The Writing Competency requirement develops the ability to write clearly. Writing can be a tool for organizing and clarifying one’s thoughts. Effective written expression is often necessary to contribute to ongoing debates or discussions in personal, civic, and vocational spheres. Students prepare a variety of public texts by applying knowledge of composing processes, rhetorical strategies, and textual conventions. Students must satisfy the Freshman Composition, Intermediate Composition, and Writing Intensive requirements as detailed below.
Students learn how to use composition techniques, strategies for persuasive writing, and modern writing conventions and practices to prepare a variety of papers.
Students acquire writing skills necessary for writing in upper-level major courses and beyond.
Writing Intensive courses in the University Program help students to learn course content, increase writing fluency, and to help prepare for more formal writing assignments. The purpose of Writing Intensive courses outside of the University Program is to provide practice with the language conventions, writing styles, and formats within a specific discipline or profession.
At least 6 hours of Writing Intensive coursework must be in the University Program, and 6 hours of Writing Intensive coursework may be fulfilled by courses outside of the University Program.
The following two groups of courses have been approved as Writing Intensive (check the Course Search and Registration for course sections indicated with a “WI” next to the course number). Some of these courses are also approved as UP Courses and are listed at the end of each subgroup for cross reference purposes.
ANT 250WI | Water as Life, Death, and Power | 3(3-0) |
ANT 265WI | Medicine, Health and Illness: Why Culture Matters | 3(3-0) |
ATR 390WI | Seminar in Athletic Training | 3(3-0) |
ATR 478WI | Research Methods in Athletic Training | 3(3-0) |
BCA 211WI | Introduction to Writing for Electronic Media | 3(3-0) |
BCA 311WI | Electronic Media Copywriting | 3(3-0) |
BCA 318WI | Electronic Media Newswriting | 3(3-0) |
BCA 411WI | Long-Form Electronic Media Writing | 3(3-0) |
BCA 503WI | Critiquing Mass Media | 3(3-0) |
BCA 506WI | Series Script Writing For Visual Media | 3(3-0) |
BCA 508WI | Screenwriting for Cinematic Narrative | 3(3-0) |
BCA 516WI | Electronic Media Management | 3(3-0) |
BCA 540WI | Recording Industry and Business | 3(3-0) |
BIO 250WI | Water as Life, Death, and Power | 3(3-0) |
BIO 321WI | Introduction to Conservation Biology | 3(3-0) |
BIO 403WI | Undergraduate Research | 3-4(Spec) |
BIO 567WI | Biogeochemistry | 3(3-0) |
BIO 576WI | Mammalian Cell Culture | 3(1-5) |
BIS 101WI | Essential Business Communication Skills | 3(3-0) |
BIS 260WI | Global Business Communication | 3(3-0) |
CSD 432WI | Clinical Communication in Speech-Language Pathology | 3(3-0) |
CGL 496WI | Seminar in Cultural and Global Studies | 3(3-0) |
CHM 250WI | Water as Life, Death, and Power | 3(3-0) |
CHM 491WI | Undergraduate Research | 1-3(Spec) |
COM 301WI | Survey of Research in Communication | 3(3-0) |
COM 352WI | Communication and Social Influence | 3(3-0) |
EDU 380WI | Interdisciplinary Methods and Pre-Student Teaching | 10(Spec) |
