Employment
The Department of History employs graduate students as Teaching Assistants, Graduate Student Researchers, and Associate-Ins. First priority is given to graduate students within the Department of History; however, we also hire students from other departments who demonstrate strong writing skills. Students must be in academic good standing, and within their Support Time Limit in order to receive offers of academic employment on campus. Students are also limited to 18 quarters of appointments as either Teaching Assistants or Associate-ins (summer appointments don't count).
Types of Employment
Lower-division Teaching Assistantships (LDTAships)
Job Description
A lower-division teaching assistant (LDTA) assists in the instruction of an upper or lower division course at the University under the supervision of a faculty member. The LDTA primarily assists the faculty member in charge of the course by conducting discussion or laboratory sections that supplement faculty lectures and by grading assignments and examinations.
An LDTA may also assist with the development of assignments or exams, hold office hours, and proctor examinations. In the case of basic language, reading and composition, some other skills-building courses, and a few other courses, a teaching assistant may lead the class meetings, but as with all other TAs, the general instructional content of the course, as well as the official assignment of student grades and decisions on grade appeals, are the responsibility of the faculty member in charge of the course. In no instance shall a teaching assistant be assigned responsibility for the entire instruction of a course.
Courses
Inside the history department, we regularly hire TAs for the two lower-division US sequences and the one lower-division East Asian sequence. We also hire a limited number of TAs for our other two lower-division courses some upper-division history courses.
- HILD 2A-
B-C : United States History - HILD 7A-
B-C : Race and Ethnicity in the United States - HILD 10-11-12: East Asia
- HILD 14: Film and History in Latin America
- HILD 30: History of Public Health
- HILD 40-41-42-43: Anthropocene
- HILD 60: Global Black History through Biography
- Upper-division lecturer courses numbered 100-159D
Rate of Pay/Workload
Current academic titles and pay rates can be found on the Graduate Division website. Annual salaries are based on a 100% appointment, 40-hour week model. Graduate students are not allowed to have 100% appointments (because, your primary role here is as a student, not an employee). As a salaried employee, the number of hours you work a week may vary but the total number of hours you work should not exceed your appointment percentage.
- 25% appointment, 10 hours per week, 110 hours per quarter
- 50% Appointment, 20 hours per week, 220 hours per quarter
- 75% appointment, 30 hours per week, 330 hours per quarter
The University of California Office of the President has mandated that graduate students may hold teaching assistant (TA) appointments for a maximum of 18 quarters (summer session TA appointments do not count toward this limit).
Fee Remission
Students receive remission of the following fees when assigned to a 25% or above appointment.
- Student Services Fee
- Tuition
- Health Insurance
A complete list of graduate student tuition and fees can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Hiring Practice
Academic Year: The Department of History sends out a call for TAs for the following academic year to the history student listserv in the early spring (April) quarter. All students must apply for positions within the department by the deadline. The Graduate Program Assistant forwards a list of the applicants, including information about funding guarantees, exceptional circumstances, and the application materials, to the instructors of record. They then make the final placement decision in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.
Summer Session: The Department of History has limited opportunities for TAs during the summer sessions as funding for TA hires is allocated based on enrollments. History grad students who wish to have the opportunity to work as a TA over the summer should notify the Graduate Student Affairs staff of their interest by sending an email to historygradadviser@ucsd.edu during the spring quarter. When course enrollments qualify for this support, the instructor of record is notified, given the name at the top of the list, and determines the final placement decision.
English Language Requirement for International Teaching Assistants
International graduate students who are non-native speakers of English must be certified as having requisite language skills before they can serve as teaching assistants (TAs; UC San Diego Graduate Division policy in compliance with Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 41).
Evidence of English Language Proficiency: Certification as Teaching Assistant Cut-Off Scores
Students may be certified either on the basis of their score on one of the following:
- have a TOEFL iBT Speaking subscore of 28-30
- have an IELTS Speaking subscore of 8.5-9.0
- have a PTE Speaking sub-score of 83-90, and 2
- be an international graduate student who serves as a language assistant in courses conducted in their native language.
