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Fall 2017 Course Offerings

Two-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

10969  001 Seminar (3 Units) Claire Chantell TuTh 11:00AM - 12:15PM The Rotunda Room 152
10970  002 Seminar (3 Units) Claire Chantell TuTh 12:30PM - 1:45PM The Rotunda Room 152
10971  003 Seminar (3 Units) Marcus Meade MoWeFr 1:00PM - 1:50PM Bryan Hall 312
10972  004 Seminar (3 Units) Marcus Meade MoWeFr 12:00PM - 12:50PM Bryan Hall 330
19391  005 Seminar (3 Units) Staff TuTh 12:30PM - 1:45PM Bryan Hall 203
10973  006 Seminar (3 Units) Staff MoWeFr 11:00AM - 11:50AM Ruffner Hall 125
12513  008 Seminar (3 Units) Kate Kostelnik TuTh 9:30AM - 10:45AM Ruffner Hall 125

 


Single-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

 

 

Fall 2026 Course Descriptions

Two-Semester First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 1505 - Writing and Critical Inquiry: The Stretch Sequence (8 sections)

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 - Work & the Good Life
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 310)
Claire Chantell

002 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Work & the Good Life
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 310)
Claire Chantell

003 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about/with Attention/Distraction​
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (SHN 119)
Patricia Sullivan

004 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about/with Attention/Distraction​
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (SHN 109)
Patricia Sullivan

005 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing About Attention and Distraction
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (CAB 038)
Ethan King

006 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (SHN 111)
John Modica

007 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing About Attention and Distraction
TR 12:30-01:45PM (CAB 283)
Ethan King

008 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (CAB 191)
John Modica  


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 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 334)
TBA

002 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 211)
TBA
 
003 -- TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 312)
TBA

005 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Food
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (DL1 104)
Keith Driver
 
006 -- TBA
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 310)
TBA
 
007 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 068)
TBA
 
008 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 415)
TBA
 
009 -- Writing about identities
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 312)
Devin Donovan
(Transfer Students ONLY)
 
010 -- Writing about Science & Tech
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 330)
Cory Shaman
 
011 -- TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 332)
TBA

012 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Risk, Reward, Assessment
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 334)
Jon D'Errico
 
013 -- Writing about Science & Tech - Writing about Medicine
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (SHN 111)
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.

014 -- Writing about Identities - Writing about Writing and Literacy
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 334)
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.
 
015 -- Writing about Identities
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 334)
Charity Fowler
 
016 -- Writing about Identities
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 312)
Devin Donovan
(Transfer Students ONLY)
 
017 -- TBA 
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (KER 317)
TBA
 
018 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Food
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 332)
Keith Driver
 
019 -- TBA 
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 312)
TBA
 
020 -- Multilingual Writers
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 310)
Davy Tran
(Multilingual/international students ONLY)

In this course, you will learn the academic writing skills essential for international and multilingual students to succeed at US universities. They are brainstorming, writing paragraphs and essays, and paraphrasing. Other skills include summarizing, using different databases for research, and using APA 7 correctly to cite in-text and create references. You will also read and discuss various topics to develop your critical thinking. 
 
021 -- TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
022 -- TBA
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 312)
TBA

023 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 312)
TBA
 
024 -- Writing & Community Engagement - Writing Charlottesville 
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (CAB 068)
Kevin Smith

025 -- TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (DL1 104)
TBA
 
026 -- Writing about Digital Media - Digital Disruption
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 330)
Jodie Childers

In the tech sector, disruption has come to take on positive connotations tied to innovation and risk, but is disruption always beneficial to humanity?  In this course, we will interrogate digital communication and technology as forces of disruption, for better or worse. In what ways can disruption prompt societal transformation? In what ways might disruption threaten social systems, economic livelihoods, or even democracy itself? As we analyze the emergence of generative AI, the uses and abuses of social media, and the circulation of online trends, we will take a process-based approach to writing that privileges critical inquiry, autonomy, and voice. At the center of the course will be our Digital Media Innovation Symposium, where we will reimagine writing as a multimodal practice with the power to interrupt public debates in an age of disruption.
 
027 -- Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (CAB 044)
Tyler Carter
 
028 -- Writing & Community Engagement - Writing Charlottesville
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 310)
Kevin Smith
 
029 -- Multilingual Writers
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 310)
Davy Tran
(Multilingual/international students ONLY)

 
In this course, you will learn the academic writing skills essential for international and multilingual students to succeed at US universities. They are brainstorming, writing paragraphs and essays, and paraphrasing. Other skills include summarizing, using different databases for research, and using APA 7 correctly to cite in-text and create references. You will also read and discuss various topics to develop your critical thinking. 
 
030 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 334)
Jon D'Errico
 
031 -- Writing about Digital Media - Factions and Digital Culture: Crafting Social Media Commentary
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (RTN 152)
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.
 
032 -- TBA
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
033 -- TBA
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (DL1 104)
TBA
 
034 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 310)
TBA
 
035 -- Writing about Identities
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 334)
Charity Fowler
 
036 -- Writing about Digital Media - Digital Disruption
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 330)
Jodie Childers

In the tech sector, disruption has come to take on positive connotations tied to innovation and risk, but is disruption always beneficial to humanity?  In this course, we will interrogate digital communication and technology as forces of disruption, for better or worse. In what ways can disruption prompt societal transformation? In what ways might disruption threaten social systems, economic livelihoods, or even democracy itself? As we analyze the emergence of generative AI, the uses and abuses of social media, and the circulation of online trends, we will take a process-based approach to writing that privileges critical inquiry, autonomy, and voice. At the center of the course will be our Digital Media Innovation Symposium, where we will reimagine writing as a multimodal practice with the power to interrupt public debates in an age of disruption.
 
037 -- TBA 
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (CAB 044)
TBA
 
038 -- Writing about Digital Media - Factions and Digital Culture: Crafting Social Media Commentary
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (AST 265)
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.
 
039 -- Writing about Science & Tech - Writing About Medicine
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (SHN 111)
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.

