It has also been a unique teaching opportunity for graduate students from a variety of departments and schools in the university. Founded in 1945, Western Civilization is a two-semester course emphasizing direct student engagement with and discussion of some of the influential authors and writings of the Western intellectual heritage. The program is a general education requirement for undergraduates in the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of General Studies, and most of the Bachelor of Science programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and of students in the Schools of Journalism and Social Welfare. Within those contexts attention is also given to issues of gender, race, and the Jewish experience. All new graduate instructors are responsible for leading three weekly discussion sections, attending two large lecture sections taught by Program faculty each week, participating in an annual orientation program and regular weekly training sessions, attending instructional sessions on the teaching of writing, and fulfilling other duties relevant to the Program, not to exceed a total of twenty hours per week.
Appointments are normally renewable for up to four years.
Staff members are required to demonstrate regular progress toward a graduate degree in one of the university's programs, and must normally enroll for a minimum of six hours of graduate instruction per semester. All appointees receive a tuition waiver. Positions are open to qualified stuidents who have been admitted to a graduate program within the university. Please note the letters of recommendation are not required and cannot be accepted in lieu of the completed forms. Candidates selected for interview must cover travel expenses themselves.