroad courses can all be W or C courses. Likewise, W/C courses can be pass/fail. However, they cannot be taken for 0 credit.

W Courses must:

• be offered for at least one credit
• include writing assignments related to the major
• provide instruction in writing and formative feedback that allows improvement of some major assignments
• base part of the final course grade on writing quality (at least 25% for a 4-credit course, 33% for a 3-credit course, 50% for a 2-credit course, and 70% for a 1-credit course)
• assign at least of 2000 words of finished, graded writing

C Courses must:

• be offered for at least one credit
• include writing and public speaking or other oral communication related to the major
• provide instruction in writing and speaking and formative feedback in both writing and speaking that allows improvement of some major assignments
• base part of the final course grade on writing or speaking quality (at least 25% for a 4-credit course, 33% for a 3-credit course, 50% for a 2-credit course and 70% for a 1-credit course)
• assign at least 1250 words of finished, graded writing and 5 minutes of oral communication

Courses should be re-certified every four years. If the new version is significantly different in terms of the writing and/or speaking components before the approved version expires,re-submit it and explain why. If there are minor changes to the writing and/or speaking components, this can wait until the course comes up for recertification.

If there is a change in the course prefix, number, or title but the course is essentially the same, an email notice to the W & C Course Advisory Committee at uwc@tamu.edu will suffice. Explain in the email that the course is substantially the same as regards the writing and/or speaking components.

W/C courses are designed so that the student gets instruction, feedback, and other support to develop written and spoken communication skills. Students revise major assignments after receiving feedback from instructors or peers and benefit from other forms of instruction and practice. In addition, the University Writing Center  offers an array of online writing and speaking guides and one-to-one consultations with College Reading and Learning Association certified consultants. Consultants work with individual students or with groups working collaboratively on projects. The focus is on the composing process, not on creating a perfect product; consultants work to help students improve composing habits and processes so their learning will transfer to new situations.