040 -- Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 334)
Tyler Carter

041 -- TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (DL1 104)
TBA
 
043 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
044 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Language, Policy, and Politics
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (DL1 104)
Kate Natishan

As Edward P.J. Corbett has observed, rhetorical analysis "is more interested in a literary work for what it does than for what it is." Rhetoric - how words are chosen and used - can impact everything from how we understand problems and create policies to how we engage in politics and create identity. It's never "just words." This class will explore how language use by public figures and citizens impacts how policies are created and written as well as how the political arena is changed by the use of
language. By nature of the subject matter, we will be discussing political, social, and policy issues both past and present.

045 -- TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 312)
TBA
 
046 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Language, Policy, and Politics
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (SHN 111)
Kate Natishan

As Edward P.J. Corbett has observed, rhetorical analysis "is more interested in a literary work for what it does than for what it is." Rhetoric - how words are chosen and used - can impact everything from how we understand problems and create policies to how we engage in politics and create identity. It's never "just words." This class will explore how language use by public figures and citizens impacts how policies are created and written as well as how the political arena is changed by the use of
language. By nature of the subject matter, we will be discussing political, social, and policy issues both past and present.

047 -- Writing about Culture and Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 332)
John T. Casteen IV
 
048 -- TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 312)
TBA
 
049 -- Writing about Science & Tech
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 330)
Cory Shaman
 
052 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
053 -- TBA
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (CAB 207)
TBA
 
055 -- Writing about Identities - Writing about Writing and Literacy
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 332)
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.
 
056 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 330)
TBA
 
057 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
TR 11:00AM-12:45PM (CAB 044)
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. 

059 -- TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 334)
TBA
 
060 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 310)
John T. Casteen IV

061 -- TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 330)
TBA
 
062 -- Writing about Identities - Writing about Writing and Literacy
TR 12:30-01:45PM (BRN 332)
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.
 
063 -- TBA
TR 06:30PM-07:45PM (BRN 310)
TBA
 
064 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 334)
TBA

065 -- TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 330)
TBA
 
066 -- TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
067 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 056)
TBA
 
068 -- Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 312)
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. 
 
069 -- TBA
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 310)
TBA
 
070 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 064)
TBA
 
071 -- TBA
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 330)
TBA
 
072 -- TBA
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 332)
TBA
 
073 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (DL1 104)
TBA

074 -- TBA
MWF 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 330)
TBA

075 -- Writing and Community Engagement - Walking Charlottesville
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 310)
Kate Stephenson

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.

076 -- TBA
MWF (09:00AM-09:50AM) (DL1 104)
TBA

077 -- TBA
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 312)
TBA

078 -- TBA
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (DL1 104)
TBA

079 -- TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 310)
TBA

080 -- TBA
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 310)
TBA

081 -- TBA
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 330)
TBA

082 -- TBA
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (CAB 036)
TBA

083 -- TBA
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 332)
TBA

084 -- TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 044)
TBA

085 -- TBA
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 312)
TBA

087 -- TBA
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (CAB 036)
TBA

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ENWR 1520 - Writing and Community Engagement (4 sections)

001 -- Writing about Food Justice
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (RTN 152)
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, 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.  

Community engagement courses depend on creating pathways between different kinds of knowledge that enable us to learn with our minds, hearts, and bodies. The classroom is not a place where we find the answer; instead, it is a space for inquiry where process rather than product prevails. We will explore first-hand the ways in which academic conversations—and civic conversations—emphasize questions rather than answers. We will redefine knowledge—where it originates, who creates it, and how it circulates—by seeing the community outside the classroom as a site of knowledge production. 

Community Partners—UVA Student Garden, Morven Kitchen Garden, UVA Community Food Pantry, Loaves and Fishes, Food Assist, Feel Good, and PVCC Community Garden.

All students will have the opportunity to volunteer weekly at the UVA Student Garden (SG), Morven Kitchen Garden (MKG), UVA Community Food Pantry (FP), Loaves and Fishes (LF), Feel Good (FG), or PVCC Community Garden (PCG). Scheduling, including time slots and transportation, will be coordinated with the help of the professor and Madison House.  Students should complete their chosen number of hours by April 29th and submit their community engagement log on Canvas. We will receive training from the gardens and Madison House in preparation for our partnership. During those sessions, we will think deeply about the ethics of community engagement in both theoretical and practical terms in order to align our interactions with the following principles: co-production, responsibility, equity, authentic partnership, and mutuality.

002 -- You and A.I.
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (DL2 102)
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?

003 -- Native American Rhetoric
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (KER 317)
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.

004 -- Native American Rhetoric
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (KER 317)
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.

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ENWR 2510 - Advanced Writing Seminar (3+ sections)

002 -- Writing about Identities 
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 332)
Devin Donovan

004 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (RTN 152)
Penny Von Eschen
Cross-listed with HIST 1501

005 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (NAU 141)
Anri Yasuda
Cross-listed with JPTR 2810

006 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (GIB 241)
Natasha Heller
Cross-listed with RELB 2280

007 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (FHL 208)
Rolando Vargas
Cross-listed with ARTH 2591

008 -- Writing about Culture/Society
W 02:00PM-04:30PM (CAB 207)
Julia Cassaniti
Cross-listed with RELG 2610

009 -- Writing about Culture/Society
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 330)
Sarah Orsak
Cross-Listed with WGS 2410

010 -- Writing about Science and Technology - Introduction to Mathematical Writing
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (CAB 056)
Julie Bergner
Cross-Listed with MATH 2559

The course will enable students to develop their writing skills with a focus on mathematical topics. It should facilitate students' ability to communicate effectively in later courses in mathematics and related disciplines.


Beyond First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 2520 - Special Topics in Writing (6 sections)

001 -- Community Engagement with UVA's Indigenous History
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (CAM 108)
Sarah Richardson

This section of ENWR 2520, Community Engagement with UVA’s Indigenous History, will focus on using rhetorical approaches to help students improve critical reading and writing skills and craft effective arguments. Rhetoric is the study of persuasion, and we’ll spend time analyzing arguments to determine why audiences might be persuaded by them and the benefits and harm rhetoric has on indigenous communities. Students will also learn how to research, compose, and revise ethical and effective arguments to address specific audiences. In particular, this course will focus on applicable concepts to the Monacan Nation.

