One writing program's everyday history

one syllabus, one workshop, one memo at a time...

NUWPArc is an evolving resource featuring “everyday” materials from Northeastern University’s Writing Program over the last 50 years.

Our records explore our writing program’s past and its possibilities.

We currently have 2,097 records in our holdings—from assignment sheets to committee descriptions, course descriptions to program memos—figures and floorplans, handbooks, program reviews, and more. Our collection includes records that help us (re)consider what a writing program is by exploring what it does.

Today, over 250 records are publicly available to explore.

Quick Facts

Required writing classes at Northeastern date back to the early 20th century.

There isn’t one moment in time that marks the official beginning of the Northeastern University Writing Program. Today, it is one of the largest programs in Northeastern’s College of Social Sciences and Humanities, offering more than 350 writing courses per year. 

Writing Program Overview
Writing Program Overview
Faculty Director of Writing Center Position
Faculty Director of Writing Center Position
The Composition Program at Northeastern
The Composition Program at Northeastern
Student Learning Goals (Draft)
Student Learning Goals (Draft)
Department Offices
Department Offices
Listing and Mapping Values
Listing and Mapping Values
Writing as a Recursive Process/Revision
Writing as a Recursive Process/Revision
Freshman English Program Review
Freshman English Program Review
Basic Writing Skills Test for ENG 4100
Basic Writing Skills Test for ENG 4100
Middler Year Writing Requirement
Middler Year Writing Requirement
Middler Year Writing Requirement Syllabus Checklist
Middler Year Writing Requirement Syllabus Checklist
Writing Center Values
Writing Center Values
Writing Assessment Terms and Definitions
Writing Assessment Terms and Definitions

"We have a lot of students, we have these required writing courses, how do we place them in those courses, what should those courses look like in terms of curriculum and pedagogy, how do those courses function within larger requirements of the institution? These are all questions that every writing program in the United States deals with all the time."

–Neal Lerner, Professor & Chair, English Department (2023)

What is a writing program?

That’s one question (among many) this project invites you to explore. NUWPArc features exhibits built by undergraduate and graduate student Research Assistants highlighting some of what we’ve learned from records of interest.

Just like this project, our understanding of our writing program is evolving. We invite you to explore with us, learn about our processes, and share written commentary on collection materials.

Featured Directors

  • Christiane Donahue
  • David Kellogg
  • Lisa Dush
  • Laurie Edwards
  • Kim Freeman

Hear their stories.

AWD Oral Histories

Advanced Writing in the Disciplines

Between 2020 and 2021, Professor Neal Lerner interviewed five former Directors of Advanced Writing in the Disciplines (AWD), representing 25 years of leadership in program development. These oral histories describe how AWD evolved through administrative and curricular changes as the University and Writing Program transformed.

NUWPArc News

We'll keep you posted when we add to our public collection.

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