The ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a variety of modes – formal and informal, written and oral, in videos, on social media, and visually – is vital for career management, professional achievement, and engaging the social world as leaders, citizens, and community members. A continuous focus on developing written communication skills is essential to students’ ongoing improvement as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and agents of information literacy.

The St. Catherine University writing requirement is designed to facilitate students’ continued engagement with intentional writing instruction and feedback across the curriculum, in both the CORE and programs of study. Students will learn to write for different audiences and purposes, in different forms, and in ways that respond to disciplinary expectations and conventions.

In collaboration with classroom writing work, the O'Neill Center for Academic Development provides writing support to students at all levels and at all stages of writing.

Baccalaureate Writing Requirement

Baccalaureate students at St. Catherine University fulfill the writing requirement through the successful completion of four courses designated Writing Intensive (identified by a “W” after the course number). The four courses must meet the criteria described below to satisfy the writing requirement.  

Students cannot earn Writing Intensive credit by taking any course, Writing Intensive-designated or not, as an independent study.

Core Writing Requirement

Students are required to take two Writing Intensive courses as part of the CORE curriculum course of study. 

CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman, usually taken during the student’s first year, introduces students to college writing at St. Catherine University by exploring writing for different audiences and purposes, receiving feedback on written work, and developing a clear sense of writing as an ongoing process of development.

CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice, usually taken during the student’s 3^rd or 4^th year, further develops students’ writing abilities as they address specific social problems and concerns; students focus on critical thinking, research, and communication skills in the context of social justice leadership.

Writing Requirement for the Major

Students are required to take one Writing Intensive course in their major program of study. Writing Intensive courses in the majors are dedicated to developing students’ writing skills and abilities in terms of particular disciplines and professional careers.

Students who plan to complete a major through another Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) school must complete an additional writing intensive course at St. Catherine University to meet the writing requirement for the major.

Fourth Course Requirement

Students are required to take a fourth Writing Intensive course.¹ This course can be any other course designated Writing Intensive and can be taken as an elective or as required for a major or minor course of study. There are no Writing Intensive pre-requisites to take the fourth Writing Intensive course, but students should check course descriptions regarding any other prerequisites.

ENGL 1905W College Writing is a Writing Intensive course on writing for college and is recommended for students wanting a course focusing exclusively upon writing. 

An expository writing course transferred from another college or university may be credited as one Writing Intensive course, dependent upon approval from the Director or Writing and Professional Communication and the registrar.

¹

See the LIFE Core Curriculum sections of the catalog for information about exemptions from the writing requirement.

List of Writing Intensive Courses

Writing-intensive courses are identified by a “W” appended to the course number (see online course catalog and course schedule). The courses designated as Writing Intensive for the 2022-23 academic year are listed below.

Please note that this list is subject to change. Current students should refer to the online Course Schedule or Degree Evaluation.

Writing Intensive Courses

Subject Code	Course Number	Course Title
ACCT	4130W	Auditing
ARTH	3500W	Art and Power
BIOL	4860W	Senior Seminar
BIOL	4850W	Senior Seminar (in conjunction with BIOL 2720)
BUSI	3900W	Social Entrepreneurship
CHEM	4000W	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry with Lab
CHEM	4500W	Advanced Biochemistry with Lab
CLAS	3450W	Hindu Mythology
CLAS	3460W	Women in Greece and Rome
COMM	1000W	Introduction to Communication: Women and Social Change
COMM	3200W	Public Relations Writing
COMM	3070W	Gender and Rhetoric
CORE	1000W	The Reflective Woman
CORE	3990W	Global Search for Justice
CRST	2050W	Foundations of Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity
CRST	2151W	Sociocultural Aspects of Dress
CRST	3401W	Language as Power
CRST	3451W	Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality
CRST	3500W	Art and Power
CRST	4850W	Senior Seminar
DSCI	3200W	Analyzing Social Issues with Data
ECED	2040W	Historical, Cultural, and Social Foundations of Early Childhood Education
ECON	3450W	Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality
ECON	3460W	Global Financial Issues
ECON	3480W	International Economics
EDUC	2070W	Teachers as Leaders for a Changing Society
ENGL	1905W	College Writing
ENGL	2130W	Written Communication for College
ENGL	2270W	Shakespeare
ENGL	2280W	Literary Themes
ENGL	2350W	Grammar in Practice
ENGL	3302W	Writing for Writers
ENGL	3360W	Intermediate Writing: Writing with Power, Purpose and the Perfect Word
ENGL	3400W	Language as Power
ENGL	4320W	The Editorial Process
ENGL	4860W	Seminar
EXSS	2800W	Measurement and Evaluation in Exercise and Sport Science
FASH	2150W	Sociocultural Aspects of Dress
FSNU	4310W	Experimental Foods and Nutrition
HIST	3000W	Historiography
HIST	3460W	Women in Greece and Rome
HLTH	4800W	Senior Seminar in Public Health
INTP	4210W	Senior Seminar
IPE	4200W	Research Methods
MATH	4850W	Senior Seminar (in conjunction with MATH 2850)
MGMT	4490W	Strategic Management
MGMT	4850W	Senior Seminar in Healthcare Management
MKTG	3250W	Integrated Marketing Communications
PHIL	2030W	Healthcare Ethics
PHIL	2200W	Ethics
POSC	1710W	Introduction to American Government and Policy
POSC	2200W	Introduction to Comparative Government
POSC	3450W	Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality
PSYC	4220W	History and Systems
PTA	4000W	Rehab Administration Capstone
RESP	3200W	Advanced Therapeutics
RESP	4800W	Senior Seminar
RTT	4015W	Principles of Oncology II
SALE	4430W	Advanced Sales: Strategic Account Management
SOCI	2100W	Research Methods in Sociology
SOCI	3700W	Social Theory
SOWK	3800W	Social Work Research
SOWK	4010W	Generalist Practice I: Small Client Systems
SPAN	3050W	Visions of the Hispanic World: Reading to Speak and Write
SPAN	4860W	Senior Seminar
SSCS	2040W	Power, Inequality and Social Change
THEO	2040W	Sacramental Life
THEO	3360W	War, Peace and the Apocalypse
THEO	3500W	Liturgical Theology: Celebration at the Center
THEO	3670W	The Quest for God in Contemporary Experience
THEO	3752W	Christianity, Judaism and Islam
THEO	3753W	Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism
THEO	3850W	Human Sexuality: Theological and Spiritual Explorations
THEO	3930W	Christian Women Mystics
WOST	1000W	Introduction to Communication: Women and Social Change
WOST	2050W	Foundations in Women's Studies
WOST	3070W	Gender and Rhetoric
WOST	3400W	Language as Power
WOST	3452W	Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality
WOST	3460W	Women in Greece and Rome
WOST	3752W	Christianity, Judaism and Islam
WOST	3850W	Human Sexuality: Theological and Spiritual Explorations
WOST	3930W	Christian Women Mystics
WOST	4850W	Senior Seminar