002 -- Listening to Horror
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (RDL 123)
Kate Natishan

In this class we explore the genre of cosmic horror: fiction that emphasizes the fear of the unknowable and incomprehensible. We will be reading and listening to examples of the macabre, the unnerving, and the eerie while grappling with the existence of entities beyond human comprehension. We begin with a brief overview of the history of cosmic horror concepts and its place in society before moving on to a deep dive into two horror podcasts. Throughout the semester, we will examine how sound design, voice acting, and other aural elements enhance written scripts. The content in this course (and sometimes its creators) can be challenging: we’ll explore ways to think critically about the things we enjoy and we’ll work together to continue enjoying imperfect creations.

005 -- Writing and Generative AI
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (CAB 209)
Ethan King

This humanities-based writing seminar explores generative AI as a rhetorical and cultural force reshaping how we read, write, and think. Students will cultivate AI awareness through functional understanding of how these systems work, rhetorical insight into how they shape meaning, and ethical inquiry into the risks they pose, while developing their writing through critical analysis, reflection, and AI experiments.

006 -- Narrative Argument
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (NAU 242)
Tyler Carter

In this SWR course students will explore the possibilities of making arguments through personal narrative via rhetorical and narrative theory. In addition to writing narrative arguments, students will read and analyze popular and literary texts that range from editorials in mass media publications to creative non-fiction and lyric essays.

007 -- Writing from Research to Publication
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 312)
Rory Sullivan

Rather than thinking about writing as a short-term activity, this course will explore the ways that ideas develop over a semester by working in different composition processes. As a class, we will establish a topic, stage a conference, solicit papers, and publish an interdisciplary journal. By working in these different modes, we will develop research projects, as well as presentation and publication practices.

008 -- Writing in a Global World: Issues of Global Media
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (CAB 407)
Dana Little

In this course, we will look at how social media platforms shape global communication and personal identity. By investigating how messages travel across digital borders on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, we will identify the ways algorithms influence what users encounter and believe. By applying rhetorical tools and digital ethnography, we will investigate how global social groups take shape, how narratives circulate, and how writers can communicate ethically in highly networked environments often influenced by AI interference. Assignments invite us to review digital content, analyze platform dynamics, and develop strategies for effective, culturally approachable writing in global online spaces.

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ENWR 2610 - Writing with Style

TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 310)
Keith Driver

Investigates the role of style in the writing process. What does it mean to write with attention to style? How can attention to style be generative? Students will explore the variety, uses, and implications of a broad range of stylistic moves available in prose writing and build a rich vocabulary for describing them. Students will imitate and analyze exemplary writing and discuss each other’s writing in a workshop setting. (Meets second writing requirement.)

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ENWR 2640 - Writing as Technology

TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (GIB 242)
Patricia Sullivan

This course explores historical, theoretical, and practical conceptions of writing as technology. We will study various writing systems, the relation of writing to speaking and visual media, and the development of writing technologies (manuscript, printing presses, typewriters, hypertext, text messaging, and artificial intelligence). Students will produce written academic and personal essays, but will also experiment with multimedia electronic texts, such as web sites, digital essays/stories, and AI generated texts

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ENWR 2700 - News Writing

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (GIB 142)
Kate Sweeney

This course focuses on the development of basic writing skills, with craftsmanship the emphasis. We will study, discuss, and rewrite old and new newspaper stories in a workshop setting. Readings will be taken from texts and various other sources. Progress from short hard-news pieces through speech stories, legislative and political coverage, the use of narrative and on to other news features. Repeated writing drills. Fair to good typing or word processing skills required. It will be essential to follow current events as well.

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ENWR 2800 - Public Speaking

TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (CAB 191)
John Modica

In today’s digital world, public speaking isn’t just about standing at a podium; it’s all about social media, virtual talks, and global broadcasts. This course gives you the tools you need to really get what’s going on in modern public discourse.
 
Over the semester, you’ll dive into how public speaking is changing, looking at how tech, culture, and media all mix to change the way we communicate. We’ll focus on breaking down different types of speeches, from public addresses and TED Talks to viral videos on YouTube.
 
You’ll get to explore emerging concepts like social posting strategies, who your audience is, how to structure a speech for reach and engagement, and tips for content analysis. By examining contemporary speeches, you’ll learn how effective communication can shape opinions, spark social movements, and boost brands all while examining the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping public discourse.
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ENWR 3500 - Topics in Advanced Writing and Rhetoric

001 -- Rhetoric of Crime
MW 02:00PM-03:15 (SHN 111)
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 3640 - Writing with Sound

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (CAB 187)
Steph Ceraso

In this collaborative, project-based course, students will learn to script, design, edit, and produce an original podcast series. In addition to reading about and practicing professional audio storytelling techniques (e.g. interviewing, writing for the ear, sound design), each student will get to work with a team to produce an episode for the podcast series. No experience with digital audio editing is necessary. Beginners welcome!

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ENWR 3665 - Writing about the Environment

TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 312)
Cory Shaman

Focuses on creating meaningful, responsible, and engaged writing in the context of significant environmental issues. Analysis of representative environmental texts, familiarity with environmental concepts, examination of ethical positions in private and public spheres of writing, and sustained practice with form, style, medium, and genre will drive a variety of writing projects.

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ENWR 3680 - Writing and Documentary Film

MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 334)
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 3740 - Black Women's Writing & Rhetoric

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (RTN 150)
Tamika Carey

This course explores how Black Women use writing, literacy, speaking, and performance rhetorically to build the worlds they want to live in and the lives they deserve. Specifically, the course will teach you how to understand: 1) rhetoric as techne, or an art, that members of this group use to take action towards their social and political needs; 2) rhetoric as a lens for analyzing and critiquing the choices and consequences of literature, communication, and discourse; and 3) rhetoric as a resource for developing voice, style, and flavor in writing. Projects are likely to include: a discussion-leading presentation, an analytical essay, and a final project.
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ENWR 3900 - Career Based Writing and Rhetoric

MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (WNR 113)
John T. Casteen IV

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.

