To add a CI-H/HW subject, follow the instructions on our waitlists page. You may also contact the instructor of the subject to express interest.

What you need to know

CI‑H/HW subjects — Communication Intensive in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences — are part of the Communication Requirement and provide you with a foundation in effective expository writing and oral communication. These subjects offer instruction, practice, and feedback in communication skills with the goals of achieving clarity in writing; greater facility in oral communication; the ability to structure a persuasive argument; and an understanding of the use of sources and scholarly materials.

The Subcommittee on the Communication Requirement (SOCR) has defined an important set of criteria and desired outcomes that all CR subjects are expected to meet. Review CI‑H and CI‑HW subject criteria for more information.

Some key points to remember:

  • You must pass a CI‑H or CI‑HW subject in order to receive credit.
  • You can only receive CI credit for one CI‑H/HW subject per term.
  • If you are CI-HW Required, you will not receive CI credit for a CI subject taken before a CI-HW.

What you need to do

More about CI-H/HW subjects

CI-H subjects

CI‑H subjects are HASS classes in which you plan, organize, draft, and revise a series of assignments based on course material. They offer substantial opportunities for oral expression through presentations, student-led discussion, and/or class participation.

  • CI‑H subjects require at least 5,000 words of writing, typically divided among three to five assignments.
  • At least one essay must be revised and resubmitted.
  • The subject must include an assessed oral component (presentation, student-led discussion, class participation, etc.).
  • Review the criteria for CI‑H subjects.

CI-HW subjects

CI‑HW subjects are a subset of CI‑H subjects focused more particularly on the writing process, from pre-writing through drafting, revising, and editing. They place importance on the development of audience, purpose, and the rhetorical dimensions of writing — to argue, inform, persuade, explain, or convince.

  • CI‑HW subjects teach the proper use and citation of sources and scholarly materials; promote effective paragraph construction; and address trouble spots in grammar, mechanics, and style.
  • Most assignments will be revised to stress the importance of revision in composition.
  • Through in-class workshops, you will receive peer feedback on work in progress, allowing you to develop your critical thinking and revision skills.
  • Review the criteria for CI‑H/HW subjects.