Spring 2027 Course Descriptions

Two-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 1506 - Writing and Critical Inquiry: The Stretch Sequence

Offers a two-semester approach to the First Writing Requirement. This sequence allows students to take more time, in smaller sections and with support from the Writing Center, practicing and reinforcing the activities that are central to the first-year writing course. Like ENWR 1510, ENWR 1505-06 approaches writing as a way of generating, representing, and reflecting on critical inquiry. Students contribute to an academic conversation about a specific subject of inquiry and learn to position their ideas and research in relation to the ideas and research of others. Instructors place student writing at the center of course, encourage students to think on the page, and prepare them to reflect on contemporary forms of expression. Students read and respond to each other’s writing in class regularly, and they engage in thoughtful reflection on their own rhetorical choices as well as those of peers and published writers. Additionally, the course requires students to give an oral presentation on their research and to assemble a digital portfolio of their writing.

001 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
John Modica

002 - Writing about Culture/Society - Work and the Good Life
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Claire Chantell

003 - Writing about Culture/Society - Work and the Good LifeIn this class, we will practice critical inquiry and hone our writing skills by engaging with one of the most familiar aesthetic forms of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: the television show. As we read, watch, discuss, and write about television together, our goal will be to approach this familiar form with a fresh perspective, not taking anything about television for granted. How do the formal elements of television shows—their genres, storytelling capacities, narrative features, and serial formats—build compelling worlds? How can we approach these tv worlds analytically while also valuing the emotional impact of television? How do television shows critique and generate culture? Over the course of the semester, we will read scripts that turned into episodes, read critical writing about television, and of course we will also watch a variety of tv episodes.But more than anything, we will write about television: we will build up our capacity to analyze television and then turn that inquiring perspective onto our own writing. If television shows build worlds out of words—and if those worlds can and do have a giant impact, for better or worse, on the world we live in—then we will take seriously how we can develop our own writing and re-approach our practices of world-building and meaning-making through our words.
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Claire Chantell

004 - Writing about Culture/Society - Language and Culture: Brain Rot or Demure
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Patricia Sullivan

005 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing About Mental Health and Well-Being in College Life
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Ethan King

College life can often feel like a balancing act between ambition and exhaustion, connection and isolation, thriving and just getting by. This course invites you to explore how college culture—from the pressure to achieve and the pull of perfectionism to the desire for belonging—shapes emotional, social, academic, and physical well-being. We’ll use writing to investigate what it means to “do well” and “be well” in college through exploratory, analytical, and public-facing projects.

006 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
John Modica

007 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing About Mental Health and Well-Being in College Life
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Ethan King

008 - Writing about Culture/Society - Language and Culture: Brain Rot or Demure
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Patricia Sullivan

Single-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 1510 - Writing and Critical Inquiry (70+ sections)

Approaches writing as a way of generating, representing, and reflecting on critical inquiry. Students contribute to an academic conversation about a specific subject of inquiry and learn to position their ideas and research in relation to the ideas and research of others. Instructors place student writing at the center of course, encourage students to think on the page, and prepare them to reflect on contemporary forms of expression. Students read and respond to each other’s writing in class regularly, and they engage in thoughtful reflection on their own rhetorical choices as well as those of peers and published writers. Additionally, the course requires students to give an oral presentation on their research and to assemble a digital portfolio of their writing.

001 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Tyler Carter

002 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Tyler Carter

003 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Alison Cotti-Lowell

004 - TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
TBA

005 - Writing about the Arts - Reading for Pleasure
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Hodges Adams

In our busy collegiate lives, reading for pleasure falls easily by the wayside. This course seeks to help students make time to broaden and cultivate their reading, directed by each student’s individual interests; this course also seeks to challenge each student in their reading and thinking by exposing them to texts across a variety of genres. How do we encounter texts that we don’t enjoy or don’t understand? What strategies can we develop for reading more attentively, thinking more deeply, and writing with greater curiosity? The primary mode of inquiry will be in-class group discussion and in-class writing exercises. Reading, writing, researching, and revising carefully and with intention are the aims of this course. Student papers will be peer reviewed and revised multiple times during the semester.