Spring 2024 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 Identities  - Collaborative Inquiry Into Race & Identity
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 330)
Kate Kostelnik

In this class, we will complete collaborative inquires. The first inquiry will be into race and identity. In March, you and your group will investigate issues of race locally. While all the work you do in all your classes are inquiries into disciplines and subjects, the research and revision that goes into writing projects (or course papers) are usually non-collaborative. In other words, you choose a topic, analyze texts, reflect, and then write. Collaborative inquiry is different in that you and your peers choose the same topic and sources. While you will write your own projects, you will research and discuss sources collaboratively. You will not just work reflectively, but reflexively. This project is based off of Donna Qualley’s Turns of Thought, from which we will read excerpts.

002 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 312)
Claire Chantell

003 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (COC 101)
Claire Chantell

004 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 203)
Patricia Sullivan

005 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (CAB 042)
Kate Natishan

006 - Writing about Identities - Collaborative Inquiry Into Race & Identity
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 332)
Kate Kostelnik

In this class, we will complete collaborative inquires. The first inquiry will be into race and identity. In March, you and your group will investigate issues of race locally. While all the work you do in all your classes are inquiries into disciplines and subjects, the research and revision that goes into writing projects (or course papers) are usually non-collaborative. In other words, you choose a topic, analyze texts, reflect, and then write. Collaborative inquiry is different in that you and your peers choose the same topic and sources. While you will write your own projects, you will research and discuss sources collaboratively. You will not just work reflectively, but reflexively. This project is based off of Donna Qualley’s Turns of Thought, from which we will read excerpts.

007 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (CAB 056)
Kate Natishan

008 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 203)
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 (CAB 027)
Tyler Carter

002 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (CAB 064)
Tyler Carter
 
003 - Writing about Culture/Society - The Good Life
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 310)
John Modica

004 - Writing about the Arts - The Writer and the Reader
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 312)
Caroline Erickson

005 - Writing about Identities
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 312)
Anna Gomboeva
 
006 - Writing about the Arts - The Fool
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 334)
Bella Lewis
 
007 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing as an Exploratory Act
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 310)
Adnan Zarif
 
008 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (KER 317)
Jeddie Sophronius
 
009 - Writing about the Arts - Rhetorics of Animation
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 330)
M Stiffler
 
010 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 06:30PM-07:45PM (BRN 330)
Keith Driver
 
011 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing Environments​
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 312)
John T. Casteen IV

012 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 310)
Davy Tran
(Multilingual/international students ONLY)
 
013 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (BRN 332)
Jodie Childers

014 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 312)
Jon D'Errico
 
015 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Monsters
MW 08:30AM-09:45AM (BRN 330)
Cameron Berry
 
016 - Writing about the Arts - What is There not There?
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (AST 265)
Alexa Luborsky
 
017 - Writing about Identities - Gender in Speculative Fiction
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 310)
Spencer Grayson
 
018 - Writing about Culture/Society - Magical Realism and Migration
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 330)
Jess Gomez
 
019 - Writing about Identities
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (CAB 315)
Anna Gomboeva
 
020 - Writing about Identities
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 330)
devin donovan
 
021 - Writing about Culture/Society - Native American Rhetoric
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (CAB 056)
Sarah Richardson

022 - Writing about Culture/Society - Place, Seeing, & Ethics
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 332)
Ethan Evans
 
024 - Writing about Digital Media
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (CAB 068)
Dana Little
  
025 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 332)
Tanner Hansen
 
027 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (KER 317)
Hodges Adams
 
028 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 312)
Jon D'Errico
 
029 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 332)
Tanner Hansen
 
030 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 330)
Cory Shaman
 
031 - Writing about the Arts​
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 235)
Henrietta Hadley
 
032 - TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 334)
TBA
 
033 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (CAB 068)
Kaitlyn Airy
 
034 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 330)
Cory Shaman
 
035 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 310)
Davy Tran
(Multilingual/international students ONLY)
 
036 - Writing & Community Engagement - Walking Charlottesville
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 310)
Kate Stephenson

037 - Writing about Identities - Writing about Emotions
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 332)
Zana Christjohn
 
038 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (CAB 044)
Mack Gregg
 
039 - Writing about Culture/Society - The Good Life
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 332)
John Modica
 
040 - Writing about the Arts - Words and the World
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 312)
Aryeh Lieber
 
041 - Writing about the Arts - (Re)Buildings
MW 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 312)
Gabby Kiser
 
042 - TBA
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 332)
George Abry
 
043 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 312)
Hodes Adams
 
044 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (KER 317)
Lydia Brown
 
045 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 332)
Jodie Childers 
 
046 - Writing about the Arts - Writers on Writing
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (CAB 036)
Zoe Kempf-Harris
 
047 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Television
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 332)
Cristina Griffin
 
048 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Public Health
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (BRN 310)
Rhiannon Goad
 
049 - TBA
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM (CAB 044)
George Abry
 
051 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Public Health
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 310)
Rhiannon Goad
 
052 - Writing about Culture/Society - Native American Rhetoric
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 312)
Sarah Richardson
 
053 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Landscape
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM (BRN 334)
Shalmi Barman
 
054 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 310)
Piers Gelly
 
055 - Writing about the Arts - Writing About Comedy
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (CAB 207)
Derek Cavens
 
056 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (BRN 334)
Kevin Smith
 
057 - Writing about the Arts - The Writer and the Reader
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 310)
Caroline Erickson

058 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 310)
Piers Gelly
 
059 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Nature and Environment
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 312)
Mason Robertson
 
060 - Writing about Culture/Society - At the Margins of Queer and Trans
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 334)
Karthik Shankar
 
061 - Writing about the Arts - The Fool
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 334)
Bella Lewis
 
062 - Writing about Digital Media
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (CAB 064)
Dana Little
 
063 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (CAB 027)
Courtney Watts
 
