The Program

The University Writing Program, which partners closely with the English Department, operates under the aegis of the University Writing Committee, appointed by the Faculty Senate. The program’s primary mission is to help students develop the writing practices, rhetorical awareness, and information literacy needed for their academic coursework, their professional careers, their civic communities, and their personal lives.

To this end, the Writing Program offers two First Year Writing courses: ENGLWRIT 111: Basic Writing and ENGLWRIT 112: College Writing. ENGLWRIT 111: Basic Writing is an intensive reading and writing course for students who need additional preparation before taking College Writing; it awards three credits.  ENGLWRIT 112: College Writing is the only course that satisfies the university’s First Year Writing requirement.

Entering first-year students take an essay examination to determine placement in Basic or College Writing. A small percentage of students are waived without academic credit from the First Year Writing requirement based on this test. First-year students generally take the exam prior to summer orientation. To access the Writing Placement Exam, students need to log in to OWL, select Assignment List from the Course Home Page, and choose Writing Placement Exam. Contact owl-it-help@it.umass.edu with any problems logging in or accessing the exam.

Students are expected to fulfill the First Year Writing requirement during their first year. Transfer students may complete the equivalent of College Writing before enrolling at the university or take the university's writing placement exam in order to enroll in ENGLWRIT 111 or 112.

The Junior Year Writing requirement is satisfied by a course in the student’s major department in the university. Students will normally complete this course during their junior year in conjunction with the academic work that leads to the completion of the major.

Students are exempt, with credit, from the First Year Writing requirement if they received a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition exam. If they received a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition exam, they are not exempted from the First Year Writing requirement but will receive three English credits. Students who took the SAT prior to March 2016 and scored a 1460 or above on the combined reading and writing sections are also exempt; there are no SAT exemptions for students who took the SAT in March 2016 or later. The CLEP College Composition exam may also be used for exemptions in certain situations.

For information about any matters relating to the Writing Program, its courses and policies, please stop by the Writing Program Office on the 13th floor of the Du Bois Library or call (413) 545-0610.