GA Job Description

This GA job description relates specifically to the Department of Political Science. Please visit your major's department website for their graduate assistantship requirements.

Types of Graduate Assistant Positions

Three types of Graduate Assistant (GA) positions exist within the Department of Political Science.   GAs work under the supervision of the Graduate Assistant Coordinator. GA positions are defined by UPPS No. 07.07.06 section 02.01 a-c as follows:

Expand FAQ List

  • A GIA is NOT a teacher of record but is responsible for a specific group of students and assigns some portion of these same students’ grades. A GIA is employed by an academic department. Graduate instructional assistants are normally appointed for a semester and, with positive review, the position may be renewed. The Department of Political Science typically assigns a GIA to a Political Science faculty member. A GIAs duties may include record-keeping relating to class attendance, grades, extra-credit, organizing and providing study sessions, drafting study guides, duplicating handouts and examinations, proctoring tests, and tutoring and communicating with students.

  • A GTA is a teacher of record for an organized class. Graduate teaching assistants receive a faculty contract for a semester and, with a positive review, the position may be renewed. The Political Science Department may employ a GTA in a lower-level undergraduate course for which the GTA is completely responsible. GTA responsibilities include teaching, record-keeping, and assignment of grades. Absent prior 12th grade Advanced Placement Government or college political science teaching experience, GTAs will have prior GIA experience. Only students with an outstanding academic record will be considered for a GTA position.  

  • A GRA is employed by a department or university office. Responsibilities may include research, technical assistance and institutional support. GRA can be appointed for a semester, the academic year, or the duration of a research project or any portion thereof, and paid on a monthly basis. 

Eligibility Requirements

  • As per UPPS N0. 07.07.06 section 03.01 a-c, all GA applicants must be unconditionally accepted into a graduate degree program, must be enrolled in and complete a minimum of nine graduate semester credit hours (SCH) in a graduate degree program each fall and spring semester of employment and in at least three SCH during the summer if their initial employment is in the summer. The dean of the Graduate College must approve graduate assistants taking more than 12 graduate SCH of course work per fall or spring semester, or those taking more than six graduate SCH per summer session. The student must also maintain a minimum 3.0 Texas State grade point average in course work leading toward the completion of a graduate degree during the semester of employment.
  • All GAs must enroll in PS 5100 - Instructional Methods Practicum for GA in each of the first three semesters of employment as a GA. (The student pays the cost of the course and is reimbursed once the necessary paperwork is processed. The paperwork is usually not processed in time to meet the tuition payment deadline. The reimbursement amount is deposited into the student’s University account.  The student does not physically receive the reimbursement.)
  • All GAs are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week.
  • A GTA must have completed 18 in-class MA political science program graduate SCH toward the graduate degree to be eligible to be a teacher-of-record. GTAs are expected to have taken graduate hours in the field of American Politics.

Most applicants will be hired to assist in POSI 2310 - Principles of American Government and POSI 2320 - Functions of American Government. 

A limited number of students with superior writing skills may be hired to assist upper-level writing-intensive political science classes or to work as departmental writing tutors.  

Assistantship positions supporting PA 3310 - Public Finance Administration, PA 3311 - Analytical Techniques, and PS 3315 - Quantitative Research in POSI are available. Students wishing to be considered for these positions must have completed the undergraduate courses in statistics and finance with a 4.0 GPA.

Pursuant to UPPS No. 07.07.06 section 01.02 c-d: 

Specific objectives of the Graduate Assistant Employment Program are to complement and strengthen the educational program and support the educational goals of the student; and to assure that Texas State’s graduate assistant employment policies are competitive for recruiting at the state and national levels. 
 

Salary and Benefits

The current minimum salary for a first year GIA is $1,547.59 per month. The GA positions as defined in Sections 02.01 a-c are paid in accordance with the salary schedule in the University Pay Plan. Benefits are available and information concerning benefits can be provided by the Department of Human Resources.

GAs’ contracts are from 09/01 to 01/15 for the Fall semester and 01/16 to 05/31 for the Spring semester. All GAs are expected to be available during the entire contract period.

Hiring Process & Deadline for Assistantships

Applicants must complete and submit the Graduate Assistant Online Application. They must also send the three letters of recommendation (and any additional material they are not able to upload to the application) to this address:

ATTENTION: Dr. Casey Wheatland 
Graduate Assistant Coordinator
Department of Political Science, UAC 355
Texas State University   
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666

Or applicants may submit the material electronically to Dr. Wheatland at: posi_ga@txstate.edu.

During the hiring process, we will also look at your transcript and the two references from your separate graduate school application.  A selection committee appointed by the Chair of the Department of Political Science will review and rank applications and make hiring recommendations to the Chair.  It is a competitive hiring process and references will be contacted; personal interviews with finalists for the positions may be requested.  
 

Review of applications will begin March 1, 2022 and continue until all positions are filled.

***Please Note: Your application to be a GA in Political Science is separate from your application to enter graduate study at Texas State University.  Please make sure to follow all necessary requirements.