064 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 312)
Tom Williams
 
065 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (CAB 044)
Mack Gregg
 
066 - Writing about Culture/Society - Place, Seeing, & Ethics
MWF 01:00AM-01:50AM (BRN 332)
Ethan Evans

067 - Writing about Identities
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM (BRN 330)
devin donovan
 
068 - Writing about the Arts - What is There not There?
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (AST 265)
Alexa Luborsky
 
069 - Writing about the Arts - Writing About Comedy
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (CAB 207)
Derek Cavens
 
070 - Writing about Culture/Society - Storytelling Across Mediums
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 330)
Paola Mendez-Garcia
 
071 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing into Wonder
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (BRN 334)
Cy March
 
073 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Joy
MWF 02:00PM-02:50PM (BRN 330)
River Robins

074 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Misinformation
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM (BRN 332)
Jack Crouse

075 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing into Wonder
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (BRN 334)
Cy March

076 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (CAB 407)
Garrett Kim

078 - Writing about Identities - Aliens and Identities
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (BRN 334)
Charity Fowler

079 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Passions and Pursuits
TR 05:00PM-05:15PM (SHN 111)
Alison Cotti-Lowell

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ENWR 1520 - Writing and Community Engagement (1 section)

001 - Writing and Community Engagement - Writing about Food Justice
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 310)
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 working at the UVA Student Garden, Morven Kitchen Garden, UVA Community Food Pantry, Loaves and Fishes, 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 (4 sections)

001 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Attention
TR 3:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 330)
Tyler Carter

003 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 310)
John Modica

004 - Writing about the Arts - Fandom Ethnography
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (SHN 111)
Charity Fowler


Beyond First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 2520 - Special Topics in Writing (9 sections)

001 - Writing and Documentary Film
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM (RTN 150)
Jodie Childers

002 - Writing Democratic Rights
T 06:00PM-08:30PM (CAB 411)
Steve Parks

003 - Writing Human Rights
M 06:00PM-08:30PM (CAB 411)
Steve Parks

005 - Audible Writing
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM (CAB 064)
Jon D'Errico

006 - Writing about Medicine
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM (BRN 310)
Rhiannon Goad

007 - Engaging with the Monacan Nation
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (KER 317)
Sarah Richardson

008 - Personal Writing: Experience and Expression
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM (AST 265)
Jim Seitz

009 - Personal Writing: Experience and Expression
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (SHN 111)
Jim Seitz

010 - Writing and Games
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (DR1 105)
Kate Natishan

 

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ENWR 2700 - News Writing

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (NAU 341)
Kate Sweeney

No fake news here, but rather progressive exercises in developing the news-writing style of writing from straight hard news to "soft" features. Satisfies Second Writing Requirement.

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ENWR 2800 - Public Speaking

MW 02:00PM-03:15PM (CAB 107)
devin donovan

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ENWR 3500 - Topics in Advanced Writing & Rhetoric

001 - Environmental Justice Writing
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM (CAB 594)
Cory Shaman

002 - Race, Rhetoric, and Social Justice
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (SHN 111)
Sethunya Mokoko

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ENWR 3550 - Advanced Topics in Digital Writing & Rhetoric

001 - Mapping
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM (BRN 334)
Kevin Smith

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ENWR 3620 - Writing and Tutoring Across Cultures

TR 03:30PM-04:45PM (BRN 312)
Kate Kostelnik

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ENWR 3640 - Writing with Sound

F 01:00PM-03:30PM (BRN 233)
Piers Gelly

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ENWR 3660 - Travel Writing

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (AST 265)
Kate Stephenson

Why is everyone suddenly going to Portugal? Why do we travel? What is the difference between a traveler and a tourist?  Using different types of writing, including journal entries, forum posts, peer reviews, and formal papers, we will explore the world of travel writing.  Since we all write best about ideas we are passionate about, we will work together to generate interesting questions about the role of travel in our culture, as well as about specific books and essays. We will also investigate the world of tourism and consider the many ethical issues that arise in the exploration of our modern world. Throughout the course, we will ponder questions like:  

  • What is the relationship between travel writer, reader, and inhabitant?  
  • How can we use writing to navigate the relationship between writer, reader, inhabitant, and place?  
  • What is the role of “outsider” in travel writing? 
  • How does travel writing encourage us to see ourselves differently?  
  • How can we use the very best of travel writing—the sense of discovery, voice, narrative suspense—in other forms of writing, including academic essays?  
  • Can travel writing evoke political and social change? 

As the semester unfolds, I hope we will revise and refine our views, paying close attention to how we put words together to write powerfully and engagingly about travel. 

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ENWR 3740 - Black Women's Writing & Rhetoric

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM (CAB 594)
Tamika Carey

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ENWR 3750 - Rhetoric, Propaganda, and Conspiracy Theories

MW 03:30-04:45PM (CDW 2677)
Kenny Fountain

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

TR 03:00PM-04:45PM (BRN 332)
Dana Little

Spring 2026 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  - The Good Life
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
John Modica

002 - Writing about Culture/Society - American Sports Culture
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Claire Chantell

003 - Writing about Culture/Society - American Sports Culture​
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Claire Chantell

004 - Writing about Culture/Society - Language and Culture: Brain Rot or Demure​
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
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 need to belong—shapes emotional well-being. Through readings from psychologists, educators, journalists, and student writers, we’ll consider how ideas about success, motivation, and belonging influence what it means to “do well” and “be well” in academic life. You will develop your writing through analytical essays, reflective narratives, and public pieces that examine how institutions and individuals talk about, support, and sometimes challenge mental health in higher education.

006 - Writing about Culture/Society - The Good Life
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

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 need to belong—shapes emotional well-being. Through readings from psychologists, educators, journalists, and student writers, we’ll consider how ideas about success, motivation, and belonging influence what it means to “do well” and “be well” in academic life. You will develop your writing through analytical essays, reflective narratives, and public pieces that examine how institutions and individuals talk about, support, and sometimes challenge mental health in higher education.