EGR 489WI | Senior Design I | 3(Spec) |
EGR 499WI | Senior Design II | 3(Spec) |
ENG 143WI | Laughing Matters: Comedy and Satire | 3(3-0) |
ENG 211WI | Introduction to English Education | 3(3-0) |
ENG 234WI | Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3(3-0) |
ENG 294WI | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3(3-0) |
ENG 301WI | Nonfiction Writing | 3(3-0) |
ENG 303WI | Technical Writing | 3(3-0) |
ENG 315WI | Teaching Writing in Elementary and Middle Schools | 4(3-1) |
ENG 381WI | Children's Literature | 3(3-0) |
ENG 391WI | Creative Writing: Fiction | 3(3-0) |
ENG 392WI | Creative Writing: Poetry | 3(3-0) |
ENG 402WI | Argumentation and Expository Writing | 3(3-0) |
ENG 435WI | Senior Seminar: Advanced Literary Analysis | 3(3-0) |
ENG 491WI | Advanced Fiction Writing | 3-6(3-0) |
ENG 510WI | Writing Center Practicum | 1-3(Spec) |
ENS 503WI | Environmental Modeling | 4(2-4) |
ENV 400WI | Environmental Studies Capstone | 3(3-0) |
FRN 321WI | France Today | 3(3-0) |
FRN 423WI | France at War in the 20th Century | 3(3-0) |
GEL 380WI | Hydrogeology | 3(2-3) |
GEL 406WI | Senior Thesis | 3(Spec) |
GEO 450WI | Geography Capstone | 3(3-0) |
HON 201WI | Honors Studies in Human Events and Ideas: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 202WI | Honors Studies in the Arts: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 203WI | Honors Descriptive Science: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 204WI | Honors Quantitative and Mathematical Science: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 205WI | Honors Behavioral Sciences: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 206WI | Honors Studies in Social Structures: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 207WI | Honors Studies in Global Cultures: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HON 208WI | Honors Studies in Racism and Diversity in the U.S.: First Year Seminar | 3(3-0) |
HPS 101WI | Introduction to the Health Professions | 3(3-0) |
HPS 350WI | Readiness: College-to-Career Transition | 3(3-0) |
HSC 203WI | Leadership for the Health Professions | 3(3-0) |
HSC 315WI | Critical Analysis of Contemporary Issues in Exercise and Health Science | 3(3-0) |
HSC 419WI | Community Health Assessment, Planning and Program Evaluation | 3(3-0) |
HSC 538WI | Development of Proposals and Reports in Health Administration | 3(3-0) |
HST 100WI | Reconstructing the Past: An Introduction to the Study of History | 3(3-0) |
HST 210WI | United States History through Michigan Eyes | 3(3-0) |
HST 222WI | Cherokees, Slaves and the Struggle for Racial Justice | 3(3-0) |
HST 331WI | Time Travelers for Social Justice | 3(3-0) |
HST 496WI | Research Seminar | 3(3-0) |
IET 324WI | Product Design and Development | 3(2-2) |
IND 332WI | Human Shelter and Environment | 3(3-0) |
JRN 107WI | Literary Journalism | 3(3-0) |
JRN 202WI | Writing for the Mass Media | 3(3-0) |
JRN 205WI | Shaping the Media | 3(3-0) |
JRN 312WI | Reporting | 3(3-0) |
JRN 348WI | Business Journalism | 3(3-0) |
JRN 417WI | Sports Reporting | 3(3-0) |
JRN 430WI | Magazine and Feature Writing | 3(3-0) |
JRN 450WI | Public Relations Writing | 3(3-0) |
JRN 516WI | Public Affairs Reporting | 3(3-0) |
