WRDS 400, the capstone course for the Writing and Communication minor, returns in the upcoming 2026 Winter term.
WRDS 400: Writing and Communication Capstone marks the completion of the WRDS minor, a relatively new program in the School of Journalism, Writing and, Media. The course is designed to be a culmination of the student’s writing and communication journey within the school. Students focus on both previous academic accomplishments and on how the knowledge gained from the minor can be used in their next career or academic plans.
Like the minor itself, WRDS 400 is an interdisciplinary course and is open to a wide array of students including those from the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. Interdisciplinarity is a feature of the course, allowing for a regular exchange of ideas between disciplines and examination of the different forms of writing within. This enables students to develop a far more holistic understanding of writing principles and to extend their understanding of writing and communication outside the confines of their individual disciplines.
Interdisciplinarity is a feature of the course, allowing for a regular exchange of ideas between disciplines and examination of the different forms of writing within.
In preparation for the class, the students will be asked to assemble a portfolio of their past projects. This allows them to critically assess their own writing and identify links, patterns, and themes which can be further developed in their capstone project.
The WRDS 400 capstone project is unique in that the students’ work is not confined to one format or procedure. Students decide what form they want their project to take and how they will go about it. While students are encouraged, at first, to approach the capstone project like a conventional research assignment, the final product can evolve into a form that is different from what students might have imagined. The capstone project has also been designed to be flexible. There is no one fixed process for the development of the capstone project, and students work at their own pace.
Throughout the term, students’ work in the capstone project will be supported by collaborative activities such as regular class discussions and engagement with each other’s work. Additionally, students will be encouraged to present their work at the end-of-the-year WRDS Student Conference which will serve as a motivator and a key milestone in their writing and communication journey.
Dr. Katja Thieme, the current instructor for the course, shared that past students have chosen business reports, infographics, or film reviews for their capstone. She describes how vastly different the research and writing process were for each individual project undertaken by the students.
“They imagine the scope and then keep chipping away at it until it shifts and morphs, while still staying very research informed,” says Dr. Thieme.
The capstone project is central to the WRDS Minor program, and Dr. Thieme looks forward to guiding this year’s group of students through this process.
WRDS 400 will be taught by Dr. Katja Thieme in Winter Term 2. Classes will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 to 2:00 pm at Buchanan B208, from January 05 to April 08.