W & C Courses

Words of Wisdom

Normally, in anything I do, I'm fairly miserable. I do it, and I get grumpy because there is a huge, vast gulf, this aching disparity, between the platonic ideal of the project that was living in my head, and the small, sad, wizened, shaking, squeaking thing that I actually produce.

— Neil Gaiman


TAMU undergraduates must pass two approved courses in their major that fulfill the graduation requirement for writing and oral communication. Students may opt to take one W (writing) course and one C (communications) course or two W courses.

If you are not sure whether a course is approved for your major, check with your academic advisor. If you are a double major, you need to fulfill the requirement in one of your majors. That means you need two courses in one major, not one in each or two in each.

The W/C graduation requirement may not be met by any course listed as a University Core Curriculum communication requirement. In addition to taking the W/C courses, students must fulfill the 6-credit hour Core Curriculum Communication requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you complete a course with a passing grade but have not passed the W or C portion of the course, you will not get the graduation credit for that W or C course.
The list of approved W or C courses changes every semester and can be checked in the Schedule of Classes in Howdy. W/C courses are not listed in the catalog. Check section numbers, not just course numbers, because departments may offer only certain sections of a course as W or C.  A 900-section number identifies both W and C courses, as follows:
 

Section Numbers

Course Type

900-929

W

970-979

W Honors

930-969

C

980-999

C Honors
You cannot substitute a non-W/C course for a designated W/C course. A course must have a 900 section number and be your major to count as the W or C course on your degree plan. Your academic advisor can help if you are having trouble fulfilling the W/C graduation requirement.
The W/C graduation requirement may be met by a course transferred from another institution of higher learning, with the approval of the dean of your college and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Upon request, you should provide the dean with a course description, syllabus, and/or writing sample from the course being transferred.
 
No.
W and C courses are designed so that you receive instruction, feedback, and other support to develop communication skills. For example, W and C courses give you an opportunity to revise major assignments after receiving feedback from the instructor or peers. There is also help available from the University Writing Center.

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