The Writing Intensive Program began in 1997 with the goal of improving the nature and quality of the undergraduate academic experience at the University of Georgia. Writing intensive courses provide students with writing opportunities and instruction beyond the First-year Composition experience and throughout a student’s academic career in all disciplines. The Writing Intensive Program recognizes that writing is more important than ever, not only to students’ academic endeavors but to the post-university work for which they are preparing.

In Theory

Writing is the academic dialogue that the University of Georgia faculty, as educators, aim to introduce to students. To teach writing is to teach the “ways of knowing” unique to any discipline: the methodology of inquiry, the conventions of evidence, the mode of presentation. Thus, the most effective way to improve student writing is to do so within the context of disciplinary demands under the tutelage of committed faculty across the campus, who are willing and able to articulate those conventions.

In Practice

The program trains discipline-specific graduate students to serve as teaching assistants to support Writing Intensive Program courses. Each Writing Intensive Program course, competitively selected, is provided with a specially trained TA to support participating faculty as a “writing coach.”

Original infographic developed by WIP intern Gabrielle La Barbera and edited by WIP Director Lindsey Harding, Fall 2018. Updated October 2026 with writing-plan and Classic Journal highlights; program totals and survey results retain their original 2017–2018 dates.

Writing plans: The department writing plans page lists six developed plans and three in development. The Classic Journal: 27 published issues, including special issues, from Fall 2015 through Spring 2026. Explore the journal.

Previous Program Snapshot PDFs

2016-17 / 2015-16