Criteria for Waiving the GWR
for Graduate Students

Graduate students who wish to waive the GWR should present documentation to the Writing Skills Program Office (10/130) in their first quarter of residence. All waivers must be reviewed by Writing Skills before credit for the GWR will be extended; submitting a transcript to Records or a department is not sufficient to be granted credit for a previously earned writing requirment.

The Graduation Writing Requirement may be waived, at the discretion of campus authorities, in the following circumstances:

1. The requirement was satisfied by the student as an undergraduate on one of the CSU campuses and no more than seven (7) years elapsed before entering the graduate program at Cal Poly. Documentation to support this waiver option must include date of satisfaction.

2. An equivalent upper-division, graduation writing requirement was satisfied at another 4-year college or university. Official, dated documentation must be provided (i.e. transcripts, catalog description, etc.). Again, no more than seven (7) years may elapse between meeting the requirement and entering a graduate program at Cal Poly.

3. The student has earned an advanced degree at least equivalent to the Master's. Supporting documentation must be presented.

Passing scores on the GMAT, CBEST, CSET or TWE are not considered equivalent to the GWR. Evaluation of graduation writing requirement coursework at non-CSU institutions will be evaluated for evidence of in-class writing to support certification. Questions should be directed to the Writing Skills Office at (805) 756-2067.