006 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

007 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Music
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
Kamau Walker

008 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Music
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Kamau Walker

009 - TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
TBA

010 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Food
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Keith Driver

011 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing Environments
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
John Casteen

012 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
Davy Tran

This section is designed specifically for undergraduate multilingual students who use English as a second or additional language, including international students. Students will develop academic writing skills for success at U.S. universities, including paraphrasing and summarizing, organizing paragraphs and essays, using research databases, and applying APA citation and reference conventions. Readings, discussions, and writing assignments will center on topics students choose, which allows them to explore their interests while developing critical thinking and academic writing skills. Students who use only English at home and at school are strongly discouraged from enrolling, even if the class fits their schedule.

013 - TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
TBA

014 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Jon D'Errico

015 - TBA
MW 08:30AM-09:45AM
TBA

016 - TBA
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
TBA

017 - TBA
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

018 - TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

019 - Writing about Identities
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
devin donovan

020 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Kate Natishan

021 - TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
TBA

022 - Writing about Digital Media - Factions and Digital Culture: Crafting Social Media Commentary
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Dana Little

In this course, we'll explore the ever-changing landscape of online communication and its profound impact on how we interact in the modern world. Think of it as your guide to navigating the digital realm—from the latest social media trends to the cutting-edge AI tools reshaping our online experiences.

We'll dive into the nitty-gritty of digital communication, examining how our language and visual expression have evolved alongside emerging technologies. You'll get hands-on experience with various digital platforms, analyzing everything from viral content to influential online campaigns. We'll also tackle the big questions:

· How is social media shaping public discourse?
· What role does AI play in modern writing?
· How can we become more discerning consumers and creators of digital content?

By the end of this course, you'll have a solid grasp of effective digital communication, a critical eye for online content, and the skills to navigate the complexities of our digital age.

023 - TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

024 - TBA
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
TBA

025 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Jon D'Errico

026 - TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
TBA

027 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Cory Shaman

028 - TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Kaitlyn Airy

029 - Writing about Digital Media
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Jodie Childers

030 - TBA
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Courtney Watts

031 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Cory Shaman

032 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Davy Tran

This section is designed specifically for undergraduate multilingual students who use English as a second or additional language, including international students. Students will develop academic writing skills for success at U.S. universities, including paraphrasing and summarizing, organizing paragraphs and essays, using research databases, and applying APA citation and reference conventions. Readings, discussions, and writing assignments will center on topics students choose, which allows them to explore their interests while developing critical thinking and academic writing skills. Students who use only English at home and at school are strongly discouraged from enrolling, even if the class fits their schedule.

033 - TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
TBA

034 - TBA
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

035 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

036 - TBA
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
TBA

037 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

038 - TBA
MW 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

039 - Writing about Identities
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
devin donovan

040 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Food
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Keith Driver

041 - TBA
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Kaitlyn Airy

042 - Writing about Digital Media
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Jodie Childers

043 - TBA
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

044- Writing about the Arts - Writing about Television
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Cristina Griffin

In this class, we will practice critical inquiry and hone our writing skills by engaging with one of the most familiar aesthetic forms of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: the television show. As we read, watch, discuss, and write about television together, our goal will be to approach this familiar form with a fresh perspective, not taking anything about television for granted. How do the formal elements of television shows—their genres, storytelling capacities, narrative features, and serial formats—build compelling worlds? How can we approach these tv worlds analytically while also valuing the emotional impact of television? How do television shows critique and generate culture? Over the course of the semester, we will read scripts that turned into episodes, read critical writing about television, and of course we will also watch a variety of tv episodes.But more than anything, we will write about television: we will build up our capacity to analyze television and then turn that inquiring perspective onto our own writing. If television shows build worlds out of words—and if those worlds can and do have a giant impact, for better or worse, on the world we live in—then we will take seriously how we can develop our own writing and re-approach our practices of world-building and meaning-making through our words.

045 - Writing about Science & Tech - Writing about Medicine
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Rhiannon Goad

This course dives into the art and ethics of communicating about health. You'll dissect everything from dense medical studies to viral news, learning to translate complex science into clear, compelling language. With short essays, you will develop skills to evaluate diverse sources, including medical literature, health journalism, and patient narratives, and apply responsible communication principles in contexts such as reporting research findings without hype and explaining public health issues effectively. You'll practice these communication skills throughout the semester, culminating in a final project: the creation of a zine about medicine.

046 - Writing about the Arts - Reading for Pleasure
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Hodges Adams

In this course, we'll explore the ever-changing landscape of online communication and its profound impact on how we interact in the modern world. Think of it as your guide to navigating the digital realm—from the latest social media trends to the cutting-edge AI tools reshaping our online experiences.

