Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
The occupation Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary covers people who assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. You may also need to teach undergraduate-level courses. Interest ratings put Social on top at 6.5 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is SCI and the day leans toward helping, teaching or caring for people. Plan on graduate school and often five years or more of related experience; O*NET labels this extensive preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, active listening, and speaking helps most here. It tends to suit people who want helping, teaching or caring for people, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.
Main tasks
- Teach undergraduate-level courses.
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
- Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and active listening.
May not suit you if
- You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 2.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SCI takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Graduate Assistant
- Graduate Fellow
- Graduate Research Assistant
- Graduate Student
- Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
Related careers
Is this your direction?
See how your interests line up with SCI and 906 other careers.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.