Graduation Writing Requirement

The Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) is a CSU mandated program that requires students to achieve and demonstrate a level of writing proficiency expected of college graduates. All students must fulfill the GWR at the upper-division level as a requirement for the baccalaureate degree. 

• Undergraduate students may attempt to fulfill the GWR after they have completed 90 quarter units. 
• Graduate and postbaccalaureate students admitted for fall 2023 or thereafter are not required to fulfill the GWR.

How to Confirm You Are Eligible to Fulfill the GWR:

Before pursuing GWR completion through either a GWR-certified course or the UNIV 401 GWR Portfolio, students should check their Degree Progress Report (DPR) or Poly Profile to confirm they are eligible to do so.

If a student is not yet eligible to fulfill the requirement:

• In the DPR, the "Grad Writ Req" section will include a "GWR REQ Message" that states that the student is not yet eligible to meet the GWR as they have not yet completed 90 quarter units.
• In the Poly Profile, the Milestones box under the "Career Programs Plan" section will list "Ineligible/Required" to indicate a student has not yet completed 90 quarter units and is therefore not yet eligible to fulfill the GWR. 

Once a student has completed 90 quarter units and has reached junior standing, the "Grad Writ Req" section of the DPR will show a message about GWR eligible courses, and the Poly Profile Milestones box will change to "Eligible/Required."

What Options Are Available For Fulfilling the GWR:

1. Earn a C or better in a GWR-certified upper-division course, with a C or better on the major GWR writing assignment and at least 35% of the final grade based on the cumulative grade of all writing projects; OR,
2. Earn credit for UNIV 401: GWR Portfolio, a 0-unit course that carries a $35 fee. The GWR Portfolio consists of three required documents: one writing reflection of 500 or more words and two independently completed writing artifacts of 750 or more words with an earned grade of C or better from any Cal Poly credit-bearing upper-division (300-, 400-, or 500-level) course. UNIV 401 is offered all four quarters.

Visit the GWR-certified Courses or GWR Portfolio webpages for more information, or contact the Office of Writing and Learning Initiatives, for more information.