"Lecturer/Teaching Specialist, Department of Writing Studies"

The Department of Writing Studies in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota occasionally needs teaching specialists or lecturers to teach courses that cannot be staffed by full time faculty or graduate students. This includes upper and lower division courses, including First-Year Writing (some sections of which may be dedicated to non-Native Speakers of English) and advanced writing courses at the 3XXX, 4XXX and 5XXX level. All First-Year Writing courses will be in a blended (in person and online) modality and advanced writing courses are offered in an in person, blended, or an online asynchronous modality.

The courses we most often need instructors for are:

• WRIT 1301 University Writing (First-Year Writing): This course introduces students to rhetorical principles that provide a framework for successful written communication in college and beyond. Students study and write in a variety of genres and disciplines, and in multimodal forms. The courses focus on writing as a way of knowing and learning to develop ideas through critical thinking, including analysis and synthesis. Based on the assumption that writing is a social activity, the course is a workshop format and requires active engagement in the writing process, including pre-writing, peer review, revision, and editing. Students develop information literacy and hone the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively and ethically incorporate information into their own texts.
• WRIT 3029W Business and Professional Writing: In this course students practice writing and revising common business documents for today’s business world. Students write memos, proposals, cover letters, resumes, and digital and web content as well as practice choice of appropriate formats and media. The course draws from current business practices and stresses workplace collaboration, broader issues of professional literacy, and responsive writing styles. Students practice rhetorical analysis and discuss concepts such as audience, purpose, tone, and context when writing and revising their documents. Students analyze and write from a variety of perspectives and contexts including formal (researched reports, proposals) and informal (email, social media) communication. Students also build a professional online presence through such platforms as LinkedIn.
• WRIT 3562W Technical and Professional Writing: This course introduces students to technical and professional writing through various readings and assignments in which students analyze and create texts that work to communicate complex information, solve problems, and complete tasks. Students gain knowledge of workplace genres as well as to develop skills in composing such genres. This course allows students to practice rhetorically analyzing writing situations and composing genres such as memos, proposals, instructions, research reports, and presentations. Students work in teams to develop collaborative content and to compose in a variety of modes including text, graphics, video, audio, and digital. Students also conduct both primary and secondary research and practice usability testing. The course emphasizes creating documents that are goal-driven and appropriate for a specific context and audience.

These positions are temporary and for a single semester teaching in person and/or online courses. These positions are contingent upon student enrollment and availability of funding. Additional semesters may be available based on need, funding, and performance.

This does not constitute a posting for vacancies but establishes a pool of applicants should an opening become available for the 2025/2026 academic year. Applicants will only be reviewed when a specific area of expertise is sought, and we will not be contacting applicants unless this occurs. All applications are kept on file until May 24, 2026.

Teaching specialists and lecturers will be expected to teach undergraduate or graduate students in assigned course(s), hold office hours to assist and advise students, and participate in relevant departmental meetings.

Required Qualifications:

• To be hired as a Teaching Specialist, an MA in Writing Studies, Rhetoric, Composition, English, or a literacy-related field is required.
• To be hired as a Lecturer, a PhD (or MFA or terminal MA in TESOL) in Writing Studies, Rhetoric, Composition, English, or a literacy-related field is required.
• Classroom experience in the area of hire at secondary or college level.
• Ability to work with and teach diverse populations