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 - Writing about Culture/Society - Animal Studies Across Media
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Maggie Schlich

005 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Jeddie Sophronius
 
006 - Writing about the Arts - Dreamscapes in Literature and Film
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Regan Schadl
 
007 - Writing about the Arts - Fantasy and Its Worlds: Quests and Queries
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
Greta Marle

“Lions, tigers, and…dragons? While fantasy may be a recently recognized genre in the grand scheme of literature, it has quickly gained a following across all forms of media. If it isn’t real, what keeps us engaged? This is the question that will kickstart our quest into new worlds. Some major elements of our journey include exploring works such as The Hobbit, engaging with essays and lectures by prominent fantasy authors, and exploring fantasy media such as Avatar: The Last Airbender. You will also choose a fantasy novel to work with in the second part of the semester that is part of a final project. As you journey through fantastic worlds, you will be taking on important side quests, sharpening your critical reading and writing skills, which will help you on your longer adventure through UVA and beyond.”
 
008 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Comedy (as a Survival Skill)
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Derek Cavens
 
009 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Comedy (as a Survival Skill)
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Derek Cavens
 
010 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Keith Driver

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

012 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
Davy Tran
(Multilingual or international students ONLY)
 
013 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
Kamau Walker

014 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM 
Jon D'Errico
 
015 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 08:30AM-09:45AM
Opeyemi Rasak-Oyadiran
  
017 - Writing About the Arts - Dreams as Critical Inquiry
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Seonah Kim
 
018 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Culture and Place
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Desiree Santana
 
019 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Family
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Holly Zhou
 
020 - Writing about Identities
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
devin donovan
 
021 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Kate Natishan

022 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Emily Park
 
023 - Writing about Digital Media - The Art of the Post: Performance in Social Media Spaces
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Dana Little

In the digital era, social media platforms have become integral spaces for self-expression, communication, and cultural production. This course investigates how individuals and communities perform identities, narratives, and micro-cultures through various forms of digital expression. Beyond merely observing, we will critically examine how social media platforms serve as stages for creative expression, social interaction, and civil discourse, using theoretical frameworks drawn from media studies, cultural theory, performance studies, and digital humanities.
  
024 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Opeyemi Rasak-Oyadiran
 
025 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Writing and Literacies
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.
 
026 - Writing about Culture/Society - Assessing Performance, Risk, and Reward
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Jon D'Errico
 
027 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Kaitlyn Airy
 
028 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Cory Shaman
 
029 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Family
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Holly Zhou
 
030 - Writing about Digital Media - Did the Camera Ever Tell the Truth?
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Jodie Childers

In this class, we will build upon this provocative question posed by documentary filmmakers Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson to explore what it means to be a discerning content consumer in the age of digital media. As we become active readers, viewers, and listeners, we will analyze the ways in which content creators attempt to shape our perception, from the Kuleshov effect in a video to the pathos of the sound design in a podcast. We will also apply the tricks of the trade as we make our own digital projects. With the rise of AI-generated media, it’s more important now than ever to grapple with the ethics of digital content creation and consumption.
 
031 - Writing about the Arts - Sci-fi and Its Present
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Hodges Adams

In the introduction to The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin declares that “Science fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive.” What, then, can a work of science fiction tell us about the time in which it was written? Students in this course should expect to read and watch works of science fiction across a variety of genres and forms, including novels, short stories, essays, poetry, television episodes, and movies, and then generate critical written responses. This class focuses on reading, writing, researching, and revising carefully and with intention. Student papers will be peer reviewed and revised multiple times during class.
 
032 - Writing about Science & Tech
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Cory Shaman
 
033 - Multilingual Writers
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Davy Tran
(Multilingual or international students ONLY)
 
034 - Writing & Community Engagement - Walking Charlottesville
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Kate Stephenson

035 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Movie Remakes
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Meredith Swaim
 
036 - Writing about Digital Media - Digital Mythopoeia: Rituals, Symbols and Storytelling in Networked Cyberspaces
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Aindrila Choudhury

Contemporary belonging and beliefs are beginning to increasingly crystallize around social media, online urban legends, hashtags, memes, Reddit threads, and online rituals. This section of ENWR 1510 invites us to consider how the internet functions as a participatory archive of mythmaking, where ordinary digital gestures (like reposting, stitching, liking) take on ritualistic and symbolic meaning. We will attempt to unmoor myth from its timeworn origins and reimagine it as a living, circulating form that gains meaning through repetition and viral exchange. How do digital spaces rework one of the oldest human impulses to explain, connect, and remember through story? How do digital rituals create forms of belonging that are at once intimate and impersonal? Topics include online ritual (trending challenges to global dissent), the social life of memes, mapping the rhetorical moves of digital myths, and how platforms archive and circulate stories. We’ll read both traditional texts and read the internet itself (or specific digital artefacts, pages, platforms) as text, with writing offering a way to intervene and locate ourselves within a constantly shifting web of shared myths that are endlessly circulating.
 
037 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Writing and Literacies
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.
 
038 - Writing about Culture/Society - Wildlife and the Human Animal
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Danny Eisenberg
 
039 - Writing about Culture/Society - Argument and Civic Participation
MW 08:00AM-09:15AM
George Abry
 
040 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Gabriel Costello
 
041 - Writing about the Arts - Sci-fi and Its Present
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Hodges Adams

In the introduction to The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin declares that “Science fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive.” What, then, can a work of science fiction tell us about the time in which it was written? Students in this course should expect to read and watch works of science fiction across a variety of genres and forms, including novels, short stories, essays, poetry, television episodes, and movies, and then generate critical written responses. This class focuses on reading, writing, researching, and revising carefully and with intention. Student papers will be peer reviewed and revised multiple times during class.
 
042 - Writing about Culture/Society
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Kaitlyn Airy
 
043 - Writing about Digital Media - Did the Camera Ever Tell the Truth?
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Jodie Childers 

In this class, we will build upon this provocative question posed by documentary filmmakers Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson to explore what it means to be a discerning content consumer in the age of digital media. As we become active readers, viewers, and listeners, we will analyze the ways in which content creators attempt to shape our perception, from the Kuleshov effect in a video to the pathos of the sound design in a podcast. We will also apply the tricks of the trade as we make our own digital projects. With the rise of AI-generated media, it’s more important now than ever to grapple with the ethics of digital content creation and consumption.
 
