Chemistry and Biochemistry

Teaching Assistants

Chemistry Ph.D. Students

The academic teaching requirement for completion of the UCSD Ph.D. in Chemistry & Biochemistry is 4 quarters. Exceptions to the teaching requirement and policies require prior Graduate Affairs approval.

Students typically TA in a variety of courses, including at least two laboratories.

Apply for courses you are qualified to TA: You've completed two or more quarters of relevant upper-division work with a grade of A- or higher or completed one or more quarters of relevant graduate courses with a grade of B+ or higher or passed the ACS Written Exam in the relevant area.

Chemistry M.S. Students

The academic teaching requirement for completion of the UCSD M.S. in Chemistry is one quarter. Exceptions to the teaching requirement and policies require prior Graduate Affairs approval. Often students request to TA for additional quarters as a means of financial support.

Masters students typically TA laboratory courses. For those who wish to TA only one quarter, Fall quarter, with its higher course enrollments, tends to provide better odds for being assigned one of your top TA preferences. Winter quarter is your second best bet.

Select courses you are qualified to TA: You've completed two or more quarters of relevant upper-division work with a grade of A- or higher or completed one or more quarters of relevant graduate courses with a grade of B+ or higher or passed the ACS Written Exam in the relevant area.

Chemistry JDP Students

The academic teaching requirement for completion of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Chemistry is one quarter in the year spent on the UCSD campus. Exceptions to the teaching requirement and policies require prior Graduate Affairs approval.
Select courses you are qualified to TA: You've completed two or more quarters of relevant upper-division work with a grade of A- or higher or completed one or more quarters of relevant graduate courses with a grade of B+ or higher or passed the ACS Written Exam in the relevant area.

Non-Chemistry Graduate Students

Minimum eligibility requirements that must be met by the start of the quarter of TA assignment:
  1. Completion of at least a bachelor's degree.
  2. A year of general chemistry, including labs.
  3. A grade of A- or higher in the same or equivalent course/course sequence of TA assignment.
  4. A transcript showing degree conferral and chemistry courses completed (with grades) must be brought to York Hall 4010.
Graduate students from departments other than Chemistry and Biochemistry are typically assigned to lab courses, and these are the courses that should be selected on the TA assignment request form. However, those with training in physical chemistry may be eligible to TA in upper-division lecture courses Chem 126, 127, 131, 132, or 133.

Undergraduate Students

For more information on opportunities for UCSD Undergraduates, please visit our page on tutor and reader positions.

CHEM 500 Enrollment

Students enroll in Chemistry 500 (4 units) every quarter they TA. The first quarter in which students TA in the Department, they must attend the weekly hour-long Teaching Apprentice Training Seminar affiliated with Chemistry 500 (see Schedule of Classes ). At the seminar, they will receive a Teaching Apprentice Handbook.

TA Performance Expectations

Responsibilities for Satisfactory Performance. At the first instructor-TA meeting for the course (attendance mandatory), instructors will outline the actual TA duties for their course. More information about responsibilities are covered during the TA Training Seminar affiliated with Chemistry 500. However, duties typically required of all TAs are:

  • Attend all instructor-TA meetings.
  • Attend all lectures of the course they are TAing.
  • Lead one or more discussion or lab sections as agreed at the time of TA assignment.
  • Assist with grading and proctoring.
  • Hold office hours or cover Helproom (Chem 6A-B-C).
  • Other duties as needed for a particular course, such as quizzes, preparation for sections, and l ab demonstrations.
  • Lab TAs must attend MANDATORY safety training and meetings.

Performance Evaluations and Standards. TAs are evaluated by the instructor of the course and by the students they teach. More information on performance standards is provided at the TA Training Seminar affiliated with Chemistry 500.

TA Workload

A typically TA assignment with the department is a 42% appointment, or a total workload of 184 hours over 12 weeks. Most of these hours are accrued in the 10-week quarter and finals week (see Schedule of Classes). Depending on the needs of a specific course, instructors will inform TAs of the need to work hours in the pre-quarter week.

  • Lower-Division Lecture Courses: Undergrad tutors lead one discussion section, grad TAs lead three discussion sections. (6A-6B-6C, 6AH-6CH, 11,12,13,15)
  • Upper-Division Organic Chemistry Lecture Courses: Undergrad tutors lead one discussion section, grad TAs lead three discussion sections. (140A-B-C)
  • Other Upper-Division Chemistry Lecture Courses: Undergrad tutors rarely used. Grad TAs lead two-three discussion sections. (114A-B-C, 120A, 126, 131, 149A)
  • Lower-Division Lab Courses: No undergrad tutors. Grad TAs usually lead two laboratory sections; 7L TAs do not grade lab notebooks, if they lead two sections. (4, 7L)
  • Upper-Division Lab Courses: No undergrad tutors. Grad TAs lead lab section and grade lab notebooks. 100A-B, 105A-B, 112A-B, 123, 143A-B-C-AH.

Employment Information

  1. The Chem/Biochem Student Affairs Office will contact you by email if you must attend an employee sign-up session.
  2. Graduate students employed in Teaching Assistant title code 2310 are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between UCSD and the ASE/UAW.
  3. The 42% pay rate for Teaching Assistants is $1,615.50/month.
  4. TAs are paid monthly. The payroll period for Fall quarter is October 1-December 31 (first check November 1), for Winter quarter it is January 1-March 31, and for Spring quarter it is April 1-June 30.
  5. Graduate students with academic appointments totaling 25% time or more or entitled to a full Graduate Student Health Insurance Premium Remission, and Educational and Registration Fee Remission, and other applicable benefits as set forth in the Agreement. Please check the Agreement for the specific eligibility requirements and amounts of each remission.
  6. Names and addresses of all ASEs are released to the UAW each quarter.
  7. ASE/UAW membership dues or the agency fee (for those who choose not to become ASE/UAW members) will be deducted each month from the TA paycheck. The amount of dues is 1.15% of gross TA earnings; the agency fee is 0.92%.
  8. See the OGS website for additional information concerning Academic Student Employment (ASE).

Spring 2012 TA Application

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