Undergraduate Affairs
The Requirement
The University of Florida requires that all students complete the Writing Requirement. AICE, AP, CLEP, and IB examination credit as well as dual enrollment or transfer credit may count toward the requirement
"2": Coursework with at least 2,000 words;
"4": Coursework with at least 4,000 words;
"6": Coursework with at least 6,000 words.
Some sections of qualified courses may not offer substantial writing in a particular term. In the Schedule of Courses, the course sections and amount of writing credit awarded (2,000, 4,000 or 6,000) are identified for a given term.
The writing course grade assigned by the instructor has two components: the writing component and a course grade. Therefore, to receive writing credit a student must satisfactorily complete the writing component and receive a minimum grade of C (2.0) for the course. It is possible to not meet the writing requirement and still earn a minimum grade of C in a class, so students should review their degree audit after receiving their grade to verify receipt of credit for the writing component.
Courses intended to satisfy the writing requirement may not be taken S-U.
The writing must be evaluated on the content, organization and coherence, effectiveness, style, grammar and punctuation. Assignments must be returned to students with a grade and comments that address the students’ writing skills. Consequently, feedback on all assignments should be provided by the last day of class, or, if provided electronically, by the end of finals.
Evaluation of writing is based on individual work. Class notes, quizzes, and in-class writing assignments or essay examinations may not be counted. Team-written documents may not be counted for credit unless clear individual sections are identified for grading, such that an individual student’s writing may be evaluated and graded. Drafts cannot be counted separately from final drafts as part of the total number of words completed during the course.
Students may not take the same course multiple times to meet the writing requirement, unless the course allows for multiple registration based upon rotating course content.
All courses that require writing will not necessarily count toward the writing requirement. In writing requirement courses, students will be evaluated as described above.
Finding Appropriate Courses
The Schedule of Courses lists the General Education courses offered in a specific term. Courses that meet the Writing Requirement are indicated by the code WM in the GE column.