Primary Writing Requirement
Note: The course number for “Reasoning and Writing in the College” changed from CAS 105 to WRT 105 in the fall of 2008.
Entering students must establish competence in writing clear argumentative essays at the college level. The procedure by which competence is established is determined by the College Writing Program in consultation with the College Writing Committee.
Typically, students fulfill the Primary Writing Requirement by completing “Reasoning and Writing in the College” (WRT 105 or WRT 105E) with a grade of “C” or better. (Students accepted into the dual degree program between the Eastman School of Music and The College satisfy this requirement by completing either WRT 105/105E or a FWS course at Eastman. Students admitted to the College through the ESOL Program fulfill the requirement by earning a grade of “C” or better in WRT 103, ESOL Critical Reading, Reasoning, and Writing, and WRT 104, ESOL Research, Reading, and Writing,) To be prepared for the upper-level writing requirement in the major, students are expected to satisfy the Primary Writing Requirement by the end of the first year of study. Transfer students are expected to complete the Primary Writing Requirement by the end of their first semester.
Students who believe that they are already proficient college writers may petition to satisfy the Primary Writing Requirement by taking a University of Rochester course other than WRT 105. To petition, students submit Form 2B (available atwriting.rochester.edu/requirements/enteringfreshmen.html). A student whose petition is accepted can satisfy the writing requirement by achieving a “B” or above in a course with a significant writing component, which usually includes several short papers throughout the semester, a substantial final paper, and revision based on instructor feedback. The course must be approved by the Writing Program, and getting approval before taking the course is recommended.
Students may petition only once, are expected to do so during the first semester of matriculation, and may not do so after already attempting to complete WRT 105 or WRT 105E.
Transfer credit policy:
Transfer students who wish to use a writing course they have completed elsewhere to satisfy Rochester’s Primary Writing Requirement need to complete and submit Form 2C (available atwriting.rochester.edu/requirements/enteringtransfers.html) to the College Writing Program by the end of their first semester of matriculation. The Writing Program notifies students directly of the outcome, and sends copies of the letter to the Center for Advising Services and the Registrar. Students who transfer from MCC and who have received the grade of “B” or better in the classroom-based ENG 200 are considered to have fulfilled the Primary Writing Requirement. Entering freshmen are expected to fulfill the Primary Writing Requirement by completing an appropriate course at the University at Rochester (see above).
Repeat course policy for WRT 105 and 105E:
The “repeated course” policy of the faculty stipulates that the second grade earned (which may or may not be higher than the first) is calculated into the grade point average and the first grade (and credit, if any) is removed from the calculation of the grade point average. However, an exception is available to students who passed WRT 105/105E the first time but need to repeat it in order to earn a grade of C or better. These students may choose to keep the credit from the first course and earn an additional four credits when they repeat the course. The grades from both courses are included in the grade point average. (See Repeating Courses)
Students who want the special option must submit the form designed for this purpose to the Center for Advising Services by the drop/add deadline of the semester in which they repeat the course.
