The Upper-Division Writing-Proficiency Examination

Upper-Division Writing Proficiency Examination (UDWPE)

Every student must take the Upper-Division Writing-Proficiency Examination, which is a prerequisite to enrolling in a writing-emphasis course (see below). Students may take the exam after they have satisfied the first-year composition requirement and accumulated at least 40 but less than 75 credit hours toward their degree. Students who have accumulated more than 75 credit hours should take the Upper-Division Writing-Proficiency Examination as soon as possible. Students register for the exam with the University Composition Board (Modern Languages 380).

The examination may be taken only once. Results are reported to students and to their major departments. Students who earn an evaluation of unsatisfactory on the exam usually are required by their department to complete further developmental work in writing before registering for writing-emphasis courses. They should consult with their academic advisors for specific information about their department's requirements.

Writing Emphasis Course

Every undergraduate degree program includes at least one required writing-emphasis course. Writing-emphasis courses are regular junior- or senior-level courses in an academic discipline in which at least half the grade awarded is determined by written work appropriate to the academic discipline. Such courses are identified with the phrase "Writing-Emphasis Course" at the end of the course description listed in the catalog. Prerequisite to a writing-emphasis course is a satisfactory performance on the UDWPE or, for those students whose UDWPE is evaluated as unsatisfactory, further developmental work in writing as defined above.


Page last updated:  May 20, 2013


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