Courses

Undergraduate students must take at least one first-year writing course to satisfy the Writing (W) Competency of UConn's General Education Requirements. First-year writing is a prerequisite for all W courses and many University majors and programs.

First-Year Writing Requirement

Students must complete ENGL 1007, or ENGL 1010 or 1011, before enrolling in other writing-intensive (W) courses. You can complete this course during your first year of undergraduate study at any UConn campus.

Students who completed four credits of ENGL 1007 from the Early College Experience Program have completed the First-Year Writing Requirement. Students who earn a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Language and Composition or Literature and Composition courses have also fulfilled the requirement. However, we recommend that AP students take ENGL 1007 because the course is so different from AP English courses.

Learn more about the First-Year Writing Requirement and exceptions.

Course Descriptions

UConn’s first-year writing courses are offered through the Department of English (ENGL) and administered by the First-Year Writing Program. Below are descriptions of our courses.

Visit the UConn Undergraduate Catalog or our course schedule page for a complete list of course offerings for the current academic year.

ENGL 1003. Academic Literacies for Multilingual Students

Offered at UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

ENGL 1003 is taught by instructors trained to work with multilingual and international students. The course will introduce you to UConn’s first-year writing curriculum and the academic work done at a university. During the semester, you will:

  • Explore different kinds of writing, expression, and thought through various projects.
  • Plan and execute various writing projects for different purposes, contexts, and audiences.
  • Critically examine your own and others’ writing.
  • Develop an understanding of how to communicate effectively in an academic context.
  • Learn how to plan, draft, review, and revise your writing.

ENGL 1003 will provide you with opportunities to work with your instructor to develop your skills and style as a writer and speaker. You will explore and communicate your ideas in an environment that respects diverse cultural views and experiences, helping you to prepare for future first-year writing courses and beyond.

ENGL 1004. Introduction to Academic Writing

Offered at UConn Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, and Waterbury campuses; also offered as an Early College Experience course.

ENGL 1004 is open to any student who would like more individualized attention in preparation for the First-Year Writing Wequirement. It is designed to help you practice the reading and writing skills essential to university work.

The course will immerse you in a variety of composition practices and work across different media, including written, visual, and audio. You will practice:

  • Developing composition projects.
  • Drafting and revising work.
  • Listening to and acting on others’ responses to your writing.
  • Presenting your work in a compelling way.

These practices will allow you to consider the complex ways we communicate, engage in conversations, and participate in the world around us.

ENGL 1004 is a four-credit course that can count toward your total credits needed to graduate. Students must pass ENGL 1004 before enrolling in ENGL 1007.

ENGL 1007. Seminar and Studio in Writing and Multimodal Composition

Offered at UConn Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, and Waterbury campuses; also offered as an Early College Experience course.

ENGL 1007 is for students in all majors, fields, and campuses. All ENGL 1007 courses have the same learning objectives, although the class format differs slightly from campus to campus. It is designed to help you develop skills in writing, composition, digital media and design, and information literacy – or how information is created, disseminated, and organized.

The course uses studio teaching techniques instead of the traditional lecture model. During class time, you will engage with concepts through projects and hands-on activities. You may also supplement your learning with online course modules and develop a digital learning portfolio.

As a student in this course, you will:

  • Contribute to ongoing and important conversations in the world.
  • Compose for multiple contexts.
  • Develop sustainable intellectual projects.
  • Learn to access, evaluate, synthesize, and incorporate information into written, oral, and visual presentations.
  • Explore traditional and emerging digital media technologies.
  • Develop the critical thinking, creative, and technical skills needed to communicate in the 21st century.

Find Your Course

The Guided Placement Survey can provide you with a customized recommendation of which first-year writing course fits you best.

Take the Guided Placement Survey