CS Teaching Assistant Information
Guidelines for appointment, assignment, and reappointment
Application Procedures Heading link
- PhD students are often guaranteed funding for four years when they are admitted. Renewal of that funding for each fall and spring semester is subject to satisfactory academic and research progress in the PhD program based on department standards. To be appointed or reappointed as a TA, a student must be able to serve as a TA for any 100- or 200-level CS class, and any prior TA performance reviews must be satisfactory.
- TAs are hired by the CS department for CS and IT classes. Typical TA positions in the department are 50% appointments for each semester. The fall semester hiring dates are August 16 through December 31, and the spring semester hiring dates are January 1 through May 15. Students applying to serve as TAs should indicate a minimum of five TA course preferences on their application, rank ordered highest to lowest, including at least one choice of a 100- or 200-level course.
- Offer letters: A majority of the TA offer letters are sent close to 45 days prior to the start date of a typical appointment for each semester. This means letters are sent around June 30 for fall semester TAs, whose appointments start August 16, and November 15 for spring semester TAs, whose appointments start January 1. However, we continue to make offers after these dates until all positions are filled, even closer to the start of the semester. Our available offers and TA positions may change based on enrollment and due to eligible TAs switching to other types of aid, such as a Research Assistantship.
- Summer TA appointments: The CS department typically offers one or two classes in the Summer 1 semester and six to eight classes in Summer 2. The number of available TA positions corresponds to the number of classes we offer and enrollment. Summer 1 appointments are for one month (May 16 to June 15) and Summer 2 appointments are for two months (June 16 to August 15). Students are emailed in early April to apply if interested.
- CS TAs typically are not required to create a syllabus. TAs generally follow the directions of the instructors. These instructions are communicated at the beginning of the semester when TA assignments are made.
Hiring Considerations Heading link
Factors that may enhance an individual’s eligibility for TA appointment or for specific course assignments include:
- Prior TA reviews
- Program of study (PhD students receive priority over MS students)
- Academic record (minimum GPA 3.0) and progress toward the degree (for PhD students, this may mean completing milestones such as the qualifier and preliminary examinations in a timely manner)
- Specific needs of the class and instructor
- Applicant’s preferences and availability at times needed for labs/discussions
- Previous teaching experience in specific classes: need and ability
- Previous general teaching experience and performance as a TA
- Department’s mission to provide the best support to our students in each of our classes