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Reader, Graduate Assistant/Teaching Assistant Opportunities

Depending on available funding, there are positions available for graduate students, which include readerships, graduate assistantships, and teaching assistants. 

Readerships (also called Student Assistants or Instructional Student Assistants)- are positions in which a graduate or undergraduate student assists a professor by reading papers for a course (or courses) and also may do some exam proctoring and assisting with students. A Readership is a good entry-level position and may be helpful in obtaining a GA position. Reader positions vary depending on the size of the class.  Typically, $1000 per semester for five hours work per week, for sixteen weeks but may be $500 for 2.5 hours or may be up to 7 hours a week .

A Graduate Assistant – may help a professor with research work, and/or may help a professor with a class. A Graduate Assistant is sometimes asked to teach a couple of class meetings “solo.” Approximately $1,000 per semester for five hours per week.

A Graduate Teaching Assistant – works with a professor teaching the large Sociology 101’s. The assistant works closely with the professor, and handles a number of small “break out” sessions to aid student learning in these large courses. Hours and responsibilities may vary. TAs must be Sociology grad students.  TAs usually teach 2 to 3 sections for $2000 to $3000.
There is a lot of experience to be had when holding a teaching assistant position.  Many graduate students who have held these positions have learned many skills that they will be able to use in their future careers. 

“I knew I wanted to teach at the community college level before I entered the Soc program at SDSU.  I was fortunate enough to be a TA for four semesters with four different professors.  The first semester of being a TA was rough, as it should be, but it taught me to appreciate the great teachers and professors I have had throughout my life.  I was exposed to different teaching styles as I was a TA for various professors.   I was also able to form strong bonds with fellow graduate students who were also TAs and we were able to bounce ideas off of each other.  I learned a lot about myself and what kind of educator I want to be.  I have developed my teaching persona within those four semesters as a TA.  This experience has prepared me to do well after graduation when I enter the ‘real world.’ I am thankful that I will enter my very own classroom one day with a great amount of teaching experience and wisdom under my belt.  I am also grateful to be able to use my teaching experience as leverage for getting jobs in the future.” –Shannon Sellers

“Working as a GA or TA is the best way to gain practical teaching experience as a graduate student and was very worthwhile. It was a great opportunity to interact with students, observe the different pedagogical styles of several professors (I had the opportunity of working with three different professors as a GA and TA), and gain experience in structuring assignments and other coursework. It was a valuable experience for me, and I would highly recommend it to other graduate students, as well.” –Ben Wright

There are specific requirements for these positions set up by the Graduate Division:

• A Graduate student needs to have conditional or classified graduate standing for a readership.
  
  
• The student needs to have filed an Official Program of Study in the Graduate Division office by the third semester of their program;
  
  
• The student may not have an incomplete over 1 year old on his/her transcript.
  
  
• The student must have a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
  
  
• The student must be enrolled in six units of classes on their Official Program, or classes taken to remove undergraduate deficiencies (If upper-division deficiencies are being taken, units must total nine). Sociology 799A is considered a full program, as is 799B, if taken through regular university, i.e. not through Open University, and may be acceptable for one semester only. Students are limited to 4 semesters of GA/TA appointments.
  
  
• Students cannot receive more than 4 semesters of GA and TA appointments.

Other Opportunities

Social Science Research Laboratory (SSRL)

• Telephone Interviewer Positions
• Internships