Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)
Announcements: Effective June 2023
- A new GWAR policy is in effect for all CSUN students with catalog years 2023 and beyond. Please see below for details and consult with your academic advisor if you have questions.
- The GWAR was waived for undergraduate students with catalog years before 2023. You do not need to do anything; your academic record will be updated automatically.
- Passage of the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exam (UDWPE) is no longer a prerequisite for enrollment in any course.
- Graduate students are exempt from the GWAR.
About the GWAR
All CSU undergraduate students with catalog years 2023 and beyond must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. At CSUN, students who have met the lower division writing requirement completed 56 units or more, and intend to graduate with a baccalaureate degree are required to demonstrate their writing proficiency in one of two ways:
- Students may meet the GWAR by receiving a grade of "C" or better in a minimum of 6 units of coursework in the designated Writing Intensive upper division curriculum; or
- Students may meet the GWAR by receiving a grade of "C" or better in ENGL 345 Recursive Writing.
For the latest updates on UDWPE, visit the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement page.
- Students who have attended CSUN and have taken and passed the GWAR can request to have their score transferred to another California State University.
- Please complete the WPE Score Report Request Form.
- Complete one form per request. It can take up to 2 weeks for your school to receive the results.