The UConn First-Year Writing (FYW) Program prepares students to become versatile writers, setting them up for success in college and beyond.
About First-Year Writing
All UConn undergraduate students must take a first-year writing course as part of their general education requirements. The First-Year Writing Program administers these courses, trains instructors, and develops new teaching methods.
We offer first-year seminars in composition and studio sessions that promote active learning and collaboration. Our courses emphasize the development of writing across disciplines. Students get exposure to different writing styles and platforms, from traditional to new digital media.
By the Numbers
100+
Sections of ENGL 1007 offered per semester
20
Average class size
~5.2k
Students enroll in first-year writing courses per year
Quick Links
Find an Instructor
Browse a list of our course instructors at the Storrs and regional campuses.
Instructor Directory
Course Placement
Complete the Guided Placement Survey to find the course match that’s best for you.
Take the Survey
Classroom Activities
First-year writing students learn by doing and engage in hands-on experiences.
Explore Activities
Blog
The Sound of Silence by Ruba Bouzan
The Sound of Silence: When Students Don’t Respond to Thoughtful Questions There’s a moment every instructor dreads—the moment when you pose a question, one designed to invite engagement, self-reflection, or critical thought, and instead, you are met with silence. Not just a pause for thinking, but an enduring, uncomfortable quiet. Eyes drop to notebooks, a […]
[Read More]Inquiries for Dissensus by Lisa Blansett and Marie Nour Nakhle
“Inquiry” is one of those words that you encounter almost on the daily if you teach for First-Year Writing. You’ve probably been told over and over that our program foregrounds inquiry. But what do we mean? And why? For our purposes, an inquiry is a question that grammatically and socially invites a response. An inquiry—the […]
[Read More]My Student’s Voice by Anh Le
I wanted to be as men wanted that I was: an attempt at life; a game of hide-and-seek with myself. But I was made of presents, and my feet, flat on the promising land they couldn’t resist walking backwards, And they kept going, going, mocking the ashes to reach the kiss of the new paths. […]
[Read More]Upcoming Events
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