Types of Academic Student Employment

Academic Student Employee Titles and Duties

Teaching Assistant

A teaching assistant (TA) assists in the instruction of an upper or lower division course at the University under the supervision of a faculty member. The TA primarily assists the faculty member in charge of the course by conducting discussion or laboratory sections that supplement faculty lectures and by grading assignments and examinations.

A TA may also assist with the development of assignments or exams, hold office hours and proctor examinations. In the case of basic language, reading and composition, some other skills-building courses, and a few other courses, a teaching assistant may lead the class meetings, but as with all other TAs, the general instructional content of the course, as well as the official assignment of student grades and decisions on grade appeals, are the responsibility of the faculty member in charge of the course. In no instance shall a teaching assistant be assigned responsibility for the entire instruction of a course.  Learn more information for International graduate students employed as Teaching Assistants.

Associate (in lieu of TA) - Step 1

An Associate (in lieu of TA) may serve as a "senior TA" for a department/programs' TA training activities, as a TA consultant or Language Screener for the English Language Program for International Instructors, or under an Academic Instructional Improvement grant. Use of this title for any other program requires prior approval by the Dean of GEPA. Appointment to this title requires evidence of extraordinary merit in teaching and scholarship and prior relevant teaching experience.

Associate (teaching a course) - Step 9

An Associate (teaching a course) may conduct the entire instruction of a lower division course or upper division course with approval granted by the Dean of GEPA. The Associate is assigned a faculty mentor to provide guidance and training as needed. Use of this title requires prior approval by the Dean of GEPA.
Appointment to this title requires evidence of extraordinary merit in teaching and scholarship and prior relevant teaching experience (generally quantified by the student teaching evaluations and/or CAPEs meeting a minimum 75% threshold), advanced training in the subject matter and support of the department chair. For Ph.D. students, the candidacy exam must have been passed and the student must be in the final stages of dissertation writing or must have equivalent other accomplishments (publications, extensive experience as performer-teacher, etc.). MFA students should have submitted their application to candidacy (and will likely be in the second to last or last quarter). The appointment is also dependent upon positive academic and administrative review and approval by the student's department/group Chair, the Divisional Dean and the Dean of GEPA.

Reader

A Reader assists a course instructor by grading homework, papers, or exams and may also hold office hours to answer students' questions about such assignments.

Tutor

A Tutor provides tutoring to individual (one-on-one) or small groups (three or more) of undergraduate or graduate students who require additional help to understand a course or topical material. In some instances tutoring may focus on improved use of the English language.
Salary rates are listed here

Graduate Student - ASE Minimum Qualifications

Note: Any employment outside of the student's academic (home) department must have prior approval from the home department.

1. For academic year employment at 25-50% time, a student must be registered full-time (12 units or more). A student enrolled in less than 12 units, with departmental approval, is eligible for a maximum of 25% time employment.

2. A graduate student must be in good academic standing, i.e.,

   1. Meet departmental standards including a satisfactory annual spring academic progress evaluation;
   2. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 in upper-division and graduate course work;

   3. Must not have more than a total of eight units of F and/or U grades overall.

3. A graduate student must be within the departmental time limits:

   Ph.D./D.M.A. Degree Aim: Each department has established Pre-candidacy and Support Time Limits. A doctoral student must advance to candidacy by the Pre-candidacy Time Limit (PCTL) and also be within the Support Time Limit (SUTL) to remain eligible for campus employment or to receive other University funds. In addition, no one may be employed as a teaching assistant and/or associate (teaching a course) for more than 18 quarters.

   M.A./M.S. Degree Aim: Eligible for up to 7 quarters of employment or other University funding.

   M.F.A/M.P.I.A. Degree Aim: Eligible for up to 10 quarters of employment or other University funding.

4. International graduate students who are nonnative speakers of English must be certified as having requisite language skills before they can serve as teaching assistants (UC San Diego Graduate Division policy in compliance with Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 41).

Exception to Minimum Qualification

An exception to the minimum qualifications listed above may be granted at the discretion of the University.

Undergraduate Student - ASE Titles, Duties, and Minimum Qualifications

Reader:

A Reader assists a course instructor by grading homework, papers, or exams and may also hold office hours to answer students' questions about such assignments.

Minimum qualifications are a 3.0 grade-point average and have taken and received at least a "B" grade in the course or equivalent in which s/he is serving.

Tutor:

A Tutor provides tutoring to individual (one-on-one) or small groups (three or more) of undergraduate students who require additional help to understand a course or topical material. In some instances tutoring may focus on improved use of the English language.

Minimum qualification is a 3.0 grade-point average.

Exception to Minimum Qualifications

An exception to the minimum qualifications listed above may be granted at the discretion of the University.