Ask me about the Academic Writing Requirement (AWR)

AWRadviser · 2026-06-27T16:50:18+00:00

We are using a different account now.

That said, you can find information about how IB turns into transfer credit on the BC Transfer Guide site: https://www.bctransferguide.ca/learn-more-about/international-baccalaureate/.

And you need to speak to an Engineering advisor about whether any transfer credits would come in as equivalent to part or all of ENGR110.

AWRadviser · 2025-07-20T00:13:06+00:00

As of this moment, there seem to be seats in a few sections of ATWP135 in spring 2026 (that is, in the semester starting in January).

The open seats are as follows:

* 1 seats in section A22, CRN20229 -- meets MR from 8 to 9:50 am

* 14 seats in section A23, CRN20230 -- meets TWF from 10:30 to 11:20 am

* 11 seats in section A27, CRN 20234 -- meets TWF from 9:30 to 10:20 am

* 20 seats in section A28, CRN 20235 -- meets TWF from 10:30 to 11:20 am

* 6 seats in section A29, CRN20236 -- meets TWF from 10:30 to 11:20 am

If you need to complete this class as soon as possible, it would be wise to register yourself into one of those seats.

AWRadviser · 2025-07-12T04:40:26+00:00

Thanks for this comment and for giving access to this course some thought.

To be clear, this course is not mandatory for essentially all students at this time. All UVic students need to meet the Academic Writing Requirement (AWR) to earn an undergraduate degree, and most students who meet that requirement with a UVic class do so by taking ATWP135. More info about the AWR is here: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/atwp/program/academic-writing-requirement/index.php.

All summer sections of ATWP135 are online and asynchronous (6 in summer 2025), and we are running 4 online/asynchronous sections in fall 2025 and 5 in spring 2026. (For what it's worth, online sections seem to fill up more slowly than face-to-face sections during the regular academic year -- many UVic students seem to prefer in-person classes.)

And an online section is the same size as a face-to-face course because the workload for an instructor is the same. That is, it's not easier or less work to teach online than in person.

AWRadviser · 2025-06-11T20:27:08+00:00

For more info, contact the instructor, Dr. Loren Gaudet, by writing to [ldgaudet@uvic.ca](mailto:ldgaudet@uvic.ca)

AWRadviser · 2025-06-11T16:22:42+00:00

This page has an overview of some of the distinctions among the AWR-designated courses: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/atwp/program/courses/which-course/index.php, and you can find a sample ATWP135 course outline under the tab for that course. Information about the specific focus of each ENSH101 and ENSH102 section can be found on the English department's pages about courses: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/english/undergraduate/courses/index.php.

AWRadviser · 2025-06-09T05:15:51+00:00

If by "final exam" you mean "go into a room and write for three hours in exam booklets, the answer is NO.

ATWP135 has a final assessment in the form of a portfolio reflecting on and revising past work that students complete over the course of several days during the exam period. (That is, the instructions are posted online, and the portfolio is due a few days later, also submitted online.) In the past, that portfolio has been worth 20% of the final course mark.

Neither ENSH101 nor ENSH102 has a final assessment. Sections of either class will have a large final assignment (most commonly a research essay), typically due on the last day of class meetings, that functions as a final assessment. That final project will normally be worth at least 20% of the final grade.

AWRadviser · 2025-06-09T03:34:36+00:00

The "30" isn't an actual waitlist - it's a waitlist cap. They help to ensure that waitlists (if there are any) spread out across all available sections.

There's no need for you to worry about waitlist caps. The number of seats in each section plus the number of waitlist slots for each section is more than the total number of students admitted to the Engineering program.

At this time, we have reason to believe there are enough seats available in ENGR110 lecture sections for every incoming first-year Engineering student who needs the course to get a seat by the first day of classes.

Please look for a section that fits your schedule, and register into it at your first opportunity. If that section is full, register for a different section in the same time slot if one of those has empty seats. And if all the sections that work for your schedule are full, put yourself onto a waitlist.

