TA APPLICATION

Apply Here

Deadlines

– TA assignments are made three times each year for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Students interested in a TA position should check the application for information on deadlines, courses that need TAs, and additional information.

– Please do not contact the department about your application and available positions until the deadlines posted.

– Please submit your completed application within the posted time frame. Under no circumstances will incomplete or late applications be considered. If you have specific questions regarding the application before you submit it, please contact amy.verkler@utah.edu

Term Application Opens Priority Deadline Application Closes Offers made
Fall April 1st April 21st June 30th June 5th
Spring Oct 1st Oct 22nd Dec 1st Dec 1st
Summer* March 1st March 10th March 10th March 24th

Please note these dates are approximate and may change slightly from year to year if the day falls on a weekend.
*Very few courses are offered during the summer with a very limited amount of TAs required. TA positions should not be expected.

Application Qualifications

1. Apply by posted deadlines

2. Completion of, or current enrollment in the appropriate ECE TA Training Course. International students must meet the following spoken English proficiency requirements before being enrolled in TA training.

    • TOEFL speaking 25+
    • IELTS speaking 7.0+

3. Completion of International Teaching Assistant Program (ITAP) – International Applicants should contact the Graduate Student Coordinator to register for upcoming sessions.

4. Completion of hiring process

5. Read over and agree to TA Expectations

ECE TA Training Courses

ECE 5960-011 TA Training (1.0) – Undergrad
ECE 6960-011 TA Training (1.0) – MS
ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering (2.0) – PhD

These courses will vet TA candidates and prepare them for potential assignments by discussing topics such as the following:

Priority

Teaching and research assistantships are a valuable opportunity, but positions are extremely limited and dependant on faculty needs. We strongly advise Master’s students against relying on an assistantship to cover graduate program expenses.

The department typically prioritizes applicants for hire in this order:

Most Likely ECE PhD students nominated by ECE faculty
Likely Current EE or CE undergraduate students
Unlikely ECE Master’s students who earned their BS degree AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
Very Unlikely ECE Master’s students who earned their BS OUTSIDE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
Will not be hired
  • Non-ECE applicants
  • Applicants that do not meet the application qualification criteria

Please note: While priority is given to applicants in the order listed above, successful placement also depends on performance in the TA training course and faculty preferences.

Department TA Expectations

Punctuality

  • TA’s are expected to arrive on time and be present for the duration of any labs to which they are assigned, as well as to their office hours.
  • Full-time class teaching assistants must hold at least 2 hours of office hours per week. Office hours must be held in person between 8 am and 4:30 pm. TA’s are required to notify the department of their office hours and location, and to have the instructor post them for students

Performance

  • During the labs / office hours, they should actively ask students if they have any questions, taking care to take turns checking in with each student in attendance.
  • TA’s should grade assignments within one week of them being submitted by students, unless told otherwise by the instructor

Professionalism

  • TA’s that are unable to make it to their assigned commitments (lecture, lab hours, office hours, etc.) due to illness or other extenuating circumstances should contact their instructor immediately and, if possible, see if another TA can cover their commitments for them.

Consequences

  • TA’s who miss several assigned commitments without proper notice to the instructor or fail to complete assigned tasks properly after multiple warnings may face:
    • a formal reprimand from the department
    • a payroll deduction
    • a recommendation to NOT be rehired
    • immediate termination with loss of pay and benefits