CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, 
LOS ANGELES

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

TEACHING ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

Application Procedures:

To apply to the TA program, applicants must submit the following to the English Department (for submission deadline, see Teaching Associate Job Posting Announcement):

1. TA application form, available in the English Department Advisement Office (E&T A638); 
2. transcripts of post-secondary work (unless degrees are from CSULA); 
3. a writing sample of approximately 10 pages demonstrating proficiency in academic discourse; 
4. three letters of recommendation (letters by CSULA faculty on department letterhead dated within the last two years may be submitted); and 
5. cover letter for the application materials (the cover letter should indicate why the applicant is interested in the TA program and how the applicant will use the experience as a component of his or her graduate experience at CSULA; if the applicant has taught in the past, then he or she should provide evidence and also include a description of any previous teaching experience in the cover letter).

Once accepted, TAs must complete the first two components of the training program before they will be assigned classes to teach.

Eligibility:

Students will be selected as Teaching Associates based on the quality of past academic performance and potential for teaching. All applications will be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee, the TA Coordinator, and the Composition Coordinator. All qualified applications will be ranked. Numerical rankings and openings available will determine entry into the TA Program.

Training Program:

The training program consists of the following four components:

1. TAs must have completed (or be enrolled in) ENGL 504: Theories of Composition and Rhetoric; 
2. TAs must complete an orientation program conducted by the English Department in the week prior to their first teaching assignment (during this orientation, TAs will receive assistance in constructing syllabi, developing lesson plans and assignments for the first few weeks of class, and learning about other practical teaching issues); 
3. during their first quarter of teaching (Fall), TAs must be enrolled in ENGL 555: Principles and Strategies in Teaching Writing; and 
4. during their second quarter of teaching (Winter), TAs must be enrolled in ENGL 550: Topics in Composition, Rhetoric, and Language.

Conditions of Employment:

1. TAs will be assigned no more than one class per quarter during their teaching appointment; 
2. TAs may receive course assignments for no more than six quarters; and these six quarters must occur within ten quarters of receiving the first assignment; 
3. TAs will be reappointed at the discretion of the Department Chair, upon recommendation by the TA Coordinator and contingent upon successful performance; 
4. TAs will be hired at Teaching Associate Range 1; 
5. during each quarter of employment, TAs will be required to enroll in ENGL 398 for one unit and two sections of ENGL 499 for one unit each; 
6. TAs must average at least four units of work per quarter on their programs (note: ENGL 398 and 499 do not count toward this unit requirement) or be enrolled in at least one unit of thesis work (ENGL 599); 
7. TAs will not be given assignments during quarters when they are employed full-time elsewhere unless a formal written appeal has been made and approved by the TA Coordinator and the Department Chair; 
8. during each quarter of teaching, TAs will attend regular practicum workshops and individual conferences with the TA Coordinator; every TA will be visited in his or her first quarter of teaching and, thereafter, as deemed necessary; 
9. TAs must maintain a 3.5 GPA on their master's program in order to remain in the TA program and remain eligible for assignments; any students who fall below that level will need to re-apply to the Graduate Studies Committee for reinstatement as TAs when their GPAs return to a 3.5; additionally, TAs must complete ENGL 555 (Fall) and 550 (Winter) with a grade of B or better in order to remain eligible for teaching; and 
10. completion of all Incomplete grades is required before an assignment can be made.

Revised: 1/18/2008; 9/20/2011; 11/18/2011; 3/8/2013