We'll dive into the nitty-gritty of digital communication, examining how our language and visual expression have evolved alongside emerging technologies. You'll get hands-on experience with various digital platforms, analyzing everything from viral content to influential online campaigns. We'll also tackle the big questions:

· How is social media shaping public discourse?
· What role does AI play in modern writing?
· How can we become more discerning consumers and creators of digital content?

By the end of this course, you'll have a solid grasp of effective digital communication, a critical eye for online content, and the skills to navigate the complexities of our digital age.

058 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

059 - TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

060 - TBA
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

061 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Rory Sullivan

Dismissively calling any sport “sportsball” belies the essential role sports play in shaping culture and human relations. This powerful effect is perpetuated through the various media compositions that surround sports. In this class, we will explore these various composition modes to analyze the voices, genres, composition choices, and audiences that surround sports and make them such a powerful force in shaping culture and society. By composing game summaries, audio podcasts, and research papers, we will practice connecting sports to their social impact, all while developing our own voices as writers.

062 - TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Deven Philbrick

063 - TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
TBA

064 - TBA
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
TBA

065 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

066 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Rory Sullivan

Dismissively calling any sport “sportsball” belies the essential role sports play in shaping culture and human relations. This powerful effect is perpetuated through the various media compositions that surround sports. In this class, we will explore these various composition modes to analyze the voices, genres, composition choices, and audiences that surround sports and make them such a powerful force in shaping culture and society. By composing game summaries, audio podcasts, and research papers, we will practice connecting sports to their social impact, all while developing our own voices as writers.

067 - TBA
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
TBA

068 - TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
TBA

069 - TBA
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
TBA

070 - Writing about Culture/Society - Vampires
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Charity Fowler

071 - TBA
TR 05:00PM-05:15PM
TBA

072 - Writing & Community Engagement - Walking Charlottesville
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Kevin Smith

073 - TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
TBA

074 - TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
TBA

075 - TBA
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Courtney Watts

076 - TBA
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
TBA

077 - TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
TBA

078 - TBA
MW 3:30PM-04:45PM
TBA

079 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Native American Rhetoric
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Sarah Richardson

Who writes history and how do we know if it is accurate? This course will focus on how Native American histories are written and analyze the impacts of the rhetorical choices made in writing Native histories. Students will learn concepts such as: colonization, rhetoric, dominant and counter narratives, and current and past representations in memory. Students will also learn how to research, compose, and revise ethical and effective arguments to address specific audiences.

080 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Native American Rhetoric
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Sarah Richardson

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ENWR 1520 - Writing and Community Engagement (5 sections)

ENWR 1520 shares the same writing goals and approaches as ENWR 1510, but focuses on community engagement in pursuit of those goals. In ENWR 1520, students contribute to a conversation and learn to position their ideas, research, and experiential learning in community engaged projects. Students should expect to spend time outside the classroom interacting with community partners, either in person or virtually.

001 - Writing and Community Engagement - You and A.I.
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Piers Gelly

In this course, we will practice the skills associated with college-level writing by asking a provocative question of one another: in the age of ChatGPT, do we still need writing courses like this one?

004 - Writing and Community Engagement - You and A.I.
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Piers Gelly

In this course, we will practice the skills associated with college-level writing by asking a provocative question of one another: in the age of ChatGPT, do we still need writing courses like this one?

005 - Writing and Community Engagement - Writing about Food Justice
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Kate Stephenson

Why do we eat what we eat? Do poor people eat more fast food than wealthy people? Why are Cheetos cheaper than cherries? Do you have to be skinny to be hungry? By volunteering at the UVA Student Garden, Morven Kitchen Garden, UVA Community Food Pantry, Loaves and Fishes, Feel Good, Food Assist or the PVCC Community Garden and using different types of writing, including journal entries, forum posts, peer reviews, and formal papers, we will explore topics like food insecurity, food production, hunger stereotypes, privilege, urban gardening, and community engagement.

