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The Undergraduate Writing Program

The Undergraduate Writing Program

What is University Writing?

ENGL CC/GS1010: University Writing, is a one-semester seminar designed to facilitate students’ entry into the intellectual life of the university by teaching them to become more capable and independent academic readers and writers. The course emphasizes habits of mind and skills that foster students’ capacities for critical analysis, argument, revision, collaboration, meta-cognition, and research. Students read and discuss essays from a number of fields, complete regular informal reading and writing exercises, compose several longer essays, and devise a research-based project of their own design.

The Essays Students Will Write:

  • Essay 1: Students analyze a single text.
  • Essay 2: Students put multiple texts in conversation with one another.
  • Essay 3: Students make a researched argument using 8-10 sources.
  • Essay 4: Students write an op-ed for a publication with a wide audience.

To read student essays from the course, see The Morningside Review.

Courses of Instruction:

ENGL CC/GS1010: University Writing (3 points) focuses on developing students’ reading, writing, and thinking, drawing from readings on a designated course theme that carry a broad appeal to people with diverse interests. No University Writing class presumes that students arrive with prior knowledge in the theme of the course. We are offering the following themes this year:

For further information on course requirements in general:

CC and SEAS students: Center for Student Advising, 403 Lerner Hall

GS students should contact their advisor.

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Spring 2023 Registration Deadlines:

For CC/SEAS students only:

  • To change from one University Writing section to another, Starting January 9, please email us three choices in which you want us to consider placing you.  We will take these up to Thursday, January 12, 3 pm, to: english-cc1010-petitions@columbia.edu.  Please use your uni email, not a name alias.  After that, section changes for Core conflicts only may be petitioned up until Wednesday, January 18, 4 pm.  Note 1: Your choices must be sections that have openings in them.  You can find section numbers on the Directory of Classes or on SSOL.  UW classes are capped at 14 students and we do not over-enroll sections.   Note 2: In order to change sections you cannot have a schedule conflict in any course in your schedule. Note 3: Your credit load after the change must not exceed the maximum for your school. You should consult with your academic advisor regarding credit loads.
  • To trade University Writing sections with another student: The most efficient way for a student to change their section is to find someone with whom to trade. If two students email our office wishing to change into each other's section, we can do that almost immediately.  We will start accepting petitions on January 9.  See link to the right of this page for the form. Note 1: In order to change sections neither student can have a schedule conflict in any course in their schedule. Note 2: Each student's credit load after the change must not exceed the maximum for their school. Please use your uni emails, not a name alias. Students should consult with their academic advisors regarding credit loads.  Send the petition as either a Word doc or as a pdf.

General Studies students:
Students may change GS UW sections only online. Students who have questions should talk to their advisors.

For all students:
There are no waitlists for UW, and instructors cannot add or drop students from their sections. Students should follow the procedure of their school in order to add/drop a section. To maintain the learning environment that the course requires, sections are capped at 14 and never over-enrolled.

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Please email John Stobo, jrs9@columbia.edu, the UWP administrative assistant, if you have any questions.