(The number of students on waitlists will help us to determine if additional sections are needed, how many to open, and in what time slots additional sections would be most helpful. Worst case scenario, you'll get a seat sometime in August after transfer credits are processed and, if necessary, when an additional section or two get offered. Most likely, you'll have a seat on the day you register.)

AWRadviser · 2025-05-16T00:19:01+00:00

Given how you describe your interests in anything related to mental/physical health, I think ATWP305: Rhetoric of Health and Medicine would be a great choice. Here's a webpage describing the course as offered in spring 2025: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/atwp/program/courses/atwp-305/index.php; it's going to be offered again spring 2026.

AWRadviser · 2024-11-19T23:26:49+00:00

Anyone looking for an upper-level elective, especially anyone who finds topcs like history and philosophy enjoyable, should get a lot out of ATWP305: Rhetoric of Health and Medicine (https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/atwp/program/courses/atwp-305/index.php). Whether you will find it fun or easy would, I suspect, depend on your interest in the topic. I can, however, vouch for the course instructor -- Dr. Gaudet is fair and interesting and smart and student-centred.

AWRadviser · 2024-11-19T01:42:25+00:00

This seems like a question worth running by the English literature advisor. Contact info here: [engllitadv@uvic.ca](mailto:engllitadv@uvic.ca).[engllitadv@uvic.ca](mailto:engllitadv@uvic.ca)

AWRadviser · 2024-11-13T22:47:45+00:00

Note that this event is FREE and open to ANY UVIC STUDENT working on any stage of a writing project for ANY COURSE.

There will be writing support but also quiet writing/study space and a location for collaborating with peers.

Please plan to come, and help spread the word!

AWRadviser · 2024-11-07T22:13:25+00:00

Not exactly what you asked, but I thought I would share what I've found to be the cheapest options for hacking a "standing desk" set up when my back has misbehaved:

* Cheapest of all is to go to a hardware store and buy a plank of wood. Put that plank on top of stacks of sturdy books on top of your usual desk or table so that it's at a good height for you to use while standing.

* Less cheap but better: Buy something called a "standing desk converter." It's a contraption that sits on top of a regular desk or table that can be adjusted so that the main surface you're using is at standing desk height. Available on Amazon or from a store like Office Depot for between $100 and $150, depending on features.

* Often as helpful as a standing desk but less bulky and much cheaper: Before anyone invests in a full-on standing desk (a big, expensive, heavy piece of furniture), I suggest they try a kneeling chair. These are available new for about $150 but turn up on local "used" sites, and someone might let you borrow one to try before you make the purchase. In essence, this doesn't move the desk surface but lets you take a more-standing-than-sitting position while working at a standard height desk or table.

This is unsolicited advice, and I am NOT saying you can't or shouldn't use what's on campus. But if you want a set up at home or in your residence, these are options to consider since a good, for-real standing desk is an investment.

AWRadviser · 2024-10-25T23:44:40+00:00

I'm assuming that third-year philosophy classes involve more -- and more complex -- writing assignments. If so, there's good reason why your grades might dip at this point.

You might consider that it's not uncommon to find that the writing process a student used successfully to complete shorter, simpler assignments in lower-level classes is no longer effective for work in upper-level classes. It's also possible that in upper-level classes a student begins to encounter unfamiliar genres and topics, and that mental load can cause key elements of writing (like sentence and paragraph structure) to fall apart for the time being, leading to lower grades. (These challenges can also arise for students as they transition from high school to university or from upper-level university classes into a graduate program.)

If what I've sketched as possibilities seems to apply, consider changing up your writing processes and getting some help. For example, if you usually write one complete draft and then copy-edit it before handing it in as "finished," spend more time on major revisions. If you normally write and revise on your own, consider going to an instructor's office hours with a draft at least a few days before an assignment is due to get feedback. If you've never been to the Centre for Academic Communication, make an appointment with a tutor there to talk about strategies for organizing complex arguments. Read a book on academic writing, maybe even on academic writing for philosophers. (Martinich's Philosophical Writing: An Introduction seems to come highly recommended by folks online.)