044 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing and the News
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Nina Copeland
 
045 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Television
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Cristina Griffin

046 - Writing about Science & Tech - Writing about Medicine
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Rhiannon Goad
 
047 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Culture and Place
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Desiree Santana
 
048 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Kate Natishan
 
049 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Gabriel Costello
 
050 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about the Afterlife
MWF 12:00PM-12:50PM
Geoff Chaplin
 
051 - Writing about Identities
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Charity Fowler
 
052 - Writing & Community Engagement
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Kevin Smith
  
053 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Comedy (as a Survival Skill)
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Derek Cavens
 
054 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Learning
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Mozer Zhao

055 - Writing about Culture/Society - Aesthetics of Urban Belonging
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Tochi Eze
 
056 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Homes
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Raginee Sarmah
 
057 - Writing about the Arts - Music, Albums, and Reviews
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Ki Bailey
 
058 - Writing about Digital Media - The Art of the Post: Performance in Social Media Spaces
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Dana Little

In the digital era, social media platforms have become integral spaces for self-expression, communication, and cultural production. This course investigates how individuals and communities perform identities, narratives, and micro-cultures through various forms of digital expression. Beyond merely observing, we will critically examine how social media platforms serve as stages for creative expression, social interaction, and civil discourse, using theoretical frameworks drawn from media studies, cultural theory, performance studies, and digital humanities.
 
059 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Graphic Novels
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Maxwell Cairo
 
060 - Writing about Identities - Writing a Living World
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Marley Hays
 
061 - Writing about Science & Tech - Writing about Animals
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
Jo Gao
 
062 - Writing about the Arts - Writing about Visual Narratives
MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM
Rory Sullivan

In this course, we will examine what it means to read, experience, write about, and create visual narratives. By looking at a variety of media objects, including comics, graphic novels, archival materials, and video games, we will explore what makes these narratives unique as a genre.

063 - Writing about Culture/Society
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Kamau Walker
 
064 - Writing about Digital Media - Writing about Visual Media
MW 05:00PM-06:15PM
Momiji Barlow
 
065 - Writing about Culture/Society - Food/Writing
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
Vinayak Dewan
 
066 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Eli Gregory
 
067 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Sports
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Rory Sullivan

In this course, we will discover the various ways that sports reflect and shape culture. Writing projects will include game summaries, audio and visual podcasts, and research projects.
 
068 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Writing and Literacies
TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Kate Kostelnik

How do we use writing to learn and speak back to the world? We will inquire into writing itself as we explore how writing works and the factors that shape our writing lives. Throughout the course we will be considering different genres (personal essays, academic arguments, and fiction) and trying different writing strategies (invention, reflection, critical analysis, drafting, revision, and final editing). Particular attention will be paid to developing a working knowledge of literacies and rhetorical concepts such as audience, purpose, and context for writing. In the latter half of the course, we’ll consider arguments about academic discourse and how college writers progress; our final projects will allow us to enter these ongoing academic conversations and articulate our own ideas and experiences in the context of scholarship.

069 - Writing about Culture/Society - On the American University
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Tracey Wang

070 - Writing about Culture/Society - Writing about Food
MWF 01:00PM-01:50PM
Elizabeth Holup

072 - Writing about Identities
TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Charity Fowler

073 - Writing about Digital Media - Decoding Digital Writing
TR 05:00PM-05:15PM
Samantha Stephens

074 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 08:00AM-09:15AM
Annie Wisz

075 - Writing About the Arts - Dreams as Critical Inquiry
MWF 09:00AM-09:50AM
Seonah Kim

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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.

002 - 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? 

003 - Writing and Community Engagement - 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.

004 - Writing and Community Engagement - Writing about Native American Rhetoric
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
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.

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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 Identities - The Cultural Work of Life Writing
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Tamika Carey

From posting on social media to writing memoirs, people are constantly documenting their lives for the public. This class will explore these acts of disclosure to understand what they reveal about how members from different cultural groups use writing to form, reform, and share their identities. In addition to reading theoretical works, popular critiques, and primary texts by a variety of memoirists, scholars, and journalists, students will collect, analyze, and compose brief life writings, and complete a final critical or creative project.

003 - Writing about Culture/Society - How Research Becomes Writing: Methods, Evidence, and Revision
MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM
Heidi Nobles

This course examines how research turns into effective writing through sustained drafting, revision, and methodological choice. Students study how experienced writers work with evidence over time, then conduct their own mixed-methods research on a focused topic. Across the semester, students represent findings in multiple forms and revise their work for different audiences. The course emphasizes writing as an iterative process of decision-making, helping students build transferable skills in research, evidence-based writing, and revision for academic and public contexts.

004 - Writing about Culture/Society - Exploratory Writing
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
James Seitz

005 - Writing about Culture/Society - Cinematic Cities: Global Perspectives
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Rolando Vargas

This course explores the relationship between cinema and urban environments worldwide. By analyzing iconic films from different cultural and historical backgrounds, students will examine how cities influence cinematic storytelling, aesthetics, and production, shaping cultural perceptions and identities of urban spaces.

Cross-listed with ARTH 1500

006 - Writing about Culture/Society - Culture and Society of Contemporary Arab Middle East
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Hanadi Al-Samman

This course aims to introduce students to Modern Arab society and culture with a nuanced understanding of its simultaneous unity and diversity. It addresses some religious, socio-political, and historical factors that have contributed to the shaping of Arab identity in the modern age. Special attention will be given to issues of gender, social, and political change in the contemporary Arab world, particularly, as represented in the Arab Spring and subsequent revolutions. By examining travelogues, literary and visual works we study the question of Palestine and its impact on modern Arab politics and self-image, the Arab image in the West, particularly after 9/11, and the advent of modernity/postmodernity vis-á-vis history and national narrative.