JRN 551WI | Case Studies in Public Relations | 3(3-0) |
MET 460WI | Global Climate Dynamics | 3(3-0) |
MET 480WI | Atmospheric Modeling | 3(2-2) |
MUS 314WI | History of Symphonic Literature | 3(3-0) |
NUR 390WI | Concepts of Culture and Diversity | 3(3-0) |
PAD 523WI | Fundamentals of Grant Writing and Management | 3(3-0) |
PES 215WI | K-12 Physical Education Programming | 3(3-0) |
PHL 490WI | Senior Seminar in Philosophy | 3(3-0) |
PHY 491WI | Senior Physics Project | 3(Spec) |
PHY 578WI | Experimental Physics | 3(1-5) |
PSC 571WI | The Military and Politics | 3(3-0) |
REL 501WI | Seminar in the Study of Religion | 3(3-0) |
REL 505WI | Research Seminar | 3(3-0) |
RPL 580WI | Programming for Therapeutic Recreation | 3(3-0) |
SPE 550WI | Teaching Diverse Students in Educational Settings | 3(3-0) |
SPN 405WI | Modern and Contemporary Spanish Novel | 3(3-0) |
SPN 415WI | Spanish-American Novel | 3(3-0) |
SPN 431WI | Advanced Writing in Spanish | 3(3-0) |
SWK 331WI | Social Work Generalist Practice III | 3(3-0) |
TAI 586WI | Playwriting | 3(3-0) |
ANT 170 | Cultural Anthropology | 3(3-0) |
ANT 174 | Inequality in the Ancient World: Origins of Early States | 3(3-0) |
ANT 276 | Language and Culture | 3(3-0) |
ANT 459 | Anthropology of Religion | 3(3-0) |
ANT 465 | Capstone Experience in Anthropology | 3(3-0) |
ART 126 | Introduction to the Visual Arts | 3(3-0) |
ART 380 | Greek Art and Architecture | 3(3-0) |
ART 381 | Early Christian and Byzantine Art | 3(3-0) |
ART 485 | Art After 1945 | 3(3-0) |
ART 580 | Seminar in Ancient/Medieval Art History | 3-6(3-0) |
ART 581 | Seminar in Early Modern Art History | 3-6(3-0) |
ART 582 | Seminar in Modern and Contemporary Art History | 3-6(3-0) |
ART 586 | Special Topics Seminar in Art History | 3-9(3-0) |
BCA 350 | Women in Film | 3(2-2) |
BCA 351 | Queer Cinema | 3(2-2) |
BIO 240 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3(3-0) |
BIO 325 | Biotechnology | 3(1-5) |
BIO 338 | Human Ecology | 3(3-0) |
BIO 518 | Animal Behavior | 4(3-3) |
BIO 544 | Developmental Biology | 4(3-3) |
BIO 545 | Molecular Genetics | 3(3-0) |
BIO 560 | Avian Ecology | 3(2-3) |
BIO 570 | Medical Cell Biology | 3-4(Spec) |
BLR 170 | Legal Studies in Global Cultures | 3(3-0) |
BLR 202 | Legal Environment of Business | 3(3-0) |
BLR 222 | The Search for Racial Justice through Law | 3(3-0) |
BLR 235 | Business Law | 3(3-0) |
BLR 325 | Women and the Law | 3(3-0) |
BLR 328 | Employment Law and Discrimination | 3(3-0) |
BLR 330 | Real Estate Law | 3(3-0) |
BLR 365 | Native American Justice Through Law | 3(3-0) |
COM 277 | Video Games and Human Communication | 3(3-0) |
COM 468 | Advanced Interpersonal Communication | 3(3-0) |
COM 527 | Political Communication | 3(3-0) |
EDU 107 | Introduction to Teaching | 3(3-1) |
EDU 310 | Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers | 3(3-0) |
EDU 290 | Technology in Education | 3(3-0) |
ENG 134 | Introduction to Literature | 3(3-0) |
ENG 141 | Comics, Graphic Novels, and Other Illustrated Texts | 3(3-0) |
ENG 142 | Literary Interpretation of Sport | 3(3-0) |
ENG 144 | Monsters and Their Meanings | 3(3-0) |
ENG 145 | Bestsellers and Prize Winners | 3(3-0) |
ENG 175 | The Nature of Language | 3(3-0) |
