Integrated Writing Pathway

Principia’s Integrated Writing Pathway is a writing across the curriculum model that reinforces that writing instruction is continuous over four years and in multiple disciplines, and is the responsibility of the entire academic community in a liberal arts education. This approach asserts that writing promotes learning and that deliberate writing instruction is necessary within each academic discipline.

The Principia College Integrated Writing Pathway requirement is met through a series of courses:

  1. First-Year Experience (FYE) Course 
  2. Writing Rich Course
  3. Writing in the Major Course

​Transfer students may be exempt from the FYE Course (see First-Year Experience (FYE) Course for exemption criteria). 

Writing Program Outcomes

Students will engage in a writing process that allows them to: 

  1. demonstrate critical inquiry by articulating informed, well-reasoned conclusions and perspectives.
  2. participate in academic or disciplinary discourse by
    • writing for a range of audiences and purposes.
    • integrating multiple perspectives through ethical writing practices.
    • organizing and connecting ideas logically to guide the reader.
  3. produce clear and fluent writing.

First-Year Experience (FYE) Course

The FYE Course is the first touchpoint of Principia’s Integrated Writing Pathway. Students engage in academic discourse through opportunities to read carefully, question deeply, research responsibly, and think and write critically. Throughout the course, students will use writing as a tool for thinking and learning and will develop their own writing process through scaffolded assignments involving planning, drafting, and revising with multiple opportunities for feedback. 

In the FYE Course, students produce four artifacts: 

  • A baseline writing sample: This piece of writing is completed by all students. For first-time freshmen, it happens within the first week of the FYE Course. For transfer students, the baseline occurs during onboarding. 
  • Annotated bibliography: This piece is generated by students during the research process to identify sources they might use in the final research paper.
  • A research paper: The research paper assignment is scaffolded, including development of an annotated bibliography. The FYE Course will also devote space to information literacy, plagiarism prevention, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. 
  • A reflection: Completed at the end of the FYE Course, students reflect on their development as writers and researchers during their first semester. 

Writing Rich Course

The Writing Rich (WR) course allows students to develop their evidence-based writing practice within the context of a content course recognizing that academic writing looks different in various disciplines. The class devotes explicit attention to discussing, modeling, and/or practicing academic writing strategies and discipline-specific writing. Feedback and revision support student understanding of the writing process and provide opportunities for improvement of writing quality. 

This course should be taken during the sophomore or junior year, prior to completion of the Writing in the Major (WIM) course. The Writing Rich (WR) course is required of all students and may not be transferred in to meet this requirement. Students who do not complete the Writing Rich (WR) course with a passing grade (i.e., D- or better) are required to complete an additional Writing Rich (WR) course the following semester with a passing grade. A student may not use the same course to meet both the Writing Rich and Writing in the Major requirement.

Students who do not earn a grade of C- or higher in the FYE Course are required to enroll in an additional Writing Rich (WR) course the following semester. This course is in addition to the one required Writing Rich (WR) course.

Writing in the Major Course

The final requirement of the Integrated Writing Pathway at Principia is a culminating writing/research experience resulting in a final paper within the major. Students will build on their previous writing experiences to continue to develop the disciplinary skills and knowledge needed.  

The Writing in the Major (WIM) piece is completed in a 300- or 400-level course (unless otherwise approved in advance). It is completed during the junior or senior year. In some programs, the capstone serves as the Writing in the Major (WIM) piece. The WIM course is required of all students and must be completed at Principia College.

Students also complete a final reflection.