The W riting Across the Curriculum program supports

Philadelphia University’s commitment to fostering strong

writing skills so that students will be able to write well both

in their lives as college students and later as professionals

and citizens. Students develop writing and thinking skills by

taking two writing-specific and at least four writing-intensive

courses between the freshman and senior years, at least

three of which are in the College Studies general education

core and at least one in their majors. The program also

offers Honors, Fundamentals, and English as a Second

Language courses.

Writing is also integrated across the curriculum to promote

research/information literacy skills, intellectual and

aesthetic pursuits, and experimentation with academic and

professional communication. Students may also pursue a

range of additional opportunities to write in academic and

professional arenas. Examples include The TEXT, Analysis,

internships, and Open: A Writing & Design Collaboration.

In all aspects of the Writing Program, students are

encouraged to focus on improving the quality of their

approaches to writing, as well as the final documents they produce.  Students and faculty use writing in a variety of ways,

including as a vital tool for critical thinking and learning, and

as a means of expressing ideas and communicating what they

have learned. To assist in these regards, professional writing

tutors in the Learning & Advising Center support students in

all subjects at all levels. The Center’s website (www.PhilaU.edu/learning) also offers students

resources on writing.

Writing-Specific Courses

Two writing-specific courses exist in the College Studies

sequence in which writing is a central focus: the first course

in the freshman year and the second in the sophomore year.

Students who are under-prepared for college-level writing

(determined by placement testing) begin the sequence with

Fundamentals of College Writing (WRTG-099).

Writing-Intensive (WI) Courses

In addition to writing-specific courses, students take a minimum

of four writing-intensive courses — three in College

Studies and at least one in their major — throughout the university

years. Writing-intensive courses help students deepen

their understanding of the content of the courses in

College Studies and the major. Writing enables students to

rehearse, question and clarify issues in both informal and

formal ways. In the process of writing and revising drafts,

students learn the importance of clearly presenting their

ideas. Writing-intensive courses in College Studies are taken

in the junior and senior years.

Information Literacy

In collaboration with University librarians and faculty in the

other schools, the School of Liberal Arts faculty are committed

to assisting students in developing their information literacy

skills. As noted on the Philadelphia University Gutman

Library Web site (www.PhilaU.edu/library), “As information

technologies develop and transform the manner in which

information is stored, accessed, managed, conveyed and

retrieved, students must learn both to effectively use these

innovations and to understand the possibilities and responsibilities associated with them. To become lifelong learners, students need practice and training in information retrieval methods, critical evaluation and application of information, and the ethical use of information and information technologies.”

College Studies and Transfer Students

The University is mindful of the need to be accessible to students

who transfer from two-year colleges and other four year

institutions. In general, students who transfer academic

credit from other colleges to the bachelor’s degree program

at Philadelphia University may have that credit apply toward

the requirements of the College Studies Program.

Courses for which credit can be transferred include all

of those College Studies courses for which equivalent courses

have been completed at other accredited institutions.

Since College Studies courses are designed specifically for

Philadelphia University, the University will determine transfer

course equivalency.  In addition, Writing Seminar II and Contemporary Perspectives serve as keystone courses that require students to reflect on liberal-professional connections at Philadelphia University and to integrate the multiple academic skills they have learned in the other College Studies courses they have completed. Therefore, AP/transfer credit is not awarded for Writing Seminar II or Contemporary Perspectives.  Students must take those two courses.

Advanced Placement and College Level Examination

Program (CLEP) credits will be accepted under the policy

that is currently in effect at the University. Their acceptability

to the curriculum will be determined in the same manner as

transfer credit from other colleges.

Transfer students should meet with their academic advisors

during orientation or at the beginning of their first

semester to review whether/how courses taken at other

institutions apply to their degree requirements at

Philadelphia University.