Teaching Assistantship

Each term, the ECE department hires Teaching Assistants (TAs) to support course activities, assist with teaching, and help students better understand course materials. Common TA responsibilities include tutoring, grading, providing lab/project assistance, holding office hours for student inquiries, proctoring exams, and performing other tasks assigned by the instructor or department.

TA eligibility

TA Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for and hold a TA position in the first round of applications, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be an active, full-time, on-campus MASc or PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering during the term of the TAship.
  • Have no more than one previous TA infraction.
  • Have completed the Expectations Teaching Assistant Training, or be enrolled in the Expectations course at the time of application, with the requirement to successfully complete the training by the start of the term in which you will hold the TA position.
  • Note: MEng and MEng Co-op students are not eligible to apply in the first round but may be considered for vacant positions in the second round. MEng and MEng Co-op students are not required to complete the Expectations Workshop.

Additionally, to be eligible to apply in the first round, students must satisfy the following program-specific criteria at the time of application:

MASc students:

  • Have an overall average of 75% or higher. If a student has not completed any courses yet, this requirement is still considered met.
  • Be in terms 1 to 5 of their academic program.

PhD students:

  • Have an overall average of 78% or higher. If a student has not completed any courses, they will still meet this requirement.
  • Be in terms 1 to 14 of their academic program.
  • If they are in term 5 or more, then they have passed the PhD Comprehensive Background Exam.
  • If they are in term 8 or more, then they have passed the PhD Comprehensive Proposal Exam.
  • If they are in term 11 or more, then they have passed the PhD Seminar Milestone.

Direct entry PhD students:

  • Have an overall average of 78% or more. If a student has not completed any courses, they will still meet this requirement.
  • Be in terms 1 to 17 of their academic program.
  • If they are in term 6 or more, then they have passed the PhD Comprehensive Background Exam.
  • If they are in term 9 or more, then they have passed the PhD Comprehensive Proposal Exam.
  • If they are in term 12 or more, then they have passed the PhD Seminar Milestone.

TA Selection Process

TA Selection Process

Available TA positions are assigned through a multi-stage process. Students who are eligible to apply in the first round will receive an email with instructions once applications open. Eligible students will have approximately two weeks to apply for their top 3 courses of interest.

Before applying, applicants must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria, as failing to do so will prevent them from accepting a TA contract.

After submitting your application, you will receive an automatic email confirming that your application has been received. If you do not receive this email, please contact the Academic Services Coordinator.

Waitlist

Waitlist

A waitlist is created at the end of round 1. If you applied for TA positions but were not selected, you will be automatically added to the waitlist. Students who were ineligible in round 1 may also be added to the waitlist for round 2.

There is no set deadline for issuing contracts in round 2. Instructors may hire TAs at any time throughout the term. If an instructor wishes to hire you, they will contact you directly, either themselves or through the Academic Services Coordinator. Please note that we do not maintain a continuous list of available TA positions.

Requirements and Responsibilities

Requirements and Responsibilities

The TA contract outlines the requirements and responsibilities. Please read the contract thoroughly. Your instructor will give you your specific responsibilities for the term.

Failing to Meet TA Requirements

If you fail to meet the requirements of your TA contract or the responsibilities given by your instructor you may be issued a TA infraction. Upon receiving a TA infraction you will be issued a TA demerit point. If you receive 1 demerit point you will be prevented from holding a TA position in the following term. If you receive 2 demerit points you will be prevented from applying to the TA cycle for the remainder of your program.

If you only receive 1 demerit point and do not receive any further infractions the next term you receive a TA position, the demerit point will be removed from your TA record.

Potential causes of TA infractions:

  • Failing to show up and perform assigned duty as acceptable to the course and/or lab instructor (e.g. proctoring assignment, tutorial delivery, marking assignment, etc.) without acceptable documentation
  • Signing a contract initially and then resigning without acceptable reasons

If you have received a TA infraction you will have the opportunity to appeal the infraction if you wish to contest the decision. If you would like to appeal the demerit point please notify the Academic Services Coordinator.

Next steps:

Once you have accepted your contract, please contact the instructor to coordinate the details of your TA position. If this is your first TA role, you will receive an email during your first month with instructions to set up your Workday account and payment information.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to the Electrical and Computer Engineering's Academic Services Coordinator.