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Warren College Writing Program

"Instead of writing because we have to say something, we should write as if we have something to say."

- former Warren Writing Student

The Warren College Writing Program is one of eight writing programs at UC San Diego. Our course topics are inspired by the college’s theme, “A life in balance,” and the college’s namesake, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren. Taken together, they challenge all of us at Warren College to place issues of justice, fairness, and ethics squarely in the balance of our teaching, learning and communication with one another. 

In their Warren Writing courses, students will balance learning about social issues with active development of their writing and communication skills. They will take responsibility and ownership for their opinions, their writing, and their learning as a whole, not only preparing them for academic success at a university level but also challenging them to acquire versatile communication skills applicable beyond their time at UC San Diego.

Our program goals include:

  • Asking thoughtful questions about writing and about social issues
  • Advancing critical thinking, close-reading, and analytical writing skills
  • Leveraging research to drive reading and writing projects
  • Practicing audience-based communication (clarity, compassion, and versatility)
  • Applying skills to multimodal communication (ie. op-eds, poster presentations, etc.)
  • Developing solutions for restoring balance and equity in our communities

Collaborative Grading

Warren Writing uses a collaborative grading system. At the beginning of each course, students contract for the labor (effort) and grade they commit to in relation to the course projects and activities. By increasing transparency and placing ownership for the grading process in students’ hands, Warren Writing aims to foster an environment where students can step out of their comfort zone, reflect and grow authentically, and take risks as writers.

Prospective Lecturers

Interested in teaching with Warren Writing? For information on how to submit an application, please visit the UCSD Academic Recruitment portal. 

UCSD Academic Recruitment Portal