Stipend and Benefits of Graduate Teaching Assistants

The appointment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) pays a monthly stipend that is equally distributed through the academic year (fall and spring). It also provides a 100% full-time tuition scholarship for up to 15 credits in each of the fall and spring semesters, a single coverage health insurance for a full year, and payment of college and departmental fees. The stipend and amounts used to pay health insurance and college and departmental fees are taxable. All amounts are subject to change by The University of Alabama Trustees during the budget cycle in July. Continuation of the GTA position at any time is contingent upon continued enrollment in the PhD or Master’s Program in mathematics, the availability of funding, satisfactory progress toward the degree objectives, remaining in academic good standing, and satisfactorily completing the duties associated with this assistantship.

For more information, check the registration and assistantship part of the graduate catalog.

Duties of Graduate Teaching Assistants

Each GTA will be required to work 20 hours per week under the supervision of the Graduate Program Director. This constitutes a full-time equivalency appointment (FTE) of 0.50 (50%) . The specific assignments and duties, determined by the supervisor, will be included in the Memorandum of Appointment.

The workload for a GTA (with 0.50 FTE) is six credits of teaching per semester. This translates into the teaching of two 3-credit courses (0.25 FTE each), or an equivalency of the combination of classroom and non-classroom duties. The workload for a half GTA (with 0.25 FTE) is the teaching of one 3-credit course (0.25 FTE), or an equivalency of the combination of classroom and non-classroom duties.

With the approval of the Graduate Program Director and the Department Chair, lower division courses are assigned by the Director of Lower Division Instruction, and tutoring/proctoring duties are assigned by the Supervisor of Tutors and Proctors. GTAs need to talk to the Graduate Program Director if they have concerns about their duty assignments.

Coursework Requirements for Graduate Teaching Assistants

Each GTA (with 0.5 FTE) must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 15 credits in graduate- level courses (two to five 3-credit courses) each semester. A half GTA (with 0.25 FTE) must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 15 credits of graduate-level courses each semester. All GTAs must successfully complete at least six credits in each semester to be eligible for the continuation of financial support.