Teaching

Section III, Article 2

Laney Graduate School seeks to ensure that a scholar’s education includes thoughtful and thorough preparation in the art of teaching. All chemistry scholars will serve as Teaching Assistants as part of their education. Additional teaching opportunities are available on a competitive basis to those who are interested.

Teaching Requirements

  • All scholars will complete the Laney Graduate School TATTO (Teaching Assistant Training and Teaching Opportunity) Program—including the two-day TATT 600 workshop and microteaching during graduate orientation.
  • All scholars will serve as a Teaching Assistant for two semesters—once in the Fall and once in the Spring of the first year.

First Year TA Assignments

  • TA assignments are made by the DGS in consultation with the Graduate Committee. Class size and type are the primary driver of TA assignments.
  • Faculty are allowed to request specific students and/or skill sets for their assigned TA(s) via the DGS. These requests are given priority over scholar requests but are not guaranteed.
  • First year scholars may make requests for specific TA placements to the DGS, but these selections are not guaranteed and, in many cases, cannot be honored. Most first year scholars will TA in laboratory courses.

TA Responsibilities

  • Provide classroom instruction as needed
  • Develop laboratory course materials as needed
  • Lead a lab section (if applicable)
  • Grade homework and quizzes
  • Proctor exams
  • Work closely with your faculty supervisor to ensure duties are completed to a high standard of excellence
  • Other duties supportive of University instruction as assigned

TA assignments are 10 hrs/week for a TA enrolled in TATT 605. Laboratory TAs may be required to occasionally work more than 10 hrs/week to assist with exam grading. The expectation is that lead instructors will balance this requirement with a lower work load in other weeks.

TA Grading Procedures

The Instructor of Record for TATT 605 is the Director of Graduate Studies. The DGS will seek input from their TA lead as to the scholar’s research progress at the midpoint of each semester. Scholars will be graded as:

  • Progressing well, no concerns 
  • Some concerns will need improvement 
  • Major concerns, needs significant improvement 

Scholars will be informed of their mid-semester evaluation and will be provided with notes from the TA lead regarding the assessment. At the end of the semester, TA leads will again be asked to advise the DGS of any changes to the mid-semester evaluation. Scholars must receive an assessment of “progressing well, no concerns” to earn an “S” grade in research in a given semester.

TA Probation Procedures

Graduate TA assignments are graded on an S/U basis. Scholars are expected to achieve an “S” grade. If a scholar receives—or is advised that they are on track to receive—a “U” grade, the following probationary procedure will be followed.

  1. The graduate scholar must re-take any failed assessments.
  2. The graduate scholar must arrange a meeting with their lab/course director, the primary research mentor, the DGS, and the Graduate Program Coordinator to collaboratively develop a plan to achieve an “S” grade either by improving performance in the current semester or via an additional TA assignment.

Teaching for Advanced Scholars

Advanced scholars must complete and submit the Advanced Graduate Scholar TA Commitment Request Form no later than August 1st each year in consultation with the primary research mentor. This form is required even if scholars do not wish to TA in a given year. Scholars who are required to TA under the department’s bridge funding policy should submit their Advanced Graduate TA Commitment Form no later than June 1st in any given year, or as soon as the faculty member accepts bridge funding, whichever comes sooner.

Available advanced TA support depends on the total number of courses requesting TA assistance (based on enrollment.) TA support will only be offered to advanced scholars when all first-year scholars have received TA assignments and additional TA slots remain unfilled.

In the event that there are more requests for Advanced TA support than there are available positions, the Director of Graduate Studies will assign available lines in consultation with the Department Chair and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

If a scholar wishes to change their TA commitment request, they must submit a new form by the last day of classes in the semester prior to the commitment you want to change (example: end of fall semester to change a spring request.) Changes requested after this date, either to reduce or add TA hours, will only be honored if TA needs allow.

Additional Teaching Opportunities for Advanced Scholars

  • Dean’s Teaching Fellowship
  • Emory Advanced Graduate Teaching Fellowship (AGTF)
  • SIRE for Natural Sciences
  • ORDER
  • Emory Pipeline
  • Instructor-of-Record for chemistry courses

For the most up-to-date opportunities, visit the Laney Graduate School Advanced Student Fellowships page. Also, keep an eye out for opportunities in your email inbox via the LGS and chemistry digests.

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