Certifying a Writing-Intensive Course | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

To certify sections of a course that you teach as Writing-Intensive (WI), you will need to fill out an application describing the type and amount of writing you assign in the course, what portion of the course grade is based on writing projects, and the type of instruction and feedback you provide to students.

This application ensures that WI-certified sections meet general writing-intensive criteria, helps departments identify where majors can get writing experience, and helps Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC) direct resources (Teaching Assistant training, consultation, workshop information) to appropriate faculty.

WI Course Certification Process and Deadlines

Late November: Deadline for submitting Application for WI certification. Upon submission of each application, an email is automatically sent to the department head, requesting an online signature. The signature indicates that the department head has read and approves of the application.
Early December: CxC reviews all applications approved by department heads. If the course section/s meet the WI criteria, a certification email is sent to the appropriate faculty member/s and to the head.
Late January: CxC emails a list of all newly certified WI courses to the Administrator of Academic Programs (AAP) and to the Registrar. Once a course is certified, the course description in the catalogue will include this note: Some sections of this course may be designated as Writing Intensive (WI). This note will appear under the course description each year, unless the department notifies the AAP in advance of publication that the course will no longer offer any WI sections.
Late January-February: CxC will contact appropriate departments to confirm scheduling for next year’s sections of WI courses. CxC will then provide the AAP with a complete list of WI faculty, sections, and terms.
February-March: Registrar will publish online course listing. WI course sections will have the WI label added after the course number. Certified sections will always have the WI label added to the section course number in the course listings unless the department notifies the AAP in advance of the course listing deadline. The WI label may be removed temporarily or permanently at the discretion of the department or if the faculty member notifies the CxC that the course is no longer being taught as WI.