Each fall, the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences welcomes more than 3,000 first-term students to our campus. In order to introduce new students to the academic life of the Dietrich School, First-Year Programs offers Academic Foundations, a one-credit orientation course.
This important course empowers our new students and enhances their experiences, keeps instructors aware of the changing student body, and engages all of us in the mission of the Dietrich School. Committed instructors play a crucial role in the success of this course.
Students enroll for the course on an S/NC course basis; enrollment is limited to 25 students per section. The class meets one day a week for 50 minutes, for 12 weeks.
Interested in teaching Academic Foundations? Reach out to us at dietrichfp@pitt.edu for more information about the application process.
Academic Foundations:
- Initiates students to the academic demands of studying in the liberal arts within a large research University.
- Familiarizes them with the cultural life of the campus and city.
Each instructor teaching Academic Foundations receives:
- An undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA) who has been trained for the position.
- Course materials provided online and on Canvas.
- Orientation to the course and its resources during a mandatory summer workshop.
- Compensation of $1,575 paid in two equal installments
INSTRUCTOR APPLICATION 2026
For more information or to participate, contact First-Year Programs.