|
Teaching Assistantships
Appointment Scope
The TA Appointment Process
Application Form
TSE/SPEAK TEST for Non-native Speakers
Resources for Current TAs
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships (TA) are available each academic semester for graduate students to assist in departmental course instruction. The assignments naturally require demonstrated expertise in the course subject matter to which the student is assigned. Teaching assistant responsibilities vary with course assignments and may involve grading, recitation lecture, laboratory, homework problem solution, office hour consultation, or a mix of these duties. The teaching assistant is not ultimately responsible for course grades -- that is a faculty responsibility.
Appointment Scope
The number of teaching and research assistantships fluctuates with enrollment and availability of grant funds. There is no deadline to be accepted for an assistantship; however, for incoming students it is advisable to apply for admission to the Graduate School early as TA offers are made only to those students who have received admission.
Whereas teaching assistantship appointments are typically one semester in duration, after which a new assignment can be made, it is possible to hold simultaneous teaching and research assistantships within any academic semester. If simultaneous appointments are made, then each is typically a 25% appointment. Appointments are occasionally combined at other than 25% levels to total 50% overall. Maximum appointments to teaching assistantship and/or research assistantship positions are 50%, except in unusual cases where graduate students who have qualified for doctoral candidacy may receive 75% appointments if a distinct service need exists.
Teaching and Research Assistantships are financial aid academic appointments reserved for graduate students. If you accept an offer of financial aid, you are entering into a contract, which cannot be terminated unless both parties consent, in writing, to terminate the contract.
Consult the Graduate Catalog and the Graduate Assistant Employment Webpage for information about tuition policy in relation to course credits and assistantship appointments.
The TA Appointment Process
Teaching Assistant appointments are made several weeks prior to the onset of a new semester. The Associate Department Head consults with course instructors for recommendations when assigning teaching assistantships. The Associate Department Head will notify the student of the TA appointment.
Students must register in the semester in which they hold teaching assistantships (except during summer sessions providing they were registered the preceding spring semester). Teaching appointments hold no guarantee for continuation beyond one academic semester.
Incoming and current graduate students interested in teaching assistantships are advised to contact individual course instructors to discuss specific TA responsibilities and qualifications. A list of courses and course instructors for the current semester can be obtained from the ME Advising office, ME 1120.
TA Application
TA applications are accepted June - September for the Fall semester and November - December for the Spring semester. Application page
top of page
TSE/SPEAK TEST for Non-native Speakers
Current University of Minnesota policy requires that all non-native English speaking teaching assistants or prospective teaching assistants who are or will be assigned to teaching, tutoring, or advising duties must take either the Test of Spoken English (TSE), or the SPEAK TEST, University of Minnesota's version of the TSE. The TSE is administered by the Educational Testing Service and offered around the world. The University of Minnesota's SPEAK TEST is administered by the Center for Teaching and Learning Services here on campus. The passing score for both tests is 55.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering highly recommends that non-native English speaking students take the TSE in the Fall when the GRE and TOEFL are taken. Students should include their TSE scores with the application materials sent to the Department. Students who take and pass the TSE in their home country are eligible to be considered for teaching assistantships at an earlier point in the appointment process than those students who wait to take the SPEAK TEST once they arrive on campus. The Department will not give TA offers to students who do not pass the TSE or SPEAK TEST.
Students who have scored under 55 on the TSE or SPEAK TEST may be eligible for a teaching assistantship but will be required to enroll in and successfully complete the International TA Programs courses.
Questions regarding the testing or instruction of TAs or prospective TAs who are non-native English speakers may be addressed to: Center for Teaching and Learning Services, Graduate Student Services.
Resources for Current TAs
Quick Guide (pdf)
This is a downloadable reference guide that lists relevant contact information.
FERPA (PDF) (HTML)
As a TA, this federal statute directly affects you. See what actions you need to take to stay in compliance.
ME Student Writing Guide (pdf)
Provides guidance to ME students on how to communicate effectively through problem sets.
Student Lab Report Guide (pdf)
A reference organized to provide succinct examples of writing engineering documents.
Spring Orientation (ppt)
Presentation from the Fall 2009 orientation meeting
top of page |
Return
to: U of M Home
