Writing Intensive Program

Writing Intensive Program (WIP): Guide to WIP Course Waivers

All D'Youville undergraduates must complete two WIP courses. ENG 112 or HIS112 is a prerequisite for all WIP courses. There are two options to receive a WIP course waiver:

1. Transfer Credit: only ONE WIP Course Waiver is allowed.

   A student may transfer credit for an equivalent writing intensive course from another accredited institution. The student must present to the registrar copies of the original course description and assignments. The registrar will evaluate the material to determine equivalency based on the criteria of a D'Youville WIP course and may consult with department chairs and/or the WIP director.

2. Writing Portfolio Submission for Evaluation: only ONE WIP Course Waiver is allowed.

   Note: Portfolios for graduating senior students must be submitted by midterm (week 8) of the semester before the student's final semester.

   Writing Portfolio Submission Procedure

   • To apply for a waiver based on the evaluation of a writing portfolio, students must first consult with their primary academic advisor to ensure accurate recording of the process.
   • Once cleared by the primary academic advisor, the student must compile a writing portfolio and deliver it electronically to the WIP Director. See the portfolio content requirements below.
   • A cover memo for the portfolio is required and should indicate student’s name, ID number, major, and year. Specify the request for evaluation of the student’s portfolio.
   • The WIP director evaluates the portfolio and recommends by official memo either to grant or not to grant a one-course WIP waiver. The memo is sent to student's primary advisor and the registrar (if granted).
   • The WIP director will return to the primary academic advisor and student a copy of the writing assessment rubric, evaluation notes, and a copy of the official memo of the result.

   Portfolio Content Requirements

   • Each portfolio should include a cover letter that describes the contents of the portfolio and requests the evaluation of the writing portfolio for a WIP course waiver. The cover letter should be typed and include the student’s name and email address.
   • The portfolio should present a minimum of 20 pages of formal writing.
     • Writing samples should represent a variety of types of writing and courses: e.g., interpretive, analytic / scientific, descriptive, persuasive, etc.
     • Writing samples must be selected purposefully. Portfolios that consist of an unselected and unsorted stack of materials will be returned unevaluated. Portfolios may not contain materials from only one course.
     • To provide a sense of the student’s current writing capacities, writing samples must be from recent courses, preferably within the last two years.
     • Writing samples should have a clearly defined purpose and be understandable to a reader outside its original context. For this reason, samples should show original grades / comments from the course professor(s) who assigned the writing task. Writing samples that need substantial context to be understood such as discussion board posts are not good selections for a WIP portfolio.
       • If writing samples are not available with grades and comments, then students should submit copies of the original assignment and grading rubric, or, if those are not available, a copy of the course syllabus. In some cases, portfolio without written comments may need to be submitted electronically. In these cases, contact Dr. Gooch directly for guidance.
     • The portfolio should not include writing assignments from ENG 111, ENG 112, HIS 112, equivalent transfer first-year English / Composition courses, or any WIP-classified course at D'Youville. Portfolios that submit these materials will be rejected.