General Information about TAs, CAs, IAs, TFs, and Graders
Teaching Assistants (TAs), Course Assistants (CAs), Instructional Assistants (IAs), Teaching Fellow (TFs), and Graders are invaluable to the learning experiences of Brandeis students. In addition to the joy of working with Brandeis students, teaching also comes with a responsibility to uphold Brandeis’s policies and to apply teaching strategies to support the learning of all students. Center for Teaching and Learning resources and events are available to all graduate and undergraduate students with teaching responsibilities and all members of the Brandeis teaching community.
Expand All
- Teaching Fellow (TF): This is a PhD student serving as the instructor of record for a course. TFs are union-eligible positions and work up to an average of 14 hours per week.
- Teaching Assistant (TA): This is a PhD student serving in a teaching support role for a course. TAs are union-eligible positions and are expected to work up to an average of 10 hours per week.
- Course Assistant (CA): This is a master’s or postbaccalaureate student serving in a teaching support role for a course. CAs are expected to work up to an average of 10 hours per week.
- Instructional Assistant (IA): This is a master’s student at the International Business School serving in a teaching support role for a course. IAs are expected to work up to an average of 10 hours per week.
- Grader: This is a master’s, postbaccalaureate, or eligible PhD student serving in a non-student facing course support role for a course. Graders are expected to work up to an average of 8 hours per week.
Required Training for TAs, CAs, and IAs
Complete the required TA/CA/IA trainings
Expand All
In order to make sure that you are prepared for all the different aspects of this position, we have created a series of trainings for you in conjunction with the Graduate Student Workers Union. We hope that you will find them helpful as you move forward on your teaching journey.
Please note that the first three trainings listed below are for all TAs, CAs, and IAs, even though the Workday titles only list "TA/CA." The fourth training is only for TAs and CAs who have not previously received a degree from a US college or university. International Business School IAs do NOT have to complete the International Pedagogy training. (The parenthetical acronym after each name is how they are commonly referenced.)
Teaching Assistants (TAs), Course Assistants (CAs), and Instructional Assistants (IAs) are required to complete several hours of training.
- TA/CA/IA Required Training: Supporting Students Outside of Academics (SSOA)
- TA/CA/IA Required Training: Pedagogy (CTL)
- TA/CA/IA Required Training: Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Violence & Accessibility at Brandeis (OEO)
- International TA/CA Required Training: Pedagogy (ELP)
Please contact the Office of Graduate Affairs for further information about requirements.
Complete the required TA/CA/IA trainings
Additional resources for TAs, CAs, IAs, and TFs