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ENWR 2510 - Advanced Writing Seminar

The course in highest demand for students on the FWR+ track is ENWR 2510, an Advanced Writing Seminar. Like ENWR 1510, ENWR 2510 approaches writing as a way of generating, representing, and reflecting on critical inquiry. Students contribute to an academic conversation about a specific subject of inquiry and learn to position their ideas and research in relation to the ideas and research of others. Instructors place student writing at the center of course, encourage students to think on the page, and prepare them to reflect on contemporary forms of expression. Students read and respond to each other’s writing in class regularly, and they engage in thoughtful reflection on their own rhetorical choices as well as those of peers and published writers. Additionally, the course requires students to give an oral presentation on their research and to assemble a digital portfolio of their writing. While ENWR 2510 and ENWR 1510 share the same goals and practices, ENWR 2510 offers added rigor, often in the form of denser course texts and longer, more self-directed writing assignments.

001 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing in the Age of Generative AI
TR 3:30PM-04:45PM
Ethan King

In this humanities-based writing seminar, we will explore generative AI as a rhetorical and cultural force reshaping how we read, write, and think. Rather than treating AI simply as a professional tool or as a looming threat, we’ll approach it as a site of inquiry: asking who we become when we write with, through, or against machines that can simulate language. Our work will build layered AI awareness, including a functional understanding of how these systems operate, rhetorical insight into how they shape meaning, and ethical attention to their social and environmental impacts. Readings will span a range of perspectives, from those who see AI as a creative collaborator to its most critical opponents. Through a variety of writing projects, we will enter current debates about writing and technology and practice what it means to write deliberately in a world increasingly shaped by automated language.

002 - Writing about Culture/Society - Life Writing and Culture
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Tamika Carey

004 - Writing about the Arts - Chinese Documentary Film
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Charles Laughlin
This course is cross-listed with CHTR 2850

A “First Writing Requirement +” seminar exploring Chinese documentary filmmaking. The course introduces students to the history and general typology of documentary films in general and applies these concepts to Chinese-language works from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Extensive attention is paid to the development of students’ writing skills, including peer review, draft revision, and familiarizing students with academic writing in the humanities as well as other useful genres.

005 - Writing about Culture/Society - Visions of the Good Life
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Penny Von Eschen
This course is cross-listed with HIST 1501

The course explores a range of Utopian thinkers and societies through reading and writing about literature, history, and philosophy. How have humans thought about organizing their societies to balance the needs of the common good and social rights with the needs and concerns of the individual?

006 - Writing about Culture/Society - Dangerous Bodies: Obscenity, Sex, and Censorship
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Sarah Orsak
This course is cross-listed with WGS 2410

What distinguishes the artistic and educational from the pornographic? While one Supreme Court Justice famously declared “I know it when I see it,” this remains a highly contested question in American politics, shaping discussions about education, the internet, sexual violence, and reproductive healthcare.

In this course, we ask: what do different approaches to obscenity and pornography reveal about the politics of gender and sexuality in the US? How do we come to understand some bodies and acts as deviant or dangerous? The course moves thematically. First, we focus on art and visual culture, asking how race and gender shape how we “see” obscenity. Then we turn to histories of feminism, addressing how debates about pornography have shaped (and torn apart) feminist movements. The course ends by addressing the contemporary resurgence of obscenity as a site of political concern, focusing on the internet and reproductive healthcare.

In this exploration of obscenity as a concept, we will engage a range of texts; in addition to feminist and queer scholarship, readings include personal essays, historical documents, and news articles.

007 - Writing about Culture/Society - Environmental Justice in the Mid-Atlantic
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Alexandria Smith
This course is cross-listed with AAS 2605

008 - Writing about Culture/Society - The Ancient Roots of Modern Atheism
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Inger Kuin
This course is cross-listed with CLAS 2150

How do people come to doubt their religious beliefs? In what ways can doubt be part of religiosity, and when does it cause people to leave religion behind? These questions were as relevant in ancient Greece and Rome as they are today. Already in the sixth century BCE critics of the myths of Homer and early natural philosophers subjected the religious beliefs of their contemporaries to rigorous scrutiny. This course engages with the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman doubters, disbelievers, and atheists, and traces their strong influence from the Renaissance up to the present day. We will investigate the intellectual history of ancient criticisms of religion, and how ancient thinkers shaped modern atheism and secularity. We will read ancient authors like Plato, Aristophanes, Epicurus, Cicero, and Lucian, and post-classical authors ranging from Desiderius Erasmus to Richard Dawkins and Ali Rizvi. All texts will be read in English translation.

