Blugold Seminar

The Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing is UW-Eau Claire’s award-winning, first-year writing program. The rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum at the heart of the Blugold Seminar provides a foundation for students to meet reading, writing, and researching demands in college and beyond.

The Blugold Seminar courses—WRIT 114, 116, 118, 120--are tailored to meet the needs of individual students, unlike the one-size-fits-all model typical of many first-year writing programs, and the Blugold Seminar is based on the latest research on how college students learn to excel in written communication and research in college and their future careers.

Students in Blugold Seminar courses work closely with expert instructors who have specialized training in teaching first-year writing. Small class sizes mean you get highly individualized attention from supportive Blugold Seminar faculty. Support for student learning in the Blugold Seminar is also provided by the Center for Writing Excellence and the McIntyre Library. You’ll complete this course having developed additional skills in reading, writing, rhetoric, and research that will allow you to meet and exceed academic expectations at UW-Eau Claire. 

Special Features of Blugold Seminar

• Small class size (WRIT 114 has 15 students; WRIT 116 has 20 students; WRIT 118 and 120 have 22 students);
• Standard curriculum for WRIT 114/116/118/120 (based on four main learning goals: rhetorical knowledge, inquiry and research, writing craft, and digital literacy);
• Multimedia components (allowing students the opportunity to compose in different media and digital genres);
• Theme-based (drawing on the expertise of the professors and the interests of the students);
• Research-oriented (teaching students how to do college-level research and documented writing projects);
• Rhetoric-focused (providing rhetorical concepts and knowledge applicable to all fields and majors).

University writing requirements

Students satisfy the University Writing Requirement, which is a requirement for graduation (Skills 1 in the Liberal Education framework) in one of five ways:

• completing a Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing course (WRIT 114, WRIT 116, WRIT 118, or WRIT 120) with a grade of C (not C-) or above
• achieving a suitable score on the English Placement Test (UW-ENGL)
• achieving a suitable score on an exam such as the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition or Advanced Placement English Language and Composition exams
• achieving a suitable score on the University Writing Program Portfolio, or
• transferring equivalent coursework, approved by the English Department.

All students are encouraged to satisfy the University Writing Requirement before the completion of the sophomore year.

The Conference on College Composition and Communication awarded the Blugold Seminar the Writing Program Certificate of Excellence (2013-14)