First-Year Writing classes invite students to explore the dynamic ways that writing and other forms of communication are produced and used across a variety of situations. College writing matters not only as a product that shows what we can do, but also as a process that helps us test what we’re thinking, keep track of what we’re learning, and interact with others’ ideas. Learning to do all of this takes time, of course, but our classes offer a supportive environment where students can practice thinking critically, engaging ethically with others, and making rhetorically effective communication choices.
Beyond the First Year
At their best, FYW classes help students to transition from high school to college-level writing expectations, as well as begin to engage critically with the ways that writing and other forms of symbolic communication, both spontaneous and “composed,” function in human societies — not merely to transmit information, but also to navigate the many challenges and possibilities of human interaction. We introduce students to concepts, questions, and processes that can help.
Obviously, however, one 15-week class cannot accomplish all of this on its own! To apply what they’re learning about how language works and how to communicate effectively across a variety of situations — academic, intercultural, personal, professional — students need steady, persistent, and varied practice. There are several ways students can do this at UNC Asheville:
- Many majors require courses focused on the communication practices, styles, and conventions valued by professionals in their field
- Many majors offer internships that can provide practical, hands-on experience with communication in different professional situations
- The Writing Center works with students from any course, at all levels, across a host of genres (written and spoken), and at all stages of developing writing projects or presentations
- The English Department offers a minor in Professional Writing and Rhetoric that allows students in any major to take a variety of communication-focused courses from a variety of departments