Teaching Assistant Opportunities
Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) are used in many Mechanical Engineering courses. TAs may run laboratory sessions, give classroom lectures, hold office hours, and be involved in grading. A level 1 TA is required to average no more than ten hours per week on TA assignments. A level 2 TA is required to average no more than 20 hours per week. Current salaries for these positions are $2,500 and $5,000 per semester, respectively.
Graduate Assistants (Graders) are also used in courses to grade homework. A Grader should, in general, have no contact with students and work no more than 7 hours per week. The salary is $1,250 per semester.
TA assignments are made by the faculty members teaching the course. If you are interested in working as a TA, it is required that you fill out a TA application, which can be found here. In some cases, the department will retain a few TA positions for new students entering the program.
All students whose native language is not English, or who have not received their B.S. from a U.S. or Canadian institution of higher learning, must attend a teaching workshop before they will be approved for TA positions.
TA and Grader Stipend and Work Level
| TA Level | Title | Stipend 2006-07 ($/semester) |
Maximum work load (hr/week) |
Student Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lab TA | $5,000 | 20 | Yes |
| 1 | Course TA | $2,500 | 10 | Yes |
| 0 | Grader | $1,250 | 7 | No |
Lab TAs are typically responsible for all aspects of laboratory sections associated with certain undergraduate courses. Duties may include the set up of experiments, lectures to undergraduate students on particular experiments, supervising undergraduate students during the data acquisition phase of experiments, and grading lab reports. Course TAs typically assist with course instruction. Duties may include conducting problem sessions, occasional lecturing, and grading of student homework and projects. Graders have limited interaction with undergraduate students and are primarily responsible for grading homework.
Several instructor positions are available each summer semester for advanced Ph.D. students. The graduate student/instructor is given full responsibility for an undergraduate course, including lecture preparation and delivery, test creation and grading, student advising on course material, and all course administration. The graduate student/instructor is provided a mentor from the regular faculty who provides advice and guidance on all aspects of course management. These positions provide the opportunity for Ph.D. students interested in an academic career to gain experience in teaching. Remuneration is based on the class level and number of students registered for the class.