Upper Division and Specialized Courses

Writing 105

4 units
Prerequisite: Writ 2 or Writ 2E or Writ 2LK or Exam: AP 36 >=4 or Exam: AP 37 >=4 or Exam: WAIV AW >= 1 or Exam: IB BL >= 6 or Exam: IB E >= 6; upper division standing.
Writing 105 courses complement the Writing Program's other upper-division courses by offering interdisciplinary alternatives and fulfill the Area A2 requirement. In Writing 105 courses, the material spans several disciplines or areas. For example, Writing 105M (Multimedia Writing) draws on work done in Film and Media Studies, Art History, English, Computer Science, and other disciplines; 105R (Writing and Rhetoric) includes work from Political Science, Philosophy, Education, Communication, and other disciplines; Writing 105C (Creative Nonfiction) synthesizes skills and approaches from Humanities-based disciplines--especially English and Comparative Literature--and a range of social science concentrations. 105 classes encourage sophisticated analysis, in depth reading, writing and critical thinking and awareness of how the specific subjects of these classes can be situated across various disciplines.

Writing 105AI. Writing and Generative AI

Study of and practice with writing and generative AI in academic, civic, and professional settings, with emphasis on strategic communication, metacognitive awareness, epistemic development, and ethical decision-making.

Writing 105C. Creative Nonfiction

Course in creative nonfiction, including memoir, documentary, profiles, and other prose narrative forms. Students receive extensive practice in reading and composing within this genre.

Writing 105CD. Writing with Code

Design and analysis of texts that integrate both writing and coding components, such as video games, data visualizations, web documents, and interactive narratives. No prior coding experience necessary.

Writing 105CW. Writing in Community

Analysis and practice of various forms of community-based writing (such as reports and proposals) by and for local groups that promote the social good. Attention is paid to direct interaction with the community, research, metacognitive awareness, genre awareness, and writing conventions.

Writing 105G. Grammar and Stylistics

Focuses on grammar and stylistics for a wide range of writers and editors. The emphasis is practical and analytical, attending to choice and issues of sentence structure and diction, and on the diversity of styles, formats, and audiences.

Writing 105M. Multimedia Writing

Focuses on writing in digital modes, mediums, and platforms, with a focus on the rhetorically effective use of multiple media into writing for public audiences and multiple genres. Projects involve reading about, analyzing, creating, and reflecting on composing in multimedia. Students create works suitable for web or other digital formats.

Writing 105P. Writing and Philosophies of Language

Introduction to theories of language and communication, with concentration on linquistic structure and the conditions through which meaning is produced and transmitted in communication situations. Students reflect on writing and produce written research in a related area of inquiry.

Writing 105PD. Writing for Public Discourse

Introduction to writing and public discourse in local, regional, national, and global contexts through analysis of writing in civic contexts, political activism, and public policy. Students reflect on and produce written research in a related area of inquiry.

Writing 105PS. Writing for Public Speaking

Analysis and practice of writing, researching, and delivering oral presentations including speech scripts, visual aids, and various related documents. Typical formats include extemporaneous speech and impromptu address for specific audiences and purposes.

Writing 105R. Rhetoric and Writing

Traces the historical emergence of rhetoric (effective persuasion) as a field, as well as the uses, power, and the application of rhetoric in our local and global communities. Students analyze historical and emerging rhetorical canons, and practice applying rhetorical strategies in written argumentation.

Writing 105S. Writing About Sustainability

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing that address sustainability in interdisciplinary contexts. Students will research, write, and reflect on concepts and practices of sustainability, examining the role of words and images in communicating sustainability ideas to diverse audiences.

Writing 105SO. Writing and Sound

Students develop techniques for listening to and writing about sound and / or composing podcasts suitable for publication. Assignments range from reflective writing about sound and sound-based arts to analytical and research-based essays. Activities, readings, and assignments help students articulate how environmental, historical, cultural, and rhetorical contexts shape sonic practices and how diverse cultures make meaning with sound.

Writing 105SW. Science Writing for the Public

Focus on analyzing, practicing, and applying strategies for communicating scientific concepts, research projects, and findings with non-specialist audiences. Students will employ both traditional and new media forms of communicating scientific knowledge.

Writing 105WE. Writing and Ethics

Focus on ethics in writing, rhetoric, and communication. By researching, analyzing, and composing texts related to ethics in various genres and disciplines, students explore how writing contributes to positive change for individuals and communities.

Writing 107

4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 2 or 2E or 2LK; upper-division standing.
Writing 107 courses focus on writing in a professional or workplace setting in a variety of specific arenas and fulfill the Area A2 requirement in writing. Representative courses focus on writing for business in the US and abroad, writing for high tech, journalism, and law. The 107 courses are geared to students who intend to enter the workforce after graduation or who plan to pursue graduate school in a specific profession.

Writing 107A. Writing for Accounting

Note: formerly Writing 109AC
Prerequisites: Economics 136A (may be taken concurrently). Writing practices in academic and professional accounting. Research sources include publications, databases, case studies, interviews. Assignments include reports, correspondence, memorandum, presentations. Attention to critical thinking, research techniques, international context, use of information technology, and visual communications.