Those students with TOEFL speaking scores of 23 – 27, IELTS speaking scores of 7-8, or PTE speaking scores of 65-82 are required to take the English Language Certification Exam.
Students who do not pass the English Language Certification Exam are given the opportunity to improve their language skills.
Those students who are admitted but have a speaking TOEFL score below 23 will not be allowed to take the certification test. Students who fall into this category will need to acquire the required English language proficiency skills via other means. Many students have found courses offered in the English Language Institute and the English for Academic and Professional Development Program(both offered by University Extension) helpful in this regard; however, these courses must be paid for out of pocket.
Upper-division Teaching Assistantships (UDTAships)
Job Description
An Upper-Divison Teaching Assistant (UDTA) assists a course instructor by grading homework, papers, or exams and holding workshops, usually a couple of times a quarter, to help students enrolled in the class with their writing. In order to perform these duties, UDTAs must attend the upper-division lecture course to which they are assigned.
A UDTA may also assist with the development of assignments or exams, hold office hours, and proctor examinations. In the case of basic language, reading and composition, some other skills-building courses, and a few other courses, a teaching assistant may lead the class meetings, but as with all other TAs, the general instructional content of the course, as well as the official assignment of student grades and decisions on grade appeals, are the responsibility of the faculty member in charge of the course. In no instance shall a teaching assistant be assigned responsibility for the entire instruction of a course.
Courses
Inside the history department, we regularly hire UDTAs for upper-division history classes with enrollments of 50 students or above. This often means that we must wait until the first week of classes to make offers.
- Upper-division lecture courses numbered 100-159
Rate of Pay/Workload
Current academic titles and pay rates can be found on the Graduate Division website. Annual salaries are based on a 100% appointment, 40-hour week model. Graduate students are not allowed to have 100% appointments (because, your primary role here is as a student, not an employee). As a salaried employee, the number of hours you work a week may vary but the total number of hours you work should not exceed your appointment percentage.
- 25% appointment, 10 hours per week, 110 hours per quarter
- 50% Appointment, 20 hours per week, 220 hours per quarter
- 75% appointment, 30 hours per week, 330 hours per quarter
Fee Remission
Students receive remission of the following fees when assigned to a 25% or above appointment.
- Student Services Fee
- Tuition
- Health Insurance
A complete list of graduate student tuition and fees can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Hiring Practice
Academic Year-long Appointments: The Department of History sends out a call for TAs in the spring quarter (April) preceding the upcoming academic year. This call includes 3-4 year-long UDTAships (based on historical enrollments of the classes being taught that year). All history students must apply for positions within the department by the deadline. The Graduate Program Assistant forwards a list of the applicants, including information about funding guarantees, exceptional circumstances, and the application materials, to the Graduate Committee. They then make the final placement decision in consultation with the applicants' advisors.
Academic Year-Quarterly Appointments: The department will also send calls for UDTAs quarterly once undergraduate enrollment has been completed for each quarter. The Graduate Program Assistant places UDTAs in consultation with the instructor of record. Priority is given to history students with employment guarantees or exceptional circumstances. History students with exceptional circumstances should notify Graduate Student Affairs staff of their need by sending an email to historygradadviser@ucsd.edu. Students outside the History Department who would like to be added to our UDTA Pool should also email historygradadviser@ucsd.edu.
Summer Session: The Department of History rarely has opportunities for UDTAs during the summer session, as funding for UDTA hires is allocated based on enrollments. History grad students who wish to have the opportunity to work as a UDTA over the summer should notify the Graduate Student Affairs staff of their interest by sending an email to historygradadviser@ucsd.edu during the spring quarter. When course enrollments qualify for this support, the instructor of record is notified, given the name at the top of the list, and makes the final placement decision.
