Writing Requirement

The Davidson College faculty believes that a strong liberal arts education requires significant practice in discerning and entering into reasoned disagreements.

Regardless of major or eventual career choice, Davidson College graduates should be able to make sophisticated arguments about complex issues that have been of interest to both scholars and the public and to do so with rhetorical power and clarity.

To this end, each first-year student must pass a course that focuses on the sensibilities and techniques of intellectual writing. The faculty has designated such courses as WRI 101: Writing in the Liberal Arts. Limited to 12 students, each WRI 101 course provides a seminar setting where students receive guided practice in drafting and revising prose, learn the traditions associated with making fair and effective use of the work of others, and consider how writing is produced, distributed, and received in both print and digital environments.

Meeting the Writing Requirement

There are two ways to meet the writing requirement at Davidson:

1. Successful completion of a WRI 101 course taught by faculty from across the college.
   WRI 101 courses are offered in both fall and spring semesters. WRI 101 course descriptions, guidelines for choosing a WRI course, and information about the course goals are available.   
2. Successful completion of both Humanities 103 and 104.  
   Learn about the Humanities Program.