UT students in writing flag courses have the opportunity to win money just for doing their class work.

The School of Undergraduate Studies is giving out awards to the undergraduate students who produce the best writing in their writing flag courses. The competition has three different categories and up to three prizes will be awarded within each category.

All undergraduate students are required to take at least one writing flag course during their time at UT. However, students will eventually be required to earn three flags in writing and one flag in each of the other areas. 

Julia O’Hanlon, a communication studies and humanities sophomore, said that the writing flag requirement is important to help develop more well-rounded students.

“The School of Undergraduate Studies is trying to stress the importance of an interdisciplinary education,” O’Hanlon said. “They’re trying to show that even students in the College of Natural Sciences or in other majors can benefit from learning how to express their thoughts through writing.”

The writing flag competition provides an incentive for students to produce exemplary work in their writing flag courses. There will be a first, second and third place winner for each category. Students who win first place will be awarded $300. Those who come in second will receive $200, and third place will get $100.

“It can’t hurt to submit your writing assignment,” Clayton Schiebel, a radio-television-film junior, said. “You have to turn it in to your writing flag class for credit anyways, so you may as well submit it to the competition and potentially win a few hundred bucks.”

Students are only allowed to submit one entry, so they are being asked to choose their best work. Submissions that do not meet the eligibility, formatting and length requirements will not be considered.

Diael Thomas, a chemical engineering sophomore, said she did not know about the writing flag competition.

“I don’t think many students know about this opportunity. Honestly, there’s so many things going on at UT it’s hard to keep up,” Thomas said.

Students can find out more details about the competition on the undergraduate studies website.

The School of Undergraduate Studies is encouraging all students to further revise their work at the University Writing Center before entering the competition. The deadline to enter is Dec. 14, 2016.