English Language Requirement for International Teaching Assistants
International graduate students who are non-native speakers of English must be certified as having requisite language skills before they can serve as teaching assistants (TAs; UC San Diego Graduate Division policy in compliance with Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 41).
Evidence of English Language Proficiency: Certification as Teaching Assistant Cut-Off Scores
Students may be certified either on the basis of their score on one of the following:
- have a TOEFL iBT Speaking subscore of 28-30
- have an IELTS Speaking subscore of 8.5-9.0
- have a PTE Speaking sub-score of 83-90, and 2
- be an international graduate student who serves as a language assistant in courses conducted in their native language.
Those students with TOEFL speaking scores of 23 – 27, IELTS speaking scores of 7-8, or PTE speaking scores of 65-82 are required to take the English Language Certification Exam.
Students who do not pass the English Language Certification Exam are given the opportunity to improve their language skills.
Those students who are admitted but have a speaking TOEFL score below 23 will not be allowed to take the certification test. Students who fall into this category will need to acquire the required English language proficiency skills via other means. Many students have found courses offered in the English Language Institute and the English for Academic and Professional Development Program(both offered by University Extension) helpful in this regard; however, these courses must be paid for out of pocket.
Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
Job Description
A Graduate Student Researcher is a registered graduate student who performs research under the direction of a faculty member.
Courses
Not applicable.
Rate of Pay/Workload
Current academic titles and pay rates can be found on the Graduate Division website. GSRs in the History department are paid the step 1 hourly on the GSR pay scale.
Fee Remission
GSR titles do not include fee remission. A complete list of graduate student tuition and fees can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Hiring Practice
Academic Year: GSR appointments are created by faculty using their research funds. For the most part, faculty have a specific student in mind when they notify the staff of a position. When faculty are seeking a student for a GSRship, the call goes out to the History Graduate Student listserv. The staff then forward the names of the students interested in the GSRship to the faculty member, who decides whom to hire.
Summer Session: See Academic Year Hiring Practice above.
Associate-In
Job Description
An Associate (teaching a course) may conduct the entire instruction of a lower division course or upper division course with approval granted by the Dean of the Graduate Division. The Associate is assigned a faculty mentor to provide guidance and training as needed. Use of this title requires prior approval by the Dean of the Graduate Division.
Appointment to this title requires evidence of extraordinary merit in teaching and scholarship and prior relevant teaching experience, advanced training in the subject matter and support of the department chair. For Ph.D. students, the candidacy exam must have been passed and the student must be in the final stages of dissertation writing or must have equivalent other accomplishments (publications, extensive experience as performer-teacher, etc.). MFA students should be in the second to last or last quarter. The appointment is also dependent upon positive academic and administrative review and approval by the student's department/group Chair, the School Dean and the Dean of the Graduate Division.
Courses
Inside the history department, we hire Associate-Ins to teach courses in the summer, and on an ad-hoc basis during the regular academic year. A call for summer courses proposals goes out in early Fall quarter. Offers to teach during the regular academic year will come from the department chair via a student's faculty advisor as necessary to balance the teaching matrix.
- Lower division courses
- Upper division lecturer courses numbered 100-159
Rate of Pay/Workload
Current academic titles and pay rates can be found on the Graduate Division website. Annual salaries are based on a 100% appointment, 40-hour week model. Graduate students are not allowed to have 100% appointments (because, your primary role here is as a student, not an employee). As a salaried employee, the number of hours you work a week may vary but the total number of hours you work should not exceed your appointment percentage.
- 25% appointment, 10 hours per week, 110 hours per quarter
- 50% Appointment, 20 hours per week, 220 hours per quarter
- 75% appointment, 30 hours per week, 330 hours per quarter
Fee Remission
Students receive remission of the following fees when assigned to a 25% or above appointment.
