The Faculty Seminar on the Teaching of Writing is a four-day seminar offered to faculty members from across schools and disciplines that teach undergraduates at UVA. Each cycle, we select up to twenty participants to attend this seminar, which is designed to assist faculty in developing effective writing instruction in any subject. We plan to hold the January 2026 Seminar in person and on Grounds.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Seminar helps faculty across disciplines design and teach writing-enhanced courses, such as those that meet writing requirements in various schools and departments, in ways that are informed by research about effective writing instruction. (Faculty interested in improving writing instruction for graduate students may also apply, but priority will be given to undergraduate instructors.)
The Seminar will be led by faculty in the Writing and Rhetoric Program, who will share research on the teaching of writing, provide feedback on course syllabi and assignments, offer practical teaching suggestions, and facilitate discussion among participants.
Participants are expected to use the Seminar to design or revise a writing-enhanced course that they plan to teach within the next two years. Faculty who complete the Seminar will receive $2,000 in research and professional development funding.
This Seminar is a long-standing and beloved UVA tradition, with faculty overwhelmingly reporting that they enjoy the experience and find it useful for years afterward. We hope you'll join us!
Please submit this brief application.
The deadline for applications is Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Email Heidi Nobles or Dylan Kellum with questions.
The Office of the Provost encourages you to apply for this opportunity to improve undergraduate writing at UVA.