The following units have completed or are currently undertaking Writing Plans.
Forthcoming: for 2026-2027, the Romance Studies Department will develop a writing plan through its newly formed Curriculum Committee. The plan will explore many aspects of its undergraduate programs in French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese in order to work towards shared goals in writing and communication. The department application noted, “We believe that working with the Writing Program to create a Writing Plan will be an ideal way to think together, across languages, about our learning outcomes and how best to meet them in the evolving landscape of our digital world.”
World Languages & Literatures – Languages Focus (2025-2026)
World Languages & Literatures Writing Plan – Languages
The World Languages & Literatures department completed its second writing plan in 2025-2026 — one that emphasizes writing in the languages, both in the target language and in English translation. Recognizing the inherent differences between each of WLL’s ten language programs, this plan articulates approaches for proficiency-based writing instruction for Novice through Advanced ACTFL levels; identifies topics for professional development to enhance writing instruction in the department; and advocates for pedagogical resources regarding writing and communication that will serve the needs of student learning in an era of AI.
World Languages & Literatures Department (2024-2025)
World Languages & Literature Writing Plan
The World Languages & Literatures department produced its first writing plan in 2024-2025 emphasizing the teaching of writing in the department’s literature courses. This plan has at its heart three key goals: developing a required writing seminar for sophomore and junior majors; creating a bank of writing modules to be integrated into literature courses; and standardizing essential writing competencies across courses taught in English.
Mathematics & Statistics Department (2023-2024)
Mathematics & Statistics Writing Plan
The Mathematics & Statistics department produced a writing plan in 2023-2024 that reinforces the department’s pedagogical and curricular aims. This plan emphasizes framing math/stats writing as writing in both lower- and upper-division courses. The plan sets out goals for training of TFs to support student writing; redesigning of courses for majors; developing a new 400-level course for Statistics that foregrounds various forms of writing; and creating resources for teaching courses that will be available to all Math/Stats faculty and shared on the Teaching Writing site.
Economics Department (2022-2023)
Economics Writing Plan
In 2022-2023, the Economics Department developed a Writing Plan that is part of a larger curricular reform of the department’s undergraduate program. The Economics Writing Plan sets out short- and long-term goals, including integrating writing into introductory Economics courses; adding new Writing-Intensive courses; implementing department-based peer writing support; and creating an Honors Thesis writing course to help improve research and writing skills of the most advanced students. Building on the plan, the Economics program selected students to participate as Simpson Undergraduate Writing Fellows, beginning in 2023-2024.
Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience (2021-2022)
Neuroscience Writing Plan
In 2021-2022, the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience (UPN) completed the first Writing Plan, an ambitious effort whose goals include improving writing instruction throughout the four years of undergraduate Neuroscience courses. Using the plan, the UPN collaborated with the CAS Writing Program to create a co-taught upper level Writing-Intensive course, NE 370 “Neuroscience Communication” for Neuroscience majors. The Neuroscience Writing Plan was highlighted on the “Spotlight” of BU’s Teaching Writing and in the College of Arts & Sciences’ arts&sciences magazine.