The GWAR (Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement) is required of all undergraduate students in order to receive a degree from Sonoma State University. As of Fall 2023, the CSU has reinstated the GWAR and it is now a degree requirement for any students who are in a catalog year starting Fall 2023.

Upon reaching Junior class standing (completion of 60 units), first-time, first-year students who start at SSU in Fall 2023 or later will be able to fulfill the GWAR through a designated Writing Intensive Course (WIC) or Writing Enhanced Course (WEC). (The WEPT is no longer being offered and is NOT required for any students to fulfill GWAR.)

For students in any catalog year prior to Fall 2023, this requirement is waived based on the CSU Chancellor's Office GWAR temporary suspension. This suspension includes 2-year transfer students with continuous enrollment who started at SSU in 2023-2024.

Students who are undertaking a second baccalaureate degree will be deemed to have met the requirement if their first baccalaureate degree is from an institution of higher education accredited by a U.S. institutional accreditor.

The University is currently in the process of labeling courses for ease of identification in the course catalog, schedule, and the Academic Requirements Report (ARR). We will be updating this webpage as we move through this process - so please stay tuned!

The University continues to offer Writing Intensive Curriculum courses (WICs). Please visit our WIC page to view applicable courses for each semester. 

For further information, please consult the current CSU GWAR policy. 

Note for Faculty/Advisors: For questions regarding GWAR exemptions or special circumstances, please contact the LARC Director, Loriann Negri at loriann.negri@sonoma.edu