College literacy is a research concept encompassing the complex constellation of reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication practices required for successful academic engagement in higher education. It investigates the situated nature of these literacies, how students acquire and negotiate them across diverse disciplinary discourse communities, and their fundamental significance for knowledge construction, critical inquiry, and participation in scholarly communication. Key characteristics include its context-dependency, developmental nature, and multifaceted demands on cognitive and rhetorical skills within the academic environment.