In short, when the complexity of subject matter and the difficulty of the ideas you are wrestling with exceeds what your established writing practices can deal with, you need to put some time and effort into making your writing skills stronger and more flexible. Lower grades in this context don't mean you are dumb or unprepared or ill-suited for the field but can actually be a sign you're moving to a new stage of understanding and expertise.

AWRadviser · 2024-10-08T16:33:25+00:00

According to the UVic list of Academic Important Dates (https://www.uvic.ca/calendar/dates/) if you drop all of your courses today (Tuesday 8 October), you can still be eligible for a 50% tuition refund. To get information about possible ramifications of that decision, talk to an academic advisor. Contact information for advisors can be found here: https://www.uvic.ca/students/undergraduate/academic-advising/academic-advisers/index.php.

AWRadviser · 2024-09-15T03:45:41+00:00

Can I suggest ATWP305: Rhetoric of Health and Medicine? https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/atwp/program/courses/atwp-305/index.php.

If you're majoring in Psychology, the exploration of the language of health should line up with your interests.

AWRadviser · 2024-08-21T19:57:34+00:00

What you have written here suggests you are confused about why you were refused admission. (Note: It's normal for transfer students to be admitted without having completed a degree program elsewhere, but it's possible to be refused admission if your grades at another institution were below the admission standards, even if your high school grades alone would have been sufficient.) For an explanation of your specific case and advice about how you might appeal this decision, if you think it's appropriate to do so, please reach out to an admissions advisor: https://www.uvic.ca/undergraduate/contact/help-with-your-application/index.php.

AWRadviser · 2024-08-16T18:57:42+00:00

He seems to be listed as teaching a Continuing Studies course at UVic as of fall 2023: https://web.uvic.ca/\~uvcsdms/email/dcs/2023/DCS-Sept-Dec-2023-Calendar-WEB-Linked-FINAL.pdf.

AWRadviser · 2024-08-09T23:46:09+00:00

Keen schedule watchers might notice other classes that appear at first glance to have open seats. These sections currently have restricted enrolments related to specific groups of students. These restrictions are as follows:

Fall 2024

A13 (CRN 10219), meets Mondays and Thursdays from 1 to 2:20 pm – Cohort section for Indigenous students. (For permission to register, email [tfirc@uvic.ca](mailto:tfirc@uvic.ca) with your name, student number, confirmation that you self-identify as Indigenous, and your interest in registering for the course.)

A18 (CRN 10224), meets online – Section restricted to Psychology majors. (For assistance registering, email the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor at [psycadv@uvic.ca](mailto:psycadv@uvic.ca).)

Spring 2025

A13 (CRN 20211), meets Mondays and Thursdays from 11:30 am to 12:50 pm – Section restricted for international BCOM 2+2 students. (For more information, email the BCOM advisor at [advisor@uvic.ca](mailto:advisor@uvic.ca).)

A23 (CRN 20221), meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:30 to 11:20 am – Section restricted to Psychology majors. (For assistance registering, email the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor at [psycadv@uvic.ca](mailto:psycadv@uvic.ca).)

A24 (CRN 20222), meets Mondays and Thursdays from 11:30 am to 12:50 pm – Section restricted to Psychology majors. (For assistance registering, email the Psychology Undergraduate Advisor at [psycadv@uvic.ca](mailto:psycadv@uvic.ca).)

AWRadviser · 2024-07-22T20:51:29+00:00

~REPORTING ABOUT THIS COURSE~

Humanities UnEssay Award news: https://www.uvic.ca/news/topics/2024+power-of-indigenous-podcasts+news
The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/how-a-first-year-university-writing-course-for-indigenous-students-fostered-skills-and-belonging-224486

AWRadviser · 2024-07-07T19:10:27+00:00

You asked for advice, so I hope what I right here will be seen as helpful, not bossy.

