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Northwestern University

Written and Oral Expression

NOTE: Students who started taking classes at Northwestern in Spring 2023 or earlier should refer to the First-Year Seminar page and the Writing Proficiency page. The information below pertains to students who start at Northwestern after Spring 2023.

One of the four degree goals is summarized by the word Express. During their studies at Northwestern, Weinberg students improve their ability to articulate their ideas in oral, written, visual, digital, and other media, as well as assemble narratives, explanations, data, and arguments that navigate carefully ordered evidence.

Students are introduced to the basics by completing a first-year writing seminar, the first part of the Written and Oral Expression requirement. Skills are reinforced as they study a language other than English and progress in the foundational disciplines and their selected major. High-level proficiency in written and oral expression is demonstrated in completion of the second part of the Written and Oral Expression requirement: the Advanced Expression requirement.

Read more about first-year writing seminars

Read more about the Advanced Expression requirement

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