First-Year Writing Seminar
First-Year Writing Seminar falls under the Communication Capacity.
Writing is fundamental, the most important form of expression that BU undergraduates must develop.
In almost every professional setting, BU graduates must be able to express their ideas in clear, coherent prose. Effective writing demands the honing of skills, but it also cultivates ways of thinking, evaluating evidence, constructing responsible and convincing arguments, and generating creative ideas. As effective writers, BU graduates will pay close attention to the potential readers of their writings; as responsible writers, they will take ownership of their message and the means of communicating it, and hold their writing to high standards of truth, accuracy, validity, and humaneness.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to craft responsible, considered, and well-structured written arguments, using media and modes of expression appropriate to the situation.
Students will be able to read with understanding, engagement, appreciation, and critical judgment.
Students will be able to write clearly and coherently in a range of genres and styles, integrating graphic and multimedia elements as appropriate.
Courses
Search for currently scheduled courses with combinations of other Hub requirements in MyBU Student .
College of Arts & Sciences
CAS CC 101
Core Humanities I: Ancient Worlds
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation First-Year Writing Seminar
An interdisciplinary study of the origins of narrative, epic, tragedy, and philosophical thought including works from ancient Mesopotamia, the Hebrew Bible, and classical Greece. Focusing on close reading and effective writing, we consider the contrasting values of different cultures and explore the long-standing narrative and visual traditions motivated by creative readings and interpretations of these texts. A visit to the MFA Boston enables students to explore the rich interpretive visual traditions that follow these texts. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation, a First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120).
CAS CC 101S
The Ancient World
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Creativity/Innovation First-Year Writing Seminar
Begins in the ancient Near East with the origins of Mesopotamian civilization and the Hebrew Bible. Continues with an overview of the beginning and development of Greek civilization and careful study of Homer, Greek tragedy, and Plato. Students also examine architecture and the visual arts, as well as the relation of beauty and mathematics, with a study of the Parthenon and its role in Athenian Imperialism. Students will be asked to listen to additional online lectures to augment class discussion. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation, a First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120).
CAS EN 120
Freshman Seminar
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Limited enrollment. Variable topics. Through discussions and frequent writing assignments, students develop skills in the close reading of literary texts and learn to express their interpretive ideas in correct and persuasive prose. Satisfies CAS WR 120 requirement. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: First-Year Writing Seminar.
CAS WR 120
First-Year Writing Seminar
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASWR 112, placement results, or transfer credit for WR 02TR (for English language learners only). - Topic-based seminar in critical reading and writing. Engagement with a variety of sources and practice in writing in a range of genres with particular attention to argumentation, prose style, and revision, informed by reflection and feedback, including individual conferences. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: First-Year Writing Seminar.
CAS WR 120S
First-Year Writing Seminar
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASWR 112, placement results, or transfer credit for WR 02TR (for English language learners only). - Topic-based seminar in critical reading and writing. Engagement with a variety of sources and practice in writing in a range of genres with particular attention to argumentation, prose style, and revision, informed by reflection and feedback, including individual conferences. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: First-Year Writing Seminar.
College of General Studies
CGS RH 104E
Rhetorical Practices from The Industrial Revolution through the Digital Revolution
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression First-Year Writing Seminar
Through class discussion and learning experiences, students explore connections between readings assigned in Rhetoric and those in other courses, focusing on themes drawn from the two units that comprise the semester's curriculum. The course further develops skills in expository writing and introduces exploratory essay writing. Students continue to explore the contemporary relevance and meaning of the interdisciplinary curriculum. Students refine their skills in grammar, style, organization, and document design. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: First-Year Writing Seminar, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Critical Thinking.
CGS RH 104S
Rhetorical Practices from The Industrial Revolution through the Digital Revolution
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression First-Year Writing Seminar
Through class discussion and learning experiences, students explore connections between readings assigned in Rhetoric and those in other courses, focusing on themes drawn from the two units that comprise the semester's curriculum. The course further develops skills in expository writing and introduces exploratory essay writing. Students continue to explore the contemporary relevance and meaning of the interdisciplinary curriculum. Students refine their skills in grammar, style, organization, and document design. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: First-Year Writing Seminar, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Critical Thinking.
Kilachand Honors College
KHC ST 111
Studio 1
2 credits. Fall
In Studio I, Kilachand students hone their writing, critical reading and thinking, and analytical skills. Students explore fundamental ethical, aesthetic, and social concerns posed by challenging texts and events. They compose their own writing, with attention to the modes and genres of expression, media, and evidence appropriate to the goals of the piece and its designated audience. Students revise their writing with significant individual attention in conferences with their instructors. Students register for one section of Studio I in fall semester of their first year. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: First-Year Writing Seminar.
Questrom School of Business
Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
School of Hospitality Administration
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development