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 Tutoring and Learning Center 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, taken after completion of six of the eight required CORE courses (including CORE1000W), 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 of Writing Intensive Courses 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 2026-27 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 Works.

Writing Intensive Courses

Subject Code	Course Number	Course Title
ACCT	4130W	Auditing
ARTH	3500W	Art and Power
BIOL	4860W	Senior Seminar
CHEM	4000W	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry with Lab
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
DSCI	3000W	AI Data Ethics, Governance, & Society
ECED	2040W	Historical, Cultural, and Social Foundations of Early Childhood Education
ECED	4840W	Capstone Project: Early Childhood Education
ECON	3480W	International Economics: Trade and Immigration
ECON	4850W	Theory to Action
ENGL	1250W	Reading Literature
ENGL	1905W	College Writing
ENGL	2130W	Written Communication for College
ENGL	2280W	Literary Themes
ENGL	2350W	Introduction to English Grammar
ENGL	3340W	Writing for Digital Age
ENGL	4860W	Seminar
EXSS	2800W	Measurement and Evaluation in Exercise and Sport Science
FASH	2150W	Sociocultural Aspects of Dress
FSNU	4300W	Advanced Nutrition
HIST	4860W	Senior Seminar
HLTH	4800W	Senior Seminar in Public Health
INTP	4200W	Work Readiness
IPE	4200W	Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice
IPE	4853W	Senior Seminar
MATH	4850W	Senior Seminar
MGMT	4490W	Strategic Management
MGMT	4850W	Senior Seminar in Healthcare Management
MKTG	3250W	Integrated Marketing Communications
PHIL	2200W	Ethics
PHIL	4850W	Senior Seminar
POSC	1710W	Introduction to American Government and Policy
POSC	2200W	Introduction to Comparative Government
POSC	3480W	International Economics: Trade and Immigration
POSC	4850W	Theory to Action
PSYC	4220W	History and Systems
PTA	4000W	Rehab Administration Capstone
RESP	4800W	Senior Seminar
SOWK	4010W	Generalist Practice I: Small Client Systems
SPAN	4860W	Senior Seminar
WOST	2050W	Foundations of Gender & Women's Studies