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A graduate assistant serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. [1] The assistant typically helps professors with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants or with academic research responsibilities as research assistants, aids coaches with an athletic team, or is employed by other ...
- Overview
- What is a graduate assistant?
- What do graduate assistants do?
- Benefits of a graduate assistantship
- Tips for finding a graduate assistantship
In graduate school, you may have access to a variety of opportunities that can help you gain professional experience in your field of interest, make connections and earn compensation. Many graduate students pursue assistantships through which they can perform duties related to teaching, research or other academic responsibilities. If you're interes...
A graduate assistant is a student employee of a college or university who performs specialized duties—through positions called graduate assistantships—related to their course of study. Graduate assistants are typically full-time enrollees in programs for advanced studies, such as Ph.D. or master's programs, and take on assistantships to gain profes...
Graduate assistants perform a wide variety of tasks depending on their exact position, the department of their studies and the faculty members they work alongside. Faculty members who hire graduate assistants or supervise them typically assign them duties that align with the goals of the academic department, research facility or on-campus office where they work. Therefore, while there's a high level of variation between the responsibilities of graduate student employees, most graduate assistantships fall into one of the following categories:
•Graduate teaching assistantship: Graduate teaching assistants assume duties related to the instruction and assessment of undergraduate students. These types of assistants may work alongside a faculty member, help design a syllabus, prepare exams, create materials, assist with lectures, meet with students and grade student assignments.
•Graduate research assistantship: Graduate research assistants work alongside faculty members performing research in an area of shared academic interest. These assistants typically work in clinics, labs or other on-campus facilities and assume practical or administrative tasks that help faculty members achieve the objectives they set out in their research.
•General graduate assistantship: Graduate assistants who don't work in a teaching or research capacity may work in various in-campus offices, facilities or departments and assume different administrative or technical tasks depending on their unique role. For instance, general graduate assistants may help departments develop programs, perform outreach or organize data.
Work experience
As a graduate assistant, you may be able to gain professional experience in the field that interests you. For instance, teaching and research assistantships offer students the opportunity to learn experientially and hone their competencies as academics under the supervision of faculty or staff members. This foundational level of experience may give you an advantage postgraduation when searching for a job.
Reduced tuition costs
Some graduate assistantships compensate students in the form of a scholarship, tuition waiver or reimbursement. Since pursuing higher education can present significant costs, having access to reduced tuition costs can make a difference financially. Working as a graduate assistant may allow you to avoid taking out loans to pay for your education.
Skills development
Graduate assistantships often offer students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practical situations while learning directly from faculty or staff advisers. Students can typically develop their skills while working in their positions, which can help them progress in their careers after graduating with their degrees. From here, graduate assistants may be able to situate themselves as professionals more effectively.Related: Graduate Assistant Cover Letter Sample
Feb 20, 2024 · Graduate Assistant Job Duties. Assist faculty members with classroom instruction, exams, record keeping, and other administrative tasks. Facilitate undergraduate student learning by leading discussion sections, labs, or study groups. Participate in research projects, including data collection, analysis, and literature reviews.
- Career Insights
A graduate assistantship will give you quality, practical work experience. While time in the classroom is important, in order to advance your knowledge and skill set, you need focused, applicable work and/or research experience in your field. A graduate assistantship can offer you this experience because you’ll have the opportunity to work ...
Apr 5, 2024 · It takes typically around 4 years to become a graduate assistant. This timeline assumes starting from scratch with a high school diploma. Year 1-4:Complete a Bachelor's degree. This is a typical education requirement for a graduate assistant position. Year 4:Apply for graduate assistant positions.
The job of a graduate assistant is to perform research, teach, or work at a university as part of their academic education. Graduate assistants are typically doctoral candidates, but some master’s students may also qualify to work in this position. Your duties in this career differ depending on your role and the level of class at which you ...
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What is a graduate assistantship?
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