Writing 107B. Business and Administrative Writing

Note: formerly Writing 109EC
Analysis and practice in business genres that focus on writing strategy, concise style, and visual aspects of communication. Attention to typical documents such as letters, memos, e-mail, proposals, and collaborative reports.

Writing 107DJ. Digital Journalism

Note: formerly Writing 126: Journalism for Web and Social Media
Students acquire skills in digital journalism, including writing for web and social media using text, photo, graphics and video. The class forms an editorial group that covers campus events as well as profiles, interviews, blogs, and social media. Course work may be offered to UCSB's College of Letters and Science for publication.

Writing 107EP. Writing for Environmental Professions

Note: formerly 109ES
Analysis and practice of professional writing used in addressing environmental topics such as water management, carbon neutrality, and sustainability. Attention to research methods, audience analysis, document design, conciseness, collaboration, and editing strategies.

Writing 107G. Professional Writing for Global Careers

Note: formerly Writing 109GS
Analysis and practice of writing in global contexts related to business, government, and non-governmental organizations. Attention to documents such as letters, emails, proposals, and various collaborative reports. Emphasis on linguistic and cross-cultural factors affecting international research and document design.

Writing 107J. Journalism and News Writing

Note: formerly Writing 109JW
Analysis and practice of news writing for print and broadcast with focus on inverted pyramid style, interview techniques, background research, editing, writing to deadline, and ethical issues.

Writing 107L. Legal Writing

Note: formerly Writing 109L
Practice in applying rules to facts, analyzing issues, and writing clearly, succinctly, and cogently in various forms of legal discourse such as case briefs, law essays, letters, short office memoranda, and appellate briefs. Fundamentals of legal research are touched upon.

Writing 107M. Magazine Writing for Publication

Focuses on writing interviews, reviews, and general articles for print media, and submitting them for publication. Students learn about audiences and the demands of each genre, as well as editing and the tyranny of deadlines.

Writing 107P. Writing for Public Relations

Analysis and practice of writing in the field of public relations with focus on the news release, brochure, media kit contents, social media, and newsletters.

Writing 107T. Technical Writing

Analysis and practice in writing for technology users with attention given to task analysis, design principles, and writing strategies. Projects include technology related documents such as instructions, user manuals, online documentation, and web content. Final documents suitable for professional portfolio.

Writing 107WC. Writing Web Content

Analysis and practice with strategies underlying creation of Web 2.0 content. Students will create common content modalities, such as websites, blogs, email newsletters, and social media, as used in professional contexts.

Writing 109

4 units
Prerequisites: Writing 2 or 2E or 2LK; upper-division standing.
Writing 109-sequence courses, which fulfill the Area A2 requirement, serve students by helping them to develop and refine academic writing styles appropriate to various disciplines and their discourse communities. Students learn to write effectively within specific genres and social contexts by focusing on specialized writing in various genres and fields. Students also conduct a significant, independent project, drawing on primary and/or secondary sources from a range of resources, including specialized professional journals, databases, websites, and other pertinent literature. Finally, students develop familiarity with general disciplinary activities and responsibilities through exposure to genres, forms and paradigms characteristic of those disciplines.

Writing 109CS. Writing for Chicana/o Studies

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing and research methods in Chicana/o Studies. Attention to strategies for argumentation, analysis, organization, and documentation used in humanities and social sciences.

Writing 109ED. Writing for the Teaching Professions

Research, discussion, and analysis of current issues in educational theory, practice, and policy. Appropriate for prospective credential students.

Writing 109F. Writing about Film

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing for film, including argumentative writing, film reviews, and essays. Of special interest to majors in film studies, English, and social sciences.

Writing 109GS. Writing and Gender Studies

Students research and analyze writing and rhetoric with a particular focus on the methods and theories of gender studies. Attention to strategies for argumentation, analysis, organization, and documentation used in humanities and social sciences. Writing projects incorporate interdisciplinary and multimedia sources.

Writing 109HP. Writing for Health Professionals

Strategy, analysis, format for various types of academic and professional writing in the health care field. Contemporary topics/issues will be the basis of study, discussion, research, and writing.

Writing 109HU. Writing for the Humanities

Analysis of various forms of writing for the humanities, both academic and professional. Attention to modes and methods of argumentation, research methods, design of papers, stylistic clarity, and editing strategies.

Writing 109SS. Writing for the Social Sciences

Analysis and practice of various research methods and forms of writing in the social sciences including qualitative/ethnographic, quantitative, interpretive, and theoretical. Writing projects such as literature reviews, proposals, case studies, scientific reports, interviews. Attention to disciplinary resources, formal conventions, graphics, and style.

Writing 109ST. Writing for Science and Technology

Analysis and practice of various forms of scientific and technical writing, both academic and professional, such as reports, proposals, journal articles, and abstracts. Attention to research methods, design of papers, development of graphics, technical style, and editing strategies.

Writing 109V. Writing for the Visual Arts

Description, analysis, investigation, and theorization of art and its practice. Students will engage in various forms of critical and generative writing and multimedia composition for the visual arts, such as press releases, artist statements, curatorial statements, proposals, exhibition reviews, analytical essays, and creative projects. Of special interest to majors in the arts, communications, and cultural studies.