Biological Sciences: Master of Science Degree

Assistantships and Part-Time Teaching

Teaching Assistantships are awarded competitively. TA contracts are for one year only (Fall and Spring semesters). Students making satisfactory progress toward their Master's degree are normally appointed for 2 years. Assistantships will not be awarded to students who have completed their planned programs.

The current base stipend is $10,000 per academic year (mid-August through early May) and typical duties for graduate assistants include helping with the curation of collections (e.g., aquatic, mammal, or ornithology collections), assisting in the coordination of labs for several laboratory-based courses (including introductory biology for non-majors and general biology for biology majors), and teaching labs. In addition, graduate assistants have the option of teaching an additional lab or two each semester (with an additional stipend of about $850 per lab).

Teaching Assistantships include a scholarship to cover the out-of-state portion of tuition costs (in-state tuition and fees must, however, still be paid).

Teaching Assistants are required to sign a contract upon acceptance of the position. The contract will be sent to the applicant with notification of the award.

Most Teaching Assistants teach labs in either non-majors introductory biology (BIO 100) or in Human Anatomy (BIO 171). Some Teaching Assistants may also be assigned to teach labs in General Zoology (BIO 141), Advanced Human Anatomy (BIO 271), Clinical Microbiology (BIO 273), and Human Physiology Lab (BIO 378), or to assist with curation duties in the department's museum and herbarium.

Graduate students not awarded Teaching Assistantships may request consideration for teaching on a part-time basis (contact the Graduate Coordinator, Gary Ritchison, for information). Part-time instructors teach labs not covered by Teaching Assistants, including those in BIO 100, BIO 171, and other biology courses.

Graduate students teaching on a part-time basis do not receive a scholarship to cover the out-of-state portion of tuition costs.

Graduate students in the 3rd year of their M.S. program (and nearing completion of their thesis work) will be given highest priority for part-time teaching assignments, followed by 2nd year students and 1st year students, respectively.