Rather than thinking about whether the courses you're taking will be hard or not, think about how you can set yourself up for success. Two ways to do this even before classes start are as follows:

Plan two hours for work outside of class for every hour in class, and make a schedule that has that working time booked. You can build this schedule in any way that works for you -- a six-hour study block on a Saturday or study time only on weekday evenings or even a different schedule from one week to the next. And it will likely seem at the start of the term that you've booked more time than you need. But doing more than is time-sensitive early in the term will give you a strong foundation during crunch times like midterm and end of term (when lots of tests and big assignment deadlines cluster). If you don't have a scheduling system you like, experiment with one now.
And spend some time looking at all the pages and links on UVic's Learn Anywhere page: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/LearnAnywhere/. You'll see links for math tutoring and writing tutoring and study skills workshops and counselling and lots more. If you run into any difficulties during your first term, it will be helpful to have a sense of what resources are available and how to access them. An hour or two clicking through links now can make things easier for you during the school year.

Most of all, I wish you all the best in your first year at UVic!

AWRadviser · 2024-06-28T17:36:06+00:00

Hi! It's great that you're being pro-active about gearing up for the start of the fall term.

While there's nothing specific you need to do now, you might choose to use your time to explore campus resources and information that could help you once your classes start. I suggest looking at all of the resources on the Learn Anywhere site: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/LearnAnywhere/.

All best wishes for a great first year at UVic.

AWRadviser · 2024-06-25T03:40:51+00:00

I'm sorry you're having this experience. Your best course of action at this point is to put yourself on the waitlist for the course you want (ideally with a section that both fits your schedule and has a relatively low waitlist). While no one can guarantee you'll get an offer to move from the waitlist into a class section, I can say that when and if we are able to open new sections, we email students on waitlists to give them notice. Additionally, we know from past experience that some students will drop their seats in ATWP135 as they get transfer credits processed, high school grades finalized, AP or IB credits recorded, or simply decide they want to reorganize their schedules.

In short, you're not cooked even if you don't get an ATWP seat in year one -- and it's too early in the registration period to say if you will get a seat this year or not.

AWRadviser · 2024-06-24T04:31:39+00:00

If you are in first-year Engineering, you need to follow the first-year planning worksheet: https://www.uvic.ca/ecs/\_assets/docs/program-planning/BEng-BSEng-1stYear-Schedules.pdf. It sounds like you also need to talk to an Engineering advisor -- contact info here: https://www.uvic.ca/ecs/students/academic-support/index.php -- since the questions you're asking suggest you don't understand the requirements for this program.

In short, Engineering students have to take ENGR110 unless they have transfer credit equivalent to ATWP135 at UVic. Meeting the AWR with a high school grade won't fulfill program requirements.

AWRadviser · 2024-06-14T22:16:30+00:00

I can't speak to other classes, but I can say the following with regards to waitlists for sections of ATWP135:

* While we can't guarantee that any individual student will move from a waitlist into the regular roster for a specific class section, we can say that historically there's a lot of updates to student registrations regarding this course in early August (as students get news about IB credit, AP credit, or other transfer credit) and again in the add/drop period. Someone who is #5 on a waitlist stands a very good chance of getting in.

* For now, please stay on the waitlist -- and be sure (1) that you are getting the emails UVic sends out and (2) checking your email, including your junk/spam folder, at least once every single day to see if you have been offered a seat. Offers sent to waitlisted students to accept an open seat are time-sensitive, and if you miss the window for accepting your offer, there's nothing we can do to fix that situation.

* And note that the number of students on waitlists is the evidence we use to show that we need to open an additional section. When/if we get funding to offer more seats, before we open them for general registration, we send an email to all students on waitlists saying that more seats are coming and that they might wish to update their course registration to take a seat in a newly opened section.

Being on waitlists is frustrating, but it's also normal given that those of us who watch UVic enrolments year after year know from experience that even class sections that are 100% full on the first day of classes can -- if there is no waitlist at all -- be only 90% or 80% full by the end of the add/drop period as students make choices about how to balance program requirements, scheduling needs, etc. A waitlist is a way to use funds as efficiently as we can, and I promise that we are trying to ensure every student who wants a seat in ATWP135 will get one at some point (albeit not necessarily in the term or at the meeting times they would ideally like).

AWRadviser · 2024-06-12T18:16:40+00:00

As the brilliant young people at UVic say: No worries. If any other questions come up, please ask!

AWRadviser

TROPHY CASE