Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) make an important contribution to the quality of undergraduate education at Western University. GTAs inspire, encourage, and guide students who embark on a learning journey in hundreds of programs in our 11 Faculties across campus.

A GTA may:

  • proctor exams
  • conduct field trips
  • work with students in lectures and tutorials
  • prepare materials or set-up required displays or apparatus for classes, tutorials and laboratories
  • grade essays, assignments, laboratory reports, tutorials and term tests
  • answer students’ questions through meetings or office hours

A GTA acts as a resource and a mentor to students as they grapple with theories in all disciplines.  A GTA works directly with students as they try to decide how they will use their new knowledge after they graduate.

One term - 10 hour/week GTAship
(Sept. 1, 2017 – Aug. 31, 2018)		 One term - 10 hour/week GTAship
(Sept. 1, 2018 – Aug. 31, 2019)
 One term - 10 hour/week GTAship
(Sept. 1, 2019 – Aug. 31, 2020)
Base Compensation 140 hours @ $44.48/hr = $6,227.20 140 hours @ $45.15/hr = $6,321.00 140 hours @ $45.83/hr = $6,416.20
Vacation Pay Term rate x 4% = $249.09 Term rate x 4% = $252.84 Term rate x 4% = $256.65
Term Rate inclusive of vacation pay $6,476.29 $6,573.84 $6,672.85
Monthly Rate inclusive of vacation pay $1,619.07 $1,643.46 $1,668.21

Employment of registered graduate students as graduate teaching assistants is governed by the provisions of The Collective Agreement between The University of Western Ontario and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Current TA Opportunities

  • Only full-time registered graduate students are eligible to hold a GTA appointment at Western University.
  • These postings are in compliance with Article 13.06 of the collective agreement.
  • For a student who is external to the hiring department/program they may require their thesis supervisor's approval before accepting the GTA position.
  • Full-time graduate students may hold only 10 hours per week in TAships, from any source, in any term.

English and Writing Studies: Posted January 22, 2019

Application Deadline: January 29, 2019

Position Description:

The Department of English and Writing Studies is seeking a graduate teaching assistant for Film 1022: Introduction to Film Studies. Duties may include, among other things, attending lectures, leading two tutorials, marking assignments and exams for students in your tutorials, proctoring exams, holding weekly office hours, responding to student emails. The course description and syllabus can be found here: https://www.uwo.ca/film/undergraduate/courses/index.html.

Find the date/times of lectures and tutorials here: http://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/timetables/mastertt/ttindex.cfm

This TA assignment, for an average of 10 hours per week, will commence immediately and end 30 April 2019.

Applicants must have experience in Film 1022, either as a former TA or at least as an undergraduate student who has taken the course.

Please submit a brief cover letter addressed to Dr Manina Jones and CV (in ONE Word or PDF file) via email to Leanne Trask, Graduate Coordinator (leanne.trask@uwo.ca).

GTA Training Programs

Lead TA

The Lead TA program is a new initiative on campus to facilitate the professional development of teaching assistants at a discipline-specific level. Sponsored by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS), in collaboration with several Faculties on campus, it provides outstanding graduate students with an opportunity to apply their interest, teaching experience, and training beyond traditional TA duties.

During this pilot year, the program will position Lead TAs in 8 departments across campus where they will develop discipline focused TA training activities. By facilitating workshops, developing resources, and offering peer feedback through classroom observations, Lead TAs will serve as mentors, coaches, and liaisons for TAs in their home department.

This initiative to improve the teaching effectiveness of TAs at a departmental level complements the general, interdisciplinary TA training offered by the Teaching Support Centre (TSC).  In order to support the Lead TAs in their own professional development during the year, the TSC will provide ongoing training and resources to the group on facilitation, peer mentoring and teaching excellence.

The Lead TA pilot program is a result of collaboration between the SGPS, the Faculties, the GTA Union and the TSC.  If you would like to learn more about the program, please contact Mihaela Harmos.

TATP - Teaching Assistant Training Program

The Teaching Assistant Training Program is a hands-on, two-and-a-half- day session taught by current Teaching Assistants (TAs) and designed for new TAs embarking on their teaching careers. Learn about fair grading practices, diversity in the classroom, lecturing, and giving students feedback on written work. Choose from concurrent sessions designed to meet your specific discipline-related teaching needs. Get real-time, hands-on teaching experience in our unique micro-teaching sessions, where you can try out your teaching skills and techniques with a small group of your peers and receive helpful, constructive feedback. At the end of the session, you’ll receive a certificate as evidence of your commitment to the development of your knowledge and skill as a teacher.

For more information: http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/graduate_student_programs/tatp.html

Additional Details

Definition The employment contract between a registered full-time graduate student and the Employer for assisting in supervised teaching-related duties listed as per the collective agreement
Compensation Rate Defined by collective agreement
Employment Deductions and Benefit Changes Regular deductions - Tax, CPP, EI etc., 13%
CRA Tax Treatment Regular income, 100% taxable, reported on T4 tax receipt
Posting Required? No Posting Required
System Paid Through HR Payroll system, Online Appointment Process
Job Code; When Paid X0200; Monthly or weekly
Employment Contract Requirements for International Students www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/employers/contract.shtml
More Details grad.uwo.ca/faculty_staff/teaching_assistantships.htm

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