Cross-listed with MEST 2270

007 - Writing about Culture/Society
TR 2:00PM-3:15PM
Charles Laughlin

008 - Writing about Culture/Society - Dangerous Bodies: Obscenity, Sex, and Censorship
MW 2:00PM-3:15PM
Sarah Orsak

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.
 

Beyond First-Year Writing Courses

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ENWR 2520 - Special Topics in Writing (8 sections)

001 - Queer Writing: Theory and Practice
TR 05:00PM-06:15PM
John Modica

This course is designed to transform your relationship to writing by introducing you to queer theories and practices of writing. We will consider what it means to enact a ‘queer’ approach to writing today, and put our theories to the test in our own writing and classroom activities.  

002 - Listening to Horror
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
Kate Natishan
ECHOLS STUDENTS ONLY

Are there aspects of fear and horror that are cross-cultural? How do creators use larger sociological anxieties to scare or unnerve their audiences? This class explores the genre of cosmic horror: we begin with an overview of the history of cosmic horror and its place in society, then take deep dives into two horror podcasts. Throughout the semester, we will examine how sound design enhances written scripts. 

004 - 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.

005 - Writing Within the Archive
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
Rory Sullivan

This course explores how to research and write about archival material. Working closely with UVA Special Collections, we will identify materials to study, conduct research, develop arguments, and practice different modes of sharing our findings, including born-digital compositions. We will also consider theoretical understandings of archival practices.

006 - 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.

007 - Writing about Medicine
MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
Rhiannon Goad
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.

008 - You and A.I.
TR 11:00AM-12:15PM
Piers Gelly
ECHOLS STUDENTS ONLY

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? 

100 - Writing (and creating) Democratic Spaces
T 06:00PM-08:30PM
Steve Parks
ECHOLS STUDENTS ONLY

Students will study theories of democracy and work with global democratic advocates, as well as students located in international contexts. This course will involve all-day workshops on February 15th, 16th, 22nd, and 23rd. This course will also end on March 9th.

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ENWR 2700 - News Writing

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Kate Sweeney

No fake news here, but rather progressive exercises in developing the news-writing style of writing from straight hard news to "soft" features. Satisfies Second Writing Requirement.

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ENWR 2800 - Public Speaking

MW 03:30PM-04:45PM
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 02:00PM-03:15PM
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
MW 02:00PM-03:15PM
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 - Digital Public Writing
TR 12:30PM-01:45PM
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.

002 - Digital Maker Studio
TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Jodie Childers

In this hands-on maker workshop, students will explore the craft of digital making. Students will engage in independent and collaborative projects, creating audio narratives, videos, and digital stories. Experimentation, invention, and design will be emphasized as students learn how to use digital tools; compose with still and moving images, sound, and text; and consider the ethics and aesthetics of citation. 

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ENWR 3559 - New Course in Writing & Rhetoric

001 - Rebuilding (and Expanding) Democracy
M 06:00PM-08:30PM
Steve Parks

This course will enable students to gain fluency in linking their academic writing to public debates. In particular, the course will investigate the status of democracy as both a concept and set of participatory practices, asking students to consider how their education might support a robust democratic sphere. Students will engage with global democratic advocates (via Zoom) as well as a democratic organizing skills workshop.

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ENWR 3640 - Writing with Sound

TR 03:30PM-04:45PM
Piers Gelly

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 3660 - Travel Writing

TR 09:30AM-10:45AM
Kate Stephenson

Why is everyone suddenly going to Portugal? Why do we travel? What is the difference between a traveler and a tourist?  Using different types of writing, including journal entries, forum posts, peer reviews, and formal papers, we will explore the world of travel writing.  Since we all write best about ideas we are passionate about, we will work together to generate interesting questions about the role of travel in our culture, as well as about specific books and essays. We will also investigate the world of tourism and consider the many ethical issues that arise in the exploration of our modern world. Throughout the course, we will ponder questions like:  

  • What is the relationship between travel writer, reader, and inhabitant?  
  • How can we use writing to navigate the relationship between writer, reader, inhabitant, and place?  
  • What is the role of “outsider” in travel writing?
  • How does travel writing encourage us to see ourselves differently?  
  • How can we use the very best of travel writing—the sense of discovery, voice, narrative suspense—in other forms of writing, including academic essays?  
  • Can travel writing evoke political and social change? 

As the semester unfolds, I hope we will revise and refine our views, paying close attention to how we put words together to write powerfully and engagingly about travel. 

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ENWR 3720 - Argumentation Across Disciplines

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

Argumentation Across Disciplines examines how the linguistic and rhetorical features of argument vary from discipline to discipline. The course will make two primary movements: The first is an examination of what argument is through the lens of classical and new rhetorical theory. Second, students will do comparative research on the linguistic and rhetorical features of texts in two different disciplines.

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ENWR 3760 - Studies in Cultural Rhetoric

TR 02:00PM-03:15PM
Tamika Carey

This course will explore how cultural groups develop, use, and remix stories to build and reshape their worlds. With special attention to the social concepts and communication techniques involved in this work – concepts that include master narratives, rhetorical listening, identification, testimony, and counterstory – we will deepen our understanding of how rhetoric influences the worlds in which we live. Projects will include a story collection project, an analysis presentation, and a final creative or critical project.

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

001 - Strategic Communication in the Age of AI and Social Media
TR 03:00PM-04:45PM
Dana Little

Career-Based Writing & Rhetoric is a hands-on, workshop-style course designed to equip you with the advanced communication skills essential for thriving in the modern workplace. In this course, you’ll combine persuasive writing with practical strategies in social media marketing and Generative AI tools. Through self-designed projects, you’ll practice proposing, drafting, and editing content while exploring recent research, learning GenAI best practices, and integrating these materials into your writing process. Along the way, you’ll learn the foundations of effective communication, analyze real-world case studies, and discover how social media platforms—from TikTok to LinkedIn—shape modern branding, promotion, and engagement. As you master adapting your writing to various audiences and formats, you'll stay ahead of emerging trends, such as influencer marketing and short-form video, setting yourself up for success in today’s dynamic communication landscape and preparing you to write effectively for any career-focused goal.

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