Analytical Writing Program

The limits of my language are the limits of my world. —Wittgenstein

Welcome Incoming Students!

The UC San Diego Analytical Writing Program offers a range of lower and upper division writing courses to help students master the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills that they will use at the university and in their professional lives.

For those who have not yet fulfilled the University of California’s Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR), we offer these courses:

AWP 3: Analytical Writing
AWP 4A and AWP 4B: Analytical Writing and Academic English

In these writing courses, students can expect to:

Read and analyze challenging and interesting essays
Explore these essays with classmates in lively discussions
Write and revise frequently, based on thoughtful feedback from instructors and peers

In May 2020, UC San Diego’s Academic Senate approved a change that allows UCSD to offer full baccalaureate credit for courses that fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement. Students will receive full credit for AWP 3, 4A, and 4B that will count towards their GPA and their graduation units. This change brings UCSD in line with the other UC campuses, supports student progress towards degree completion, and recognizes the meaningful writing instruction that students encounter in these courses.

Please visit our FAQ page for more information. Contact the Analytical Writing Program if you have any questions.

Important Program Updates

Due to COVID-19, the Analytial Writing Program is working remotely until further notice. Our physical office is closed during this time. To contact us, please email at awp@ucsd.edu.

Analytical Writing Placement Exam

Students who have not fulfilled the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) must take the online AWPE in September. We will notify students to register for the exam after mid-August. Note that this will be the last placement exam in summer. If you have any questions, please email at awp@ucsd.edu.

Fall 2020 Enrollment Instructions

We are offering both "remote" and "in-person only" AWP 3 and AWP 4A classes in Fall 2020. All remote classes will have a building name of "RCLAS" on WebReg. All “in-person only” classes will be held "in-person only" and cannot be taken remotely. Students are expected to attend in-person classes at the time and place they are scheduled, unless policies change campus-wide for the fall quarter.

AWP 10 Fulfilling DEI Offered in 2020 Summer Session II

Freshmen, transfer students, summer students, and students who are seeking to sharpen their writing skills in any discipline are encouraged to enroll in AWP 10 Language and Learning in the American Academy. Students explore debates about identity, language, and learning in higher education. This course fulfills the undergraduate DEI requirement. (AWP 10 in Summer Session I is cancelled.)

AWP 10 Course Flyer (PDF)

Lecturer Recruitment, 2020-2021

We are seeking applicants for lecturers in the Analytical Writing Program for the 2020-2021 academic year. Click the link below to apply. The first review date is Friday, January 17, 2020.

Lecturer, Analytical Writing Program, 2020-2021