Faculty & Staff
Faculty & Staff
Welcome to the Educational Resource Center!
The Educational Resource Center provides a wide range of academic support programs for both undergraduate and graduate students at Boston University. Additionally, several of our services are open to BU faculty, staff, and alumni! Please be in touch with me if you’d like to learn more about what we do or if you have ideas for potential collaborative programming. Wishing you all a productive new academic year!
Glenn Wrigley
Director, Educational Resource Center
Academic Skill Building
Academic Coaching
In your work, you may encounter undergraduate or graduate students who struggle with time management, note taking, or other aspects of their daily academic routine. The ERC offers individualized support for these students through Academic Coaching. During an Academic Coaching appointment, students meet one-on-one with a professional staff member to hone their study strategies and organizational skills. Students leave their Academic Coaching session with a personalized plan for academic success and tangible strategies to use moving forward.
In addition to individual study rooms, the ERC provides an Open Study space each week, where students can work independently alongside other students and talk with a Student Support Specialist.
Workshops
Throughout the year, the ERC offers academic skills workshops for undergraduate and graduate students on a variety of topics, ranging from test taking and test anxiety to reading strategies. For a complete schedule of upcoming workshops, visit the ERC calendar.
Our professional staff are also available to lead workshops for your class or department! Some of our most popular in-class presentations include Avoiding Plagiarism, Time Management, and Note Taking & Study Skills. Please submit your workshop request at least 10 business days in advance so that our staff can tailor the workshop content to meet your students’ and department’s needs.
Communication & Culture
Writing Assistance
With the right help, everyone can become a better writer! ERC Writing Assistance assists undergraduates, graduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff with all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlining, to formatting citations and revising an argument. In addition to serving current BU students, Writing Assistance is also available to BU alums to assist them with graduate school applications, personal statements, etc. Our Writing Fellows offer two types of appointments: standard appointments, which are 45 minutes long, and drop-in appointments, which last up to 20 minutes. Visit the Writing Assistance page to learn more and to sign up for an appointment.
English Conversation Groups
Open to undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni, our English Conversation Groups offer international students and English Language Learners an opportunity to engage in regular English conversation outside of the classroom environment. These small, informal weekly discussions often become cultural exchanges rather than just conversations. Through these conversation groups, individuals expand their vocabulary and cultural experiences in addition to improving their English pronunciation and listening skills. Visit the English Conversation Groups page to learn more and to sign up for a session.
Undergraduate Specific Programs
Peer Tutoring
For undergraduate students who need assistance in a particular course, our Peer Tutoring program supports students in a number of 100 and 200-level courses from across BU’s colleges and departments. Our Peer Tutors are experienced undergraduate students who help and encourage students in their academic journeys. All of our tutors have excelled in the courses they tutor, have received their instructor’s recommendation, and are eager to share their knowledge and experiences with others. To find out if Peer Tutoring is available for a particular 100 or 200-level course, email us.
Orgo Prep
OrgoPrep is designed to help students bridge the gap between the completion of General Chemistry 2 and the beginning of Organic Chemistry 1 (CAS CH 203, CH211). A collaboration between the Educational Resource Center and the Chemistry Education team, the completely new OrgoPrep has been re-designed and re-imagined with students in mind. The program now occurs in late Summer and features a hybrid, self-study and live webinar format. Orgoprep cohorts are led by experienced undergraduate Chemistry Teaching Assistants. If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Orgoprep team.
Graduate Specific Programs
Graduate Writing Support
The Educational Resource Center offers comprehensive support for BU master’s, professional, and doctoral candidates as they complete their theses and dissertations, draft research proposals, and revise articles. Our Graduate Writing Support programs build cross-disciplinary community to assist students in setting realistic goals and maintaining consistent progress toward their writing objectives. Questions? Please email us.
Master’s Student Lunch & Learn Series
Co-sponsored by the Educational Resource Center (ERC) and the Office of the Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs, the Master’s Student Lunch & Learn Series equips BU master’s students for success in their graduate programs and in their professional careers. These workshops feature time management and organizational strategies; strategies for navigating the complex course content students encounter during their graduate programs; and techniques for overcoming procrastination and perfectionism. Keep an eye on the ERC calendar for upcoming workshop sessions.