GTA/ RA possibilities

[umniah2013]

I was wondering if TA positions are only given to doctoral students. Also if the student has an outside funding ( I have a scholarship  that 's funded by 2 organizations), does that mean she/he doesn't get any offer for RA or TA?

 I do not need funding so would volunteering be possible for either TA or RA?? 

 

 

[fuzzylogician]

This sounds like the kind of question whose answer completely depends on the school and the situation. Some departments with large undergraduate degree programs and large GER service courses might need a lot of TAs and students have a relatively high teaching load. If you volunteered to TA in such a department, I'm sure they could find something for you to do. Other departments have tiny majors and not that many service courses, so they don't need that many TAs. If that is the case, if may be more difficult to volunteer for a TA.

 

What's more, I'm actually not even entirely sure if it's technically possible for someone to volunteer to teach -- I can imagine at least at some schools that there are laws against employing someone but not paying them. As for RAs, at least at the schools I know students don't normally work as RAs (for pay). You may be able to get something over the summer if you work in someone's lab and they have funding, but otherwise during the year I can't think of anyone I know who's been an RA. 

 

That said, this is based on partial (or no) knowledge, and for definitive answers you really need to contact the program that you are considering attending and ask them. 

[armchairette]

I'm one step below a GTA as an MA at GSU.  I work as a GLA, which means I tutor for the Intensive English Program and assist in an IEP class (but don't teach it).  In my program, 1-2 MAs a year get hired to teach for the IEP or the ESL courses.  Most work as GRAs or GLAs.  A few work as testing proctors.  The MA stipend is much less than the doctoral ones, but our tuition is waived and the health insurance is covered.  It's a sweet deal.