- Student Services Fee
- Tuition
- Health Insurance
A complete list of graduate student tuition and fees can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Hiring Practice
Academic Year: The Department of History rarely has opportunities for Associate-Ins during the academic year. Usually, opportunities arise out of a need to fill holes in the undergraduate course offerings due to faculty sabbaticals or leaves. When opportunities do come up, positions are offered to sixth or seventh year History students. Final placement decisions are made by the Department Chair in consultation with the student’s advisor and senate faculty leadership.
Summer Session: The Department of History sends out a call for Summer Session course proposals to faculty and graduate students in the early fall (mid-October) quarter. Students who will have advanced to candidacy by the spring quarter are eligible to apply for Associate-In positions. Priority is given to students who have not had the opportunity to teach their own class before. Final placement decisions are made by Summer Session in consultation with the Department Chair, the student’s advisor, and senate faculty leadership.
Summer 2023 proposal submission deadline: Coming Soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I receive my first paycheck?
Academic Student Employment (ASE) positions are paid on a monthly basis. Paychecks are disbursed at the end of each pay period, usually on or around the first of the month . Specific pay dates for each calendar year are published on Blink at the link below.
Payroll Calendars: https://blink.ucsd.edu/finance/payroll/calendars.html
Note to Second Years: In the fall quarter, students receive their first paycheck on or close to November 1st.
What should I do if I miss the New Instructional Assistant Orientation?
If you missed the required New Academic Student Employee Orientation, you should contact UAW directly (sandiego@uaw2865.org) UAW directly. In your email, explain that you missed the scheduled orientation and ask how can get the information.
How do I set up Direct Deposit?
There are three (3) offices on campus that provide direct deposit for graduate students:
Student Business Services (stipend payments for domestic students): https://www-act.ucsd.edu/
Payroll (TA, Reader, and GSR employment checks for domestic and international students): UCPath Self Service Portal, in the left-hand column click Employee Actions>Income and Taxes>Direct Deposit, and add your account information.
New Hires: While new employees should be able to access the UCPath Portal as soon as an Empl ID has been issued, they will not be able to submit benefit enrollments, W-4, Direct Deposits, etc., until their Hire Date (the effective date of the job).
Disbursements (stipend payments for International students, travel, and other personal reimbursements): http://blink.ucsd.edu/buy-
Where can I see records of my pay?
At Your Service Online (AYSO) allows you to see your salary from any forms of on-campus employment and lists your employee ID number.
AYSO does not list stipend payments, but grad students can go to the Grad Student Portal to view/verify their stipend payments and funding awards. The link is on the following site (towards bottom of page): https://grad.ucsd.edu/
Where can I find my employee ID number?
At Your Service Online (AYSO) allows you to see your salary from any forms of on-campus employment and lists your employee ID number.
Can the department update VISA information for me in UCPath?
No. Only the employee (you) can update withholding and VISA information and that update must be done online through the GLACIER system. When the update is complete, GLACIER generates forms that must be signed by the employee (you) and submitted, along with copies of required immigration documents, to CCP (Central Core Payroll). Once received and verified, the GLACIER information is integrated into UCPath via a nightly batch file. There is one exception, when an employee becomes a permanent resident. In that case a manual update by UCPC is required. This is because once the Glacier record is updated to Permanent Resident, the record closes and the information does not feed into the nightly Glacier update to UCPath.
Follow this link to employee instructions for completing Glacier update: https://blink.ucsd.edu/
What are these deductions from my summer pay?
These may be FICA deductions. During the academic year, graduate student employees who are registered in at least 6 units by the 3rd week of each quarter and employed less than 80% are exempt from student FICA deductions. However, during the summer months (July and August), student employees (U.S. citizens, permanent residents and resident aliens) who are not registered in the minimum units required during Summer Session are subject to these deductions. Students who receive fellowship stipend payments and international graduate students (F‐1 and J‐1 visas), who are nonresident aliens, are not subject to student FICA deductions.
Students may obtain information and access to their DCP accounts via Fidelity on the web at http://www.netbenefits.
For further information: Student FICA, Defined Contribution Plan (DCP), and Medicare