Forty-eight professors of English or education at state universities throughout the United States were surveyed to discover what concepts state institutions were emphasizing in English writing. The survey asked 10 preliminary questions about what writing courses were offered or required for prospective undergraduate English teachers and 13 questions about the writing methods courses. Responses, obtained from 32 professors (a 67% response rate), indicate that all but two of the institutions require two or more courses in writing or language for prospective teachers, and 15 universities require four to six courses in composition or language. However, only 20 institutions require a methods course on how to teach writing. Of those writing methods courses, 84% emphasize the process of writing including prewriting, writing, revision, and different methods of evaluation. The three areas treated least extensively in these courses are writing fiction, developing plans to teach writing in the classroom, and weekly writing assignments. These results suggest that at a time when colleges, universities, and employers are complaining about writing illiteracy, a thorough course to prepare teachers to teach their students writing skills is imperative. (Appended is a table summarizing the concepts most frequently emphasized in writing methods courses.) (HOD)