Wondering about academic support for your students? The following resources are available to UW undergraduates, some are also available to graduate students. Many are specifically designed to support international and multilingual students.
General academic support and tutoring
The Center for Undergraduate Learning & Enrichment (CLUE) is a free, late-night, multidisciplinary study center located in Mary Gates Hall. In addition to the writing centers mentioned above, they offer drop-in tutoring and discussion sessions led by graduate and senior undergraduate students. Tutoring activities are organized by subject, including Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Languages, Math, Physics, Statistics and more. CLUE also offers resources for faculty.
UW Libraries’ staff offer walk-in and scheduled appointments for students working on research projects. The libraries also have resources specifically for international students.
Academic Support Programs offers achievement courses for freshmen, sophomore, and transfer students who are interested in improving their academic performance. As a part of the course, students meet with a tutor-mentor three hours per week to work on class assignments and learn about university resources. Note: One section is specifically offered for multilingual and international students.
The Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity instructional center offers tutoring, study groups, workshops, and other academic support for students from low-income families, students who will be the first in their family to graduate from a four-year college, and underrepresented minority students.
Located in the Communications Building, Room 322, the Speaking Center offers a safe space for all students to practice public speaking. Students can sign up for a 20-minute tutoring session to practice speaking and receive feedback from a speaking tutor.
The UW also has other discipline specific study centers.
Writing centers
The Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) offers UW students free, one-to-one, 45-minute tutoring sessions for any writing or research project, as well as for personal projects such as applications or cover letters and resumes.
The Center for Undergraduate Learning & Enrichment (CLUE) offers a free late-night, drop-in writing center open to all UW students.
- Anthropology Writing Center
- College of Education Writing Center (OWRC satellite)
- History Writing Center
- Interdisciplinary Writing Center (for writing in AES, AIS, CHID GEOG, and GWSS)
- Philosophy Writing Center
- The Political Science / Jackson School / Law, Societies & Justice / CHID Writing Center
- Psychology Writing Center
- Sociology Writing Center
Writing support courses
The Expository Writing Program (EWP) and Interdisciplinary Writing Program (IWP) offer courses for international & multilingual students who would like to take a composition course tailored to their needs. In these sections of composition courses, designated “MLL,” I/M students use the same texts, complete the same assignment sequences, and must demonstrate the same learning outcomes as students in any IWP or EWP course. OWRC also offers a C/NC Targeted Learning Community for small groups of I/M students in a reading- or writing-intensive class.
The following writing courses offered by Expository Writing Program have MLL sections:
- ENGL 115 – Writing studio designed for multilingual students in other composition courses (2-credit)
- ENGL 121 – Service-learning composition
- ENGL 131 – Expository writing
- ENGL 281 – Intermediate composition
The Interdisciplinary Writing Program offers the following writing courses: ENGL 197, 198, & 199 and ENGL 297, 298, & 299. They are linked with lecture courses in the Arts, Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences and periodically have MLL sections.
Offered through OWRC, Targeted Learning Communities foster learning communities outside of the classroom for I/M students in writing- and reading-intensive courses. Three to five I/M students enrolled in the same course meet weekly with tutor facilitators to negotiate new academic environments, decode American cultural norms, and build collaboration skills. Students may register for General Studies 391 (C/NC) for their participation in a TLC.
English language support
The Academic English Program offers the following courses to students who want to improve and gain practice in their academic English language skills:
- ENGL 102 and 103 – Focus on developing academic reading and writing skills
- ENGL 104 – Focus on developing academic listening and speaking skills
- ENGL 105 – International Teaching Assistant Training
International and English Language Programs offers a variety of sessions, courses, and certificates in English language, including academic preparation courses. Unlike AEP courses, IELP classes do not count toward a degree at UW.
The Language Learning Center offers online resources and in-person for language learning.
SPCH 111, open only to I/M students, focuses on speech sounds of American English. Students practice listening and using American speech sounds and intonation patterns. Credit/no-credit only. Offered: AWSpS.
Web resources
OWRC has developed a wide range of resources for college writing, including handouts for international and multilingual (I/M) students.
UW Tacoma’s Writing Center offers explanations and examples for many aspects of academic writing and the writing process.
One the most widely-recognized online resources for college writing, the OWL offers content specifically for I/M students, including:
If you are you looking for a particular resource, or have a resource to recommend, contact CTL at: thectl@uw.edu.