Begining academic year 2014-2015, enrollment into fall term sections of First Year Writing (FYW) will be restricted to incoming, first year students. All students, regardless of year, will be able to enroll in spring and summer term sections of FYW.

Students who enrolled prior to 2012 and who have not yet satisfied their Liberal Arts Core Requirement for “Writing Seminar” may enroll in a spring or summer section of FYW, and also have the following choices for fulfilling that graduation requirement:

• Recommended--Take any of the courses listed as an Approved Substitution for Writing Seminar course
• Successfully pass the CLEP College Composition exam (NOT the College Composition Modular)
• Take English Composition/First Year Writing at another institution and have the credit transferred to RIT

Please note: Following current practice, any student who is required to take the Writing Placement Exam (WPE) must score a “2” in order to pursue any of these options for fulfilling their “Writing Seminar” graduation requirement. A score of “1” requires enrollment and successful completion of UWRT 100, Critical Reading and Writing, before proceeding to the options listed above.

All students electing to enroll in an “Approved Substitution” course should contact the College of Liberal Arts Student Services Office to process a substitution form.

The revised Institute Writing Policy (D01.5), requires that every RIT student will be introduced to academic writing in their first year, complete at least one writing-intensive General Education course, and then gain mastery of written forms specific to their major areas of study in a program-specific course, normally completed in their later years of study at RIT. This revised policy is intended to prepare our students for the written communication demands of their coursework, co-op experiences, and future workplace.

First Year Writing (FYW) is a General Education “Foundations” course that plays an essential role in students’ academic transition to the university. In FYW, students will learn about the social and intellectual aspects of university writing, and develop critical literacy practices required for academic success. For example, students completing first year writing will achieve the following General Education Student Learning Outcomes:

• Revise and improve their writing
• Express themselves effectively in common college-level written forms using standard American English
• Use relevant evidence gathered through accepted scholarly methods and properly acknowledge sources of information (General Education Framework)

Starting AY2013-14, three units different alpha codes will offer first year writing: UWRT 150, ENGL 150, and ISTE 110. Regardless of the unit offering the course, every section of FYW will satisfy the general education student learning outcomes for “First Year Writing.”

General Education WI course located throughout the “Perspective” and “Immersion” curriculum and use writing to engage students in course content. General Education WI courses reinforce the knowledge and practices introduced in FYW. In General Education Writing Intensive courses students:

• are introduced to and practice reading, writing, and revising written forms common to the various disciplinary contexts of General Education "Perspective" and "Immersion" courses.

Program WI courses are located in disciplinary contexts and apprentice students in specific forms of writing. Program WI courses reinforce the knowledge and practices introduced in First Year Writing. In Program WI courses students:

• gain mastery of written forms specific to the students major area of study at RIT.

When a course is approved by the Institute Writing Committee to be either General Education WI or Program WI, the registrar enters in a “WI” course attribute into SIS. If the course is approved to be a FYW course, the registrar enters in both a “WI” and a “FYW” course attribute.

SIS allows for searching according to course attribute. Additionally a list of Approved WI courses will be available online at the IWC website.  The number of approved WI courses is growing, but is not yet complete. As of 3.25.2013, there are more than 60 approved WI courses.

• For question about First Year Writing, contact Dianna Winslow.
• For questions about the WPE, Contact the Writing Program Coordinator (WPEcoord@rit.edu).
• For questions about The Writing Commons, contact Rachel Chaffee.
• For questions about WAC, WI courses, or “Writing Fellows,” contact David Martins or Angela Brodie.
• For questions about “Writing Seminar” substitutions, contact the COLA Student Services.
• For questions about English Language Center and CRW/FYW articulation, contact Josh Snyder.
• For more information on Institute Writing Policy, go to Institute Writing Committee.