Beyond First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 2520 - Special Topics in Writing (8 sections)

001 - Walking Charlottesville
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Kate Stephenson
This course is restricted to Echols students only

This seminar will explore the connections between walking, writing, social justice, and activism. There is a long history of walking as a means of igniting thought, creativity, and dialogue that dates back to the meanderings of Socrates and Aristotle and continues through the strolls of the Romantic poets, the city wanderings of the fictional J. Alfred Prufrock and Clarissa Dalloway, and the outdoor hikes of Wendell Berry. But walking isn’t just linked to creativity and conversation; it’s also clearly connected to social justice. Walking to freedom, as depicted in myriad slave narratives and immigration stories, as well as walking for freedom in the form of protest marches, both past and present, are important reminders that our footsteps matter. In this class, we will consider how walking can be both a solo activity and a means of creating community. By walking together, we will learn about the places and histories around us. The course will be structured around biweekly walks primarily themed around social justice. All walks and place-based visits will include time for reflective writing.

002 - Writing and Games
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Kate Natishan

Play is essential to our growth. Games teach us how to move, how to balance, how to coordinate our hands andeyes, how to take turns, how to share, how to read people, how to strategize, how to problem solve, how to work as a team... Without games, there is no us.

Games play a central role in our social and private lives, whether we are spectators or players. They also have massive cultural impact, sometimes in ways we don’t expect. In this class, we will examine the role games play in our lives and our culture, and we will explore the ways in which others write about games while developing our skills to do the same.

003 - Audible Writing
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
Jon D'Errico

Text meets audio. As a class, we'll explore, analyze, and produce audible writing about UVa and Charlottesville in a range of genres, from podcast-style scripts to hybrid multi-modal documents. Appropriate for students who combine strong writing with a lively and engaged intellectual curiosity.

004 - Writing Human Rights
T 06:00PM-08:30PM
Steve Parks

Students will study theories of human rights and work with global human rights advocates, as well as students located in International contexts.

005 - Writing about Virginia's Native Community
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Sarah Richardson

In this course, students will employ research skills, focus on critical engagement, reflect on how information is presented and written to craft effective arguments to address a public facing audience. In particular, students will work with Virginia’s Tribal Nations to create a document that discusses the similarities and differences between the Tribal Nations socially, historically, and culturally.

006 - Writing about Medicine
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Rhiannon Goad
This course is restricted to Echols students only

This course dives into the art and ethics of communicating about health. You'll dissect everything from dense medical studies to viral news, learning to translate complex science into clear, compelling language. With short essays, you will develop skills to evaluate diverse sources, including medical literature, health journalism, and patient narratives, and apply responsible communication principles in contexts such as reporting research findings without hype and explaining public health issues effectively. You'll practice these communication skills throughout the semester, culminating in a final project: the creation of a zine about medicine.

007 - Writing Democratic Rights
M 06:00PM-08:30PM
Steve Parks
This course is restricted to Echols students only

Students will study theories of democracy and work with global democratic advocates, as well as students located in international contexts.

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ENWR 2800 - Public Speaking

MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
devin donovan

An inquiry-based approach to the development of a confident, engaging, and ethical public speaking style. Beyond practical skills, this course emphasizes rhetorical thinking: what are the conventions of public speaking? Where are there opportunities to deviate from convention in ways that might serve a speech’s purpose? How might we construct an audience through the ways we craft language and plan the delivery of our speech?

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ENWR 3500 - Topics in Advanced Writing & Rhetoric

001 - Environmental Justice Writing
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Cory Shaman

Designed to offer students practice in engaged environmental writing, this course will focus on environmental justice (EJ) discourse in US and international contexts. While the class will be grounded in a study of established forms of EJ theory, special attention will be given to advancing an understanding of the entangled claims and interests of humans and non-humans together as a method to enable students to develop more expansive conceptions of justice and produce just forms of writing.

Course materials will draw heavily on texts associated with historical and contemporary environmental justice efforts at the grassroots level, but also in academic, governmental, and commercial contexts. Case studies in local EJ campaigns in Virginia may form a significant portion of the class. Students will gain experience as readers of these texts and apply insights to a variety of writing tasks shaped by their specific interests within the framework of environmental justice.

002 - Rhetoric of Crime
T 06:00PM-08:30PM
Rhiannon Goad

Sensational news headlines, tough-on-crime political campaigns, and gripping true crime narratives: how we talk about crime profoundly shapes our understanding of criminals, victims, justice, and social order. This course explores the rhetorical dimension of crime, examining the persuasive strategies used to define crime, influence public perception, and shape policy in contemporary culture. Together, we will critically analyze how language constructs our reality of crime and punishment. Through a series of analytic papers and a podcast, students will use rhetorical analysis to identify significant trends in crime discourse, identify agents shaping these narratives, and develop a critical perspective on the power of language in matters of law, order, and justice.

