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Writing program. Two female students at desk, one writing in notebook

The Writing Program

The College of Liberal Arts

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WAC Philosophy

The Writing Program at Benedictine University subscribes to the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) philosophy: writing is central to students’ education and belongs to and in every discipline. WAC began in the 1960s and gathered strength in the 1980s; it now informs writing programs in one third of U.S. colleges and universities. This philosophy has resulted in the following components.

WAC Principles

Curriculum Requirements

  • In WRIT 1101 (Person in Community: Writing Colloquium), students learn the elements of academic argument by studying content related both to the institution’s mission and identity and to the “person in community” course theme.
  • A distinctive feature of our program is WRIT 1102 (Research Writing in the Disciplines), which is offered in a choice of disciplines: science, social science, literature, and business. This focus prepares students for the more advanced and discipline-specific writing assignments they will go on to encounter in their chosen majors.
  • The Writing Program also helps coordinate the offering of Writing Intensive courses across the University curriculum. Benedictine students are required to take three Writing Intensive courses, including one in the major.
General Education Curriculum