Writing Institutes

WSIP offers writing institutes for university undergraduate and graduate students. We are focused on helping students hone their skills in writing as they prepare for successful academic experiences. For questions about any of our institutes, please contact ahholm@arizona.edu or writingskills@arizona.edu

Academic Writing in The Borderlands

This program supports students’ awareness of themselves as scholars whose research and writing are shaped by their positionalities as students in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands. Regardless of academic discipline and focus of study, their work is influenced by dynamics of our context. Our goal is to help them develop deeper thinking skills about their research and writing processes and accountability to the communities affected by their positionalities. They learn to think beyond writing conventions to consider how issues of diversity, social justice, integrity, equity, and responsibility manifest in writing. These skills promote the development of research and writing practices that support the U of A’s commitment to inclusive excellence. While we encourage focus on the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands because that is where we are located, this program models a framework that can be adapted for student scholars working in any Borderlands.

Applications open Monday, October 28

  • Dates: Spring 2025 (January 6-10; 2 monthly meetings February-April
  • Who: Graduate and undergraduate students from any institution. Post-docs will be considered. 
  • Where: Online
  • Cost: $250 for U of A students; $320 for non-U of A students

Seats in the Borderlands are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will email you the link for online payment.  If a University of Arizona department will be paying on your behalf, please contact us at writingskills@arizona.edu so we can begin that process. 

The program has two components: 
1. January

  • January 6-10, 2025
  • Monday and Wednesday Workshops
  • Friday Writing Session 
  • Customized individual tutoring

The workshops will focus on issues related to academic writing in the Borderlands. The writing session will provide you with facilitated time to work on writing projects. During individual tutoring sessions, you have the opportunity to discuss your writing and/or your writing questions and concerns with a writing specialist.

2. February-April 2025

  • Monthly Writing Group
  • Monthly Panel Presentation 

Each month, participants of the Borderlands 2025 cohort will reconvene for a group writing session. We'll begin with a mini-workshop followed by dedicated writing time. Additionally, we'll host a separate monthly panel presentation for the cohort to learn more about Borderlands writing perspectives.

Contact us at writingskills@arizona.edu with questions.

APPLY

 Graduate Writing Institute

Each summer for three weeks in June, WSIP offers the Graduate Writing Institute (GWI) for selected graduate students interested in improving or simply moving forward in their writing. The GWI helps graduate students complete advanced research projects, articles for publication, grant and research proposals, conference presentations, theses, and dissertations. We do not accept students who will be writing their comprehensive exams during the program. Students of various disciplines work on their writing by participating in the following activities:

  • Writing workshops 
  • Individual Tutoring 
  • Facilitated Small Group Tutoring
  • Writing Boot Camp 
Program Details
  • June 3-21, 2025
  • Online
  • Fees TBA

Applications open at the end of April

Visit our YouTube channel to view testimonies from past participants!

Testimonies

"I would rank the GWI and writing support services provided by WSIP in the 10% of programs I have accessed at University of Arizona. The workshops have demystified academic writing and publication for in ways I expected to learn in other forums but did not. The services have allowed me to improve my productivity and develop greater confidence in writing and communicating my research. Also, the program staff are wonderful to interact with, highly skilled, and serious about supporting students' writing goals."

"This workshop was extremely helpful for me. Not only did the experience leave me feeling more confident about tackling writing, but I also felt like I was able to get over some of my fears related to writing that was keeping me from progressing. In particular, having such supportive staff in the GWI removed a lot of my fear about being 'judged' for my writing. I feel like I came out of this experience with a better objective lens on my own writing and actually have been asked to offer feedback to my peers on their writing and I believe it stemmed from the culture of this workshop! Additionally, as a STEM-focused writer, I believe I benefitted from the diverse set of students in the small groups. I was able to get better feedback about the clarity of my writing having others read my work that were not directly in my field and they offered a fresh perspective in parts of my writing that I might have been habitually doing rather than having an actual intention."

 

Writing Boost!

Application process is closed.

Each summer before the fall academic semester begins, WSIP offers the Writing Boost! Program, a one-week institute for undergraduate and graduate students. Our focus is on helping students transition from summer to fall writing.

  • Workshops
  • Writing Sessions
  • Individual Tutoring

This is a writing-intensive program designed to support incoming and current students as they refresh their academic writing skills, work to finish writing projects, or prepare for writing projects in the fall semester. 

  • When: August 12-16, 2024
  •              Monday-Friday Individual tutoring, Workshops, Writing Sessions
  • Where: Online Only 
  • Cost: Option 1, $200 for UA students and $240 for non-UA students
  •           Option 2, $140 for UA students and $180 for non-UA students
  • Application process is closed.
  • Payments: 

On the application, students will be asked to select one option: 
OPTION 1:  Ideal for writers with ongoing projects and projects with imminent deadlines. This option focuses on writing time and tutor feedback. 
Tues, Wed, Thurs, 10-10:30 am Workshop followed by 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Writing Session. Option to continue writing until 12:30 pm.  Two hours of individual tutoring per your individual schedule between Monday and Friday. 
Cost: $200/UA students; $240/non-UA students

OPTION 2: Ideal for students who are interested in refreshing their academic writing skills before the new semester begins. This option focuses on writing lessons and activities. 

Tues, Wed, Thurs, 10-10:30 am Workshop followed by 10:30-11:00 am Writing Session. One hour of individual tutoring per your individual schedule between Monday and Friday.
Cost: $140/UA students; $180/non-UA students