University Writing Program

UWS stands for University Writing Seminar, a required first-year writing course for Brandeis undergraduates. These courses are taught by Writing Program lecturers, adjuncts, and PhD  students from across the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Each UWS teaches transferable writing skills by challenging students to formulate meaningful ideas, support them with evidence and analysis, and convey them clearly and persuasively to their audiences. Graduate student instructors who teach a University Writing Seminar are working within the University Writing Program, which provides support for writing intensive courses, the Writing Center, and first-year writing, including these University Writing Seminars.

The UWS is first and foremost a writing course, with approximately 30% of the course dealing with content and 70% focused on academic writing. The curriculum is structured around three major units: a lens analysis unit in which students apply theory to a primary text; a comparative genre analysis unit on academic writing in different disciplines; and an extended unit on research. Graduate student instructors work with the Director of First Year Writing to choose their theme and readings and to develop syllabi and assignments. In addition to teaching the three units, instructors are responsible for components of the First-Year Experience at Brandeis, including Critical Conversations and Experiential Learning assignments.

Teaching a UWS differs in important ways from working as a teaching or research assistant:

• Graduate students are the instructors of record.
• Graduate student instructors receive extensive one-on-one training and support as they develop their syllabus and assignments.
• Instructors choose a topic and course materials. The instructor gains experience running the course’s day-to-day operations, providing feedback, and enforcing policies, among other things, to a degree that teaching and research assistants typically do not.
• Teaching a UWS requires an average of 14 hours per week compared to 10 for Teaching Assistants. Graduate students on stipend teaching a UWS receive additional compensation of $1,800 per semester as of Spring 2021. Graduate students off-stipend receive additional compensation of $7,671.16 per semester (figure valid as of 2021-22).

Teaching a UWS demands more time and effort than working as a research or teaching assistant. In addition to applying to be an instructor and developing the assignments, syllabus, and LATTE course webpage in the months prior to the start of the course, instructors are responsible for preparing lesson plans, providing feedback on assignments, grading, and conferencing with students. In addition, instructors attend monthly staff meetings and observe one other instructor during the semester. These responsibilities result in an increased workload which is reflected in the increased compensation for UWS instructors. Past graduate students have successfully taught their own UWS while also carrying out other responsibilities and even simultaneously working as a TA in another course.

The workload for teaching a UWS is similar to teaching a University Prize Instructorship (UPI) course; however, the support afforded to UWS instructors is significantly more extensive than that given to UPI instructors.

University Writing Program personnel, who are themselves experienced UWS instructors, provide extensive guidance and support throughout the entire process in many ways:

• Advice and answers for prospective applicants through UWS application workshops
• A variety of template assignments, syllabi, and other course materials
• One-on-one meetings and feedback from experienced instructors throughout the process of developing the course
• “Comp Camps” - sets of workshops and panels in which past and current instructors discuss important pedagogical issues and give practical advice on teaching
• Class visits and feedback during the semester from administrators and fellow instructors
• Collaborative grading support for the essay assignments
• Support with handling student issues or complaints

Graduate students gain extensive pedagogical experience, soft skills, and financial benefit from teaching a UWS:

• Experience as the instructor of record for a university course – a valuable asset for the CV for anyone planning a career that involves teaching
• Hands-on experience developing their own syllabus, assigning readings, creating assignments, integrating university requirements into their course, and grading equitably
• Leadership skills – managing class discussions, fielding difficult questions, and providing guidance on assignments
• Collaborative skills – developing course materials within program and university guidelines, incorporating administrative feedback, and working with other instructors to normalize assignment grades
• Interpersonal skills – supporting students through stressful times, explaining difficult concepts, and finding strategies to communicate constructive feedback
• Time management skills – creating schedules for in-class instruction and exercises, holding multiple student interviews, and providing feedback and grades all within time constraints
• Experience setting teaching goals and evaluating student progress in a fair and equitable manner
• Additional compensation ($1800 per semester)