EMPLOYMENT
What exactly are the benefits of being a tutor?
Working at the Writing Center provides an excellent opportunity for professional development. It offers practical experience and career training for aspiring educators. In fact, qualified tutors may be selected to serve as classroom assistants in lower-division English courses, and thereby fulfill the prerequisite for the English department's Teaching Associate program. As suggested in the comments above, working in the Writing Center also enables tutors to better understand processes of composition; this increased awareness often leads tutors not only to help others effectively, but also to improve their own writing. In addition to these benefits, the Writing Center offers the opportunity to join a dynamic community of students, teachers, and writers who regularly engage in productive conversation and collaboration. Former Writing Center tutors have gone into successful careers as Ph.D. students, high school and community college teachers, reporters, freelance writers, and editors.
Who may apply to the Writing Center?
Any undergraduate who has attained junior standing and any graduate student may apply. We accept applications from all majors, so long as the minimum qualifications have been met. Please note that we hire for the full academic year.
What are the qualifications required for the job?
No previous tutoring experience is required. However, all undergraduate tutors must have received a B or better in lower- and upper-division writing requirements:
Eng 100 or 101
Eng 301, 302, or 307
While not a requirement, preference may be given to applicants who have excelled in Eng 303: Structure of Modern English.
What application materials should I submit and when are they due?
Applicants must submit the following materials to the English Department office (UH-322): a hard copy of the completed application form (downloadable through the link below), two letters of recommendation, and a 3-4 page writing sample. All materials must be received by the last Friday of April.
Is there an interview process?
Yes. After applications are reviewed, qualified candidates will be scheduled for half-hour interviews during finals week of the spring semester.
If I am selected to be a tutor, when will I start my job, and will I be offered any sort of training course?
After interviews have been completed, successful job candidates will be notified over the summer and hired for the upcoming academic year. All newly-hired tutors must enroll in Eng 402: Theories of Response in Composition and Eng 402S: Tutor Supervision during the fall semester of their first year of employment.
If I work in the Writing Center, what will my schedule be like and how much will I get paid?
Tutors have a great amount of flexibility in their scheduling and are usually asked to work between five and twenty hours per week. The number of hours granted may be subject to need and budgetary restraints. Schedules do not vary from week to week but, rather, remain constant throughout the semester. The rate of pay begins at $10/hour for undergraduate tutors and $11.45/hour for graduate tutors.
Apply Now!
Please fill out the application and drop it off with your writing sample and letters of recommendation to the Department of English, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics office (UH-322): Word , PDF