Graduate Assistantships

About Assistantships

A Graduate Assistant is a graduate student who is hired by the University of the Incarnate Word to assist faculty or administrators with their respective duties.

Graduate assistants are graduate students, first and foremost. Graduate assistantships provide financial assistance and educational and professional developmental opportunities for graduate students. Graduate Assistants support the university in its teaching, research, administrative, and service missions.

The primary goal of an assistantship is to augment the student’s educational objectives and to assist in the prompt and successful completion of the student's degree program. The student and the school/college share a central responsibility in the student’s education.

Graduate Assistants enhance the university mission:

Students performs services to the university (faculty/department/office/other students).
Work performed enhances students' individual education goals.
Work performed contributes to students' professional development.
Students gain valuable academic experience.

Eligibility

Open to full-time and part-time graduate students who are enrolled in their programs as defined by enrollment policy, who are in good academic standing, and who satisfy continuous enrollment policies.

Other eligibility conditions may be applied depending on the type and location of work performed. If the student’s GPA falls below a 3.0 during any portion of the academic year, the student may be terminated by the department from the assistantship during that academic year.

Students employed by the university in faculty (including adjunct faculty appointments) or staff positions are not eligible for assistantships.

Graduate Assistants may not concurrently work for more than one department/school/ college regardless of funding type.

Eligibility conditions for international students are defined in the Employee Handbook, Appendix 5—Student Employment Handbook, and by these policies for Graduate Assistantships.

Eligibility for student employment ends upon graduation.

Assistantship Categories

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

The primary duties of in this category are to support classroom instruction. These duties include such responsibilities as instruction of students in a course setting, grading student assignments, leading lab or discussion groups in a course setting, developing academic instructional materials, proctoring exams, holding office hours, and tutoring students. Other duties may include contribution to departmental collaborative development and revision of curriculum materials. Graduate assistants with instructional responsibilities are eligible for teaching appointments only in their discipline or related discipline areas of study.

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

The primary duties of graduate assistants in this category are research-related, but these duties vary depending on the type of research project. Duties include assisting faculty members in research and creative activities or being responsible for carrying out research or creative activities under direct supervision by faculty; performing administrative or editorial activities related to the research or creative activity; and developing, under supervision, curricular or instructional materials. The GRA’s time is restricted to research activities, not for routine clerical work or for any other purpose for which the faculty member is responsible.

Graduate Management Assistant (GMA)

Graduate assistants in this category may work in UIW offices or departments, providing valuable support to the office or department mission or purpose. The duties may include, but are not limited to, clerical and office support, advising, academic advising, academic mentoring, programmatic activities, and generally do not involve teaching or research, although there may be components of those activities inherent in the office structure.