Lab Hour Instructors come from a variety of backgrounds, but each of them is an expert in the field of collegiate writing. Each has earned a minimum of a bachelor's degree and 18 completed hours in a writing-related master's degree program, as well as composition classroom experience. They are available to serve as a guide, translator, and advocate for students entering the discourse community of academic writing at the university, engaging in one-on-one sessions, legitimizing students funds of knowledge, and building a collaborative mentoring relationship with their students.