Staffed by undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines, the WRC offers teaching experience and leadership opportunities to tutors as they develop their own writing abilities and interpersonal skills.

Both novice and experienced writing assistants participate in professional development, including a semester-long training course, English 4400/5400: Theory & Practice of Tutoring Writing. This course provides an introduction to theories and practices of writing instruction and is a recommended prerequisite for English 6195: Teaching College English, the graduate course to prepare Teaching Assistants for positions as instructors in the First-Year Composition Program.

English 4400/5400 is a twice-weekly seminar in which students discuss and write about reading assignments, participate in case presentations, and undertake problem-solving sessions focused on teaching challenges in the WRC.

This course includes a practicum in which students work as writing assistantsin the WRC.  Graduate Teaching Assistants work 20 hours per week.  Undergraduate consultants tutor 3 hours each week.  Continued employment in the WRC requires ongoing professional development via weekly staff meetings.

Experienced writing assistants may also apply for a small number of summer tutoring positions.

Resources for Writing Assistants
The International Writing Centers Association (IWCA) offers online resources for tutors, including links to writing resources, an online discussion group, and information about professional conferences and scholarly publications, including The Writing Lab Newsletter and The Writing Center Journal.

How to Apply for a Position as Writing Assistant

ENGL 4400/5400 Syllabus

ENGL 4400/5400 Calendar

WRC Polcies, Practices, and Procedures

Problems of Practice Inquiry - Spring