Civic Literacy Teaching Assistant

Employing Office:  College of Arts & Sciences, departments of History and Political Science

Job Title:  Teaching Assistant in Civic Literacy (American History and/or American Government)

Type of Graduate Assistant Position:  TA

Number of Vacancies for this Position:  10

Hours per Week:  20

Term:  Academic Year

Eligible Program Applicants (Applicants will preferably be from one of the following graduate programs):  Master's degree programs in History, Public Administration (MPA), Creative Writing, Popular Culture, Media & Communication, Spanish, German, European Studies, Sociology, Theatre, SEES Master of Education in Curriculum & Teaching

Qualifications/Preferred Skills:  A minimum of one undergraduate or graduate course in the topic area (American Government and/or American History) is required.  

Preferred:

• Graduate-level training or coursework in the topic area
• Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, students and other instructional staff
• Clear written and verbal communication skills 
• Ability to work with the Canvas Learning Management System

Position Description:  This position supports American Civic Literacy courses, including HIST 1200 (Foundations of American History) and POLS 1200 (Foundations of American Government). These courses fulfill the American Civic Literacy requirement for undergraduate students. The Teaching Assistant works closely with the course instructor to support the management of large-enrollment classes. The position provides graduate students with professional development in teaching, student engagement, and assessment while contributing to the effective delivery of high-impact general education courses.

Responsibilities:

• Attend course meetings to assist with classroom activities, and prepare for class meetings by completing assigned readings
• Support preparation of activities and exams
• Assist the instructor with routine classroom management tasks such as documenting student participation and monitoring discussion activities.
• Maintain the course gradebook and assist with grading assignments, including short essays, exams, and discussion board posts.
• Provide written feedback that supports student learning and development of analytical and writing skills.
• Hold scheduled virtual and in-person office hours to provide consultation to students on course content, assignments, and exam preparation.
• Assist with course communications by making announcements or responding to student questions as directed by the instructor.
• Troubleshoot course issues in Canvas (the university's Learning Management System) and assist with minor edits to course materials, announcements, or assignment settings when requested by the instructor.

Compensation:  Students selected will be given 20-hour-per-week contracts for the 2026-2027 Academic Year to assist in the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters. The stipend rate is $13,000 for the Academic Year, plus a tuition scholarship of up to 18 credit hours per year (including instructional and non-resident fees for out-of-state and international students).  These are non-renewable contracts, only for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. Students may apply for other stipend and/or scholarship opportunities in subsequent years. 

Application Process:  Applicants wishing to apply for this Graduate Assistant position must: 1) be admitted or accepted for admission as a full-time student in a graduate program at BGSU; and 2) remain in academic good standing to maintain the position.

Required Application Materials:  Interested applicants should submit 1) unofficial transcripts indicating American History and/or American Government classes previously taken and 2) a cover letter that includes: 

• The BGSU graduate program to which you have already been accepted; 
• Why you are interested in serving as a TA in a Civic Literacy course; 
• Relevant education, background, or professional experiences that prepared you for this role; 
• Any additional skills or interests that make this position a good fit.

Send Application Materials to:  anglegg@bgsu.edu

Application Due Date:  Application review begins April 1, until all positions are filled.