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ENWR 3550 - Advanced Topics in Digital Writing & Rhetoric

001 - How now, Spirit! AI Satire and Public Discourse
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Dana Little

As generative AI tools become embedded in our devices, social media platforms, and word processing software, writers must develop new literacies to critically evaluate and engage with digital content. This course explores the rhetorical aspects of AI-generated communication, focusing on how these tools use (or misuse) satire, genre conventions, and rhetorical devices to persuade audiences and shape public discourse.

002 - Digital Public Writing
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Kevin Smith

ENWR 3550: Digital Public Writing examines the rhetorical, technological, and cultural dimensions of writing for public audiences with an emphasis on digital communities. Students will analyze and produce multimodal compositions meant to circulate beyond the classroom, developing rhetorical frameworks for understanding how (digital) texts address audiences and perform work in the world.

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ENWR 3620 - Writing & Tutoring Across Cultures

TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Rory Sullivan

In this course, we'll look at a variety of texts from academic arguments, narratives, and pedagogies, to consider what it means to write, communicate, and learn across cultures. Topics will include contrastive rhetorics, world Englishes, rhetorical listening, and tutoring multilingual writers. A service learning component will require students to volunteer weekly in the community.

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ENWR 3640 - Writing with Sound

TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Stephanie Ceraso

Trains students to become attuned, thoughtful listeners and sonic composers. In addition to discussing key works on sound from fields such as rhetoric and composition, sound studies, and journalism, we will experiment with the possibilities of sound as a valuable form of writing and storytelling. Students will learn how to use digital audio editing tools, platforms, and techniques for designing and producing sonic projects. (Meets second writing requirement.)

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ENWR 3680 - Writing and Documentary Film

TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Jodie Childers

Merging theory and practice, this course invites students to explore the writing process through the lens of documentary film. Through analyzing films and creating formal documentary film treatments, students explore the tension between artistry and pragmatism as they deepen their understanding of documentary film as a genre, confronting its affordances—both the possibilities and the constraints.

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ENWR 3720 - Arguing Like a Scholar

TR 03:30PM-4:45PM
Tyler Carter

In Arguing Like a Scholar, students examine the writing practices and argumentative structures of published work in their chosen field or discipline using methods from anthropology and corpus linguistics. This course will help prepare students for further graduate or professional education and moreover, help students develop a broad array of strategies for academic writing and research.

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ENWR 3740 - Black Women's Writing & Rhetoric

TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Tamika Carey

A chronological survey of the persuasive communication and writing strategies Black women have used towards the project of empowerment and activism in speeches, essays, poetry, drama, and novels.

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ENWR 3900 - The Forbes Seminar in Career-based Writing and Rhetoric

TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Keith Driver

Develops proficiency in a range of stylistic and persuasive effects. The course is designed for students who want to hone their writing skills, as well as for students preparing for careers in which they will write documents for public circulation. Students explore recent research in writing studies. In the workshop-based studio sessions, students propose, write, and edit projects of their own design. (Meets second writing requirement.)

Courses Archive

Spring 2027 Course Descriptions

Two-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

ENWR 1506 - Writing and Critical Inquiry: The Stretch Sequence

Single-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

ENWR 1510 - Writing and Critical Inquiry (70+ sections)

ENWR 1520 - Writing and Community Engagement (5 sections)

ENWR 2510 - Advanced Writing Seminar

Beyond First-Year Writing Courses

ENWR 2520 - Special Topics in Writing (8 sections)

ENWR 2800 - Public Speaking

ENWR 3500 - Topics in Advanced Writing & Rhetoric

ENWR 3550 - Advanced Topics in Digital Writing & Rhetoric

ENWR 3620 - Writing & Tutoring Across Cultures

ENWR 3640 - Writing with Sound

ENWR 3680 - Writing and Documentary Film

ENWR 3720 - Arguing Like a Scholar

ENWR 3740 - Black Women's Writing & Rhetoric

ENWR 3900 - The Forbes Seminar in Career-based Writing and Rhetoric

Writing with Sound Speaker Series

Community Partnerships

Gosnell Prize

Community Writing Collaborative

Student-Produced Digital Projects

Forbes Seminar