ENG 204/SOC 204/WGS 204 | LGBTQ Identities | 3(3-0) |
ENG 235 | English Literature: Beginning to Romantic Period | 3(3-0) |
ENG 236 | British Literature | 3(3-0) |
ENG 251 | American Literature: Colonial Through the Romantic Period | 3(3-0) |
ENG 252 | American Literature: Realistic Period to the Present | 3(3-0) |
ENG 261 | Masterpieces of Ancient Literature | 3(3-0) |
ENG 262 | European Literatures | 3(3-0) |
ENG 323 | Fantasy and Science Fiction | 3(3-0) |
ENG 327/WGS 327 | Women Writers: Gender, Sexuality, and Literature | 3(3-0) |
ENG 349 | Shakespeare | 3(3-0) |
ENG 492 | Advanced Poetry Writing | 3-6(3-0) |
ENG 493 | Creative Nonfiction | 3-6(3-0) |
ENG 514 | Language and Media Discourse | 3(3-0) |
ENG 539 | Seminar in Major Nonfiction Writers | 3-9(Spec) |
ENV 101 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 3(3-0) |
FMD 250 | History of Western Dress | 3(3-0) |
FMD 252 | Dress and Culture | 3(3-0) |
FNS 370 | Nutrition | 3(3-0) |
FNS 577 | Advanced Topics in Nutrition: Eating Disorders | 3(3-0) |
FRN 201 | Intermediate French I | 4(4-0) |
FRN 202 | Intermediate French II | 4(4-0) |
FRN 325 | French Literature in Translation | 3(3-0) |
FRN 333 | Francophone Literature and Culture | 3(3-0) |
FRN 340 | Foreigners in France in the 20th and 21st Centuries | 3(3-0) |
FRN 353 | Youth Literature in French | 3(3-0) |
FRN 360 | Literature and Culture of Quebec | 3(3-0) |
FRN 375 | French/English Translation | 3(3-0) |
FRN 391 | Topics in French and Francophone Cultures | 1-12(Spec) |
GEL 370 | Structural Geology | 3(2-3) |
GEL 385 | Introductory Petroleum Geology | 3(2-2) |
GEO 121 | Human Geography and Globalization | 3(3-0) |
GEO 400 | Geographic Education | 3(2-2) |
GEO 531 | Integrated Land Use Planning | 3(3-0) |
GER 325 | Modern German Literature in Translation | 3(3-0) |
GER 341 | German Cultural History I | 3(3-0) |
GER 342 | German Cultural History II | 3(3-0) |
GER 343 | Survey of German Literature I | 3(3-0) |
GER 344 | Survey of German Literature II | 3(3-0) |
GER 345 | Survey of German Literature III | 3(3-0) |
GER 347 | German Cultural History III | 3(3-0) |
HDF 100 | Lifespan Development | 3(3-0) |
HDF 247 | Introduction to Gerontology | 3(3-0) |
HDF 308 | Theories of Child and Adolescent Development | 3(3-0) |
HDF 510 | Child Development Seminar: Promoting Resilience | 3(3-0) |
HON 499 | Senior Project | 3-6(Spec) |
HST 101 | The Development of Western Civilization: From Ancient Times to 1700 A.D. | 3(3-0) |
HST 102 | The Development of Western Civilization: From 1700 to the Present | 3(3-0) |
HST 106 | Twentieth Century: Western World Issues | 3(3-0) |
HST 110 | The American Experience | 3(3-0) |
HST 111 | The Quest for Liberty: The United States to 1865 | 3(3-0) |
HST 112 | The Struggle for Equality: The United States, 1865-Present | 3(3-0) |
HST 120 | Unlikely Princesses: Women of World History | 3(3-0) |
HST 163 | The Latin American Experience | 3(3-0) |
HST 168 | Modern East Asia | 3(3-0) |
HST 176 | The African Experience | 3(3-0) |
HST 200 | Medieval Civilization | 3(3-0) |
HST 221 | Growing Up in America | 3(3-0) |
HST 236 | Babylon and Beyond: Ancient Civilizations of the Near/Middle East | 3(3-0) |
HST 237 | Baghdad and Beyond: The Middle East from 600 C.E. | 3(3-0) |
