GWAR Guidelines for Faculty

Exciting changes in the GWAR program are being implemented to help students develop their academic writing skills. Beginning in Fall 2016, the GWAR pathways include completion of a General Education Writing Intensive (WI) capstone course to satisfy the GWAR. This new step in the GWAR appears in students' Academic Requirements Report along with the other steps in the GWAR pathways. You will find detailed information about the requirements for students who enrolled or reenrolled either before or after Fall 2016 on the GWAR Student Guidelines page. For information about GWAR courses, go to GWAR Courses.

All students must fulfill the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) to be awarded a CSULB degree. A grade of C or better in a Writing Intensive (WI) course fulfills the GWAR.  Undergraduate students must attempt to fulfill the GWAR before filing a request to graduate.

As of April 2025, the GPE has been discontinued. GWAR courses (301A and Portfolio courses) will no longer be required beginning Summer 2025. Courses may still be offered for students who choose to take a GWAR Portfolio course as an elective. For more details about these changes, please visit the GWAR & GPE FAQs or contact a GWAR advisor.

Graduate students: As of June 2022, GWAR is still required for undergraduates, but it is no longer required for graduate students. Students must contact GWAR eAdvising by email at GWAR-Advisor@csulb.edu to have the GWAR Requirement hold lifted.