Teaching Assistantships (TA) positions are available to graduate students in the Department of History. All students who have been accepted into the graduate program will be automatically considered by the graduate committee for Teaching Assistantships; no application is required.
For all other graduate students, the department welcomes TA applications throughout the year. If you would like to be considered for any teaching assistantship positions in the upcoming academic year, please see the “TA Opportunities” link below