About the Writing Program

The Muir College Writing Program is a sequence of courses in critical thinking and the writing of analytical prose. During these courses, students must advance beyond the basic competency expected at entrance to understand and write discourse acceptable at the university level. Even when faced with challenging topics, students must demonstrate the ability to comprehend texts at more than a cursory level; their writing must exhibit focused theses, systematic methods of analysis and argumentation, awareness of the needs of their audience, strong organization and development, clear presentation of ideas, appropriate syntax and diction, and needless to say, correct grammar and usage.

To achieve these ends, the courses focus on principles of analysis and reasoned argumentation. Through close reading of texts, students learn both to identify underlying issues, assumptions, and values, and to identify rhetorical strategies by which these are conveyed or revealed. Students also learn to monitor and adapt their own writing processes. Because the ability to evaluate one's own writing and carry out appropriate revision strategies is particularly crucial to effective writing, all students are required to revise their papers several times. Attention is devoted to developing skill in evaluation and revision in workshops and in individual conferences with instructors. Sections of MCWP 50/R and 125/R vary in theme and content, giving students the opportunity to write in areas that interest them or that may be relevant to their major fields.

Descriptions of the MCWP 50/R and 125/R sections are available each quarter on the website or on the bulletin board outside the Muir Writing Program office.

Incoming freshmen are required to take both MCWP 40 and MCWP 50 for a letter grade within their first two years of attendance at the University of California San Diego.

IGETC-certified transfer students are required to take MCWP 125.

Other transfers must take MCWP 40 and 50 within their first six quarters at UC San Diego. (Completion of these satisfies the Muir College writing requirement.)

MCWP 40 Book Selection

Winter 2025

Muir Writing Staff

Dr. Carrie Wastal, Director

Dr. Marion E. Wilson, Assistant Director

Helen Mout, Program Coordinator

Quick links:

TritonLink

The Writing Hub

Virtual Advising Center (VAC)

UCSD Bookstore

CAPS