Simpson Writing Across the Curriculum (SWAC) is an essential unit of the twenty-first century liberal arts education provided through the Engaged Citizenship Curriculum (ECC).
The SWAC program is committed to supporting writers as they compose for assignments in courses across the ECC and across their undergraduate career. This support includes providing trained peer writing consultants and a space for writing consultations.
The SWAC program is equally committed to supporting instructors for Written Communication-designated courses across the ECC. This support includes providing faculty development opportunities and in-class writing workshops and presentations.
What is Writing Across the Curriculum?
Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) is grounded in research that shows that writing about subjects improves student learning in those content areas. Simpson Writing Across the Curriculum (SWAC) uses writing to promote learning in History, Mathematics, Sports Sciences, and all other areas of study.
What is Simpson Writing Across the Curriculum?
Unlike some colleges and universities that provide writing instruction through a first-year program, SWAC expects students to practice and improve writing well-beyond that first year.
SWAC is the umbrella term for several programs that support writing and writing instruction at Simpson College. The programs include:
- Simpson Colloquium Writing Fellows
- Simpson Writing Center
- Written Communication Faculty Development
How does Simpson Writing Across the Curriculum work?
Simpson’s Engaged Citizenship Curriculum (ECC) offers writing-to-learn courses across all disciplines. While at Simpson, undergraduates select and enroll in a minimum of four Written Communication (WC)-designated courses. Their first WC-designated course is the Simpson Colloquium, a course that introduces first-year and transfer students to college conventions and academic expectations. Students and their advisors identify at least two more WC courses. These courses may be in any field that interests the student. The fourth WC course must be an upper-level course in the student’s major field.