HST 238 | Ancient Greece and Rome | 3(3-0) |
HST 303 | The American Revolution | 3(3-0) |
HST 320 | United States Social History to 1865 | 3(3-0) |
HST 321 | United States Social History since 1865 | 3(3-0) |
HST 323 | History of Native Americans | 3(3-0) |
HST 324 | 'Death is Better than Slavery': African American History to 1877 | 3(3-0) |
HST 325 | 'By Any Means Necessary': African American History, 1877-Present | 3(3-0) |
HST 226/WGS 226 | From Trials to Women’s Liberation: Women in America | 3(3-0) |
HST 330 | 'We the People': U.S. Constitutional History | 3(3-0) |
HST 340 | The High Middle Ages | 3(3-0) |
HST 341 | Renaissance and Reformation | 3(3-0) |
HST 361/REL 361 | Sinners and Saints of Colonial Latin America | 3(3-0) |
HST 375 | Continuity and Change in Contemporary Africa, 1960s to the Present | 3(3-0) |
HST 379/HUM 340 | Race, Class and Power: South Africa in the 20th Century | 3(3-0) |
HST 505 | Tudor England | 3(3-0) |
HST 511 | Colonial British America | 3(3-0) |
HST 513 | Era of the Early Republic, 1789-1825 | 3(3-0) |
HST 514 | Democracy, Expansion, and Reform in America, 1824-1848 | 3(3-0) |
HST 515 | Civil War and Reconstruction | 3(3-0) |
HST 516 | Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1920 | 3(3-0) |
HST 518 | African Americans and the Law: From Slavery to Civil Rights | 3(3-0) |
HST 522 | Indians of the Great Lakes Region | 3(3-0) |
HST 525 | The Industrialization of America | 3(3-0) |
HST 535 | The Middle East in the Modern Era | 3(3-0) |
HST 537 | The Age of Cicero | 3(3-0) |
HST 543 | Napoleon | 3(3-0) |
HST 558 | Europe, 1914-1945 | 3(3-0) |
HST 576 | Colonialism in Africa, 1880s-1960s | 3(3-0) |
HST 580 | Public History | 3(3-0) |
HST 585 | Oral History | 3(3-0) |
HUM 303 | Law and Society: Great Trials | 3(3-0) |
HUM 340/HST 379 | Race, Class and Power: South Africa in the Twentieth Century | 3(3-0) |
IND 339 | Interior Design Studio III: Special User Groups | 3(1-4) |
IND 432 | Seminar in Interior Design | 3(3-0) |
JRN 207 | Video Games and Mass Communication | 3(3-0) |
JRN 372 | The Asian Media and Cross-cultural Mass Communication | 3(3-0) |
JRN 380 | Racial and Cultural Diversity: Mass Media's Role | 3(3-0) |
MKT 300 | Introduction to Marketing | 3(3-0) |
MUS 114 | Listening Experience | 3(3-0) |
MUS 115 | Music of the Caribbean: Salsa to Reggae | 3(3-0) |
MUS 213 | Jazz: An American Art Form | 3(3-0) |
MUS 310 | Music and the Mind | 3(3-0) |
MUS 311 | Historical Survey of Music III | 3(3-0) |
MUS 313 | Musics of the World | 3(3-0) |
PAD 210 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3(3-0) |
PAD 211 | Introduction to Nonprofit Leadership | 3(3-0) |
PAD 411 | Public Sector Human Resources | 3(3-0) |
PAD 412 | Nonprofit Administration | 3(3-0) |
PAD 413 | Organizational Leadership and Behavior | 3(3-0) |
PHL 100 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3(3-0) |
PHL 102 | The Meaning of Life | 3(3-0) |
PHL 118 | Moral Problems | 3(3-0) |
PHL 218 | Ethical Theories | 3(3-0) |
PHL 230 | Philosophy of Religion | 3(3-0) |
PHL 313 | Justice, Human Rights, and the Philosophy of Nonviolence | 3(3-0) |
PHL 320 | Theory of Knowledge | 3(3-0) |
PHL 335 | Philosophy of Psychology | 3(3-0) |
