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Become a UTC Tutor

Thank you for your interest in supporting your fellow Tritons academically as a UTC tutor.

Our tutors are “peer tutors” because they are fellow UMSL students earning their degrees alongside the students they serve. Our peer tutors have navigated college coursework successfully, and their accomplishments in the classroom translate to friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging support in the tutoring center. Our tutors are well-versed in the subjects they tutor, and they reflect the diversity of our campus.

What do tutors do?

  • Tutors occupy a middle space between student and teacher. We guide students to the solutions they can find. Sometimes we answer questions directly; other times, we guide students to their notes or textbook so they can answer the questions themselves; oftentimes, we are asking our own questions to help the student notice things they may have missed or taken for granted.
  • We recognize that one size does not fit all, and we notice verbal and nonverbal cues that tell us a student is or isn’t understanding. We exercise patience when tutoring because we know learning is complex, and people sometimes need to try the same thing different ways in order to “get” it.
  • We point out when students make progress, and we praise the grit and the problem-solving strategies they use to figure out solutions for themselves. We guide students in taking ownership of their own work.

What we look for in a tutor

  • A passion for helping others and inclusive excellence
  • Flexibility in communication & presentation styles to match students’ learning preferences
  • A mindset that everyone can grow and improve
  • Success in college coursework: 12 or more credit hours earned (6 for graduate students) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Knowledge in the subject area: As and Bs on your transcript in the courses you’ll be supporting
  • Experience in support roles (tutoring, volunteering, extracurricular leadership, etc.) is a plus, but not required
  • Responsive & respectful communication
  • Superior time management ability

Currently hiring

We accept applications year-round, but currently we are looking for tutors who can offer online availability (especially on weekends), or paired peer tutoring in the following courses/subject areas:

  • Accounting 2400 & 2410
  • Biology, especially BIOL 1131 & 1141, 1162, 1821 & 1831, 2012 (online & Paired Peer only)
  • Chemistry, especially CHEM 1052, 1111, 1121, & 2612 (online & Paired Peer only)
  • Computer Science, especially CMP SCI 1250, 2250, and 3130
  • Criminology 2220 (Paired Peer only)
  • Math, especially MATH 1020, 1035, 1100, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2020, & 2450
  • Nursing
  • Physics 1012 & 2111
  • Psychology 2201 and 3500
  • Statistics (MATH 1105 and 1320)
  • Study Skills
  • Writing (online weekend hours only)

Compensation

We pay $12.00 per hour, and tutors work on average between 5 and 10 hours per week. But there are more benefits to becoming a tutor beyond the pay:

  • Flexible work schedule – For the most part, you pick your tutoring schedule in a way that is convenient for your class schedule (although we cannot guarantee desired hours).
  • Consistent work schedule – Once we set your schedule, we stick to it for the whole semester.
  • Leadership development – We provide training and ongoing opportunities to build your leadership and communication skills.
  • Strengthened knowledge – They say the best way to learn is to teach. Tutors have told us that their tutoring work helped them master skills needed to ace the MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc.

Steps to apply

  1. Reach out to one of your past instructors here at UMSL and ask if they would recommend you as a tutor. A formal letter of recommendation is not required. You just need to let us know their name, and we will reach out to them. But talk to them first so they know.
  2. Complete the Tutor Application Form.
Please note that we are always accepting applications, and positions become available periodically throughout the year according to student need. We will process your application, and if you are a match for the position, we will reach out to let you know the next steps in the process.

Tutor Application 

UTC is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Alumni Tutors are Welcome

UTC is dedicated to ensuring students are part of an active learning community and are provided with opportunities to grow. We recognize that a partnership with UMSL's alumni community is a fantastic way to do this! Alumni tutors can volunteer to assist UMSL students both with specific course concepts and assignments and a broader understanding of the workforce and the world outside of college.

If you are interested in participating, please sign up for our virtual informational meet and greet session. In these sessions, we discuss the University Tutoring Center's background and operations, ways in which alumni tutors can assist students, and the alumni tutor volunteer registration/training process. This session is expected to last for about an hour and will be held via Zoom. You can use any sort of internet-capable device (cell phone, computer, laptop, tablet, etc) to attend.

For questions, please contact tutoring@umsl.edu.

 

Updated January 31, 2023