PHL 397 | Special Topics in Philosophy | 1-12(Spec) |
PHL 404 | Twentieth Century Philosophy | 3(3-0) |
PHL 418 | Advanced Moral Philosophy | 3(3-0) |
PHL 422 | Political and Social Philosophy | 3(3-0) |
PHL 480 | Philosophy of the Arts | 3(3-0) |
PHL 497 | Special Topics in Philosophy | 1-12(Spec) |
PSC 100 | Introduction to Political Science | 3(3-0) |
PSC 101 | Political Behavior | 3(3-0) |
PSC 105 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 3(3-0) |
PSC 150 | Introduction to International Relations | 3(3-0) |
PSC 261 | State and Local Government | 3(3-0) |
PSC 347 | Europe and the European Union | 3(3-0) |
PSC 381 | Slavery, Tyranny, Democracy: Classical Origins of Modern Ideas | 3(3-0) |
PSC 515 | Comparative Public Policy | 3(3-0) |
PSY 285 | Research Methods | 3(3-0) |
PSY 385 | Applications of Research Methods | 3(3-0) |
REL 101 | World Religions: An Introduction to the Study of Religion | 3(3-0) |
REL 102 | The Meaning of Life | 3(3-0) |
REL 130 | Religion in America | 3(3-0) |
REL 140 | Religion, Race and Discrimination in America | 3(3-0) |
REL 207/WGS 207 | Women in Religion | 3(3-0) |
REL 222 | Religious Traditions of India | 3(3-0) |
REL 235 | Religion and Social Issues | 3(3-0) |
REL 240 | African-American Religion | 3(3-0) |
REL 250 | Creation, Conquest, and Chaos: Introduction to the Old Testament | 3(3-0) |
REL 260 | From Gospel to Apocalypse: Introduction to the New Testament | 3(3-0) |
REL 302/WGS 302 | Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Phenomena | 3(3-0) |
REL 303/WGS 303 | Goddesses | 3(3-0) |
REL 305 | Mysticism: Union with the Sacred | 3(3-0) |
REL 313 | Christianity | 3(3-0) |
REL 315 | Judaism | 3(3-0) |
REL 334 | Death and Dying | 3(3-0) |
REL 336 | Religion and Film | 3(3-0) |
REL 337 | Rock ‘n’ Roll and Spirituality | 3(3-0) |
REL 361/HST 361 | Sinners and Saints of Colonial Latin America | 3(3-0) |
REL 397 | Special Studies | 1-9(Spec) |
RPL 358 | Foundations of Outdoor and Environmental Education | 3(3-0) |
RPL 430 | Planning Recreation Programs and Events | 3(3-0) |
RPL 470 | Park and Natural Resource Management | 3(3-0) |
RPL 545 | Marketing of Leisure Services | 3(3-0) |
SOC 204/ENG 204/WGS 204 | LGBTQ Identities | 3(3-0) |
SOC 223 | Urban Structures and Change | 3(3-0) |
SPE 210 | History of Disability | 3(3-0) |
SPE 270 | Disability and Society | 3(3-0) |
SPN 201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 4(4-0) |
SPN 202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3(3-0) |
SPN 214 | Intermediate Conversation and Composition | 3(3-0) |
SPN 285 | Language and Foreign Accent Discrimination | 3(3-0) |
SPN 376 | Culture and Civilization of Spain | 3(3-0) |
SPN 377 | Culture and Civilization of Latin America | 3(3-0) |
SWK 450 | Social Welfare Policies and Services II | 3(3-0) |
WGS 100 | How Gender Affects Our Lives | 3(3-0) |
WGS 204/ENG 204/SOC 204 | LGBTQ Identities | 3(3-0) |
WGS 207/REL 207 | Women in Religion | 3(3-0) |
WGS 302/REL 302 | Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Phenomena | 3(3-0) |
WGS 303/REL 303 | Goddesses | 3(3-0) |
WGS 327/ENG 327 | Women Writers: Gender, Sexuality, and Literature | 3(3-0) |
WGS 226/HST 226 | From Trials to Women’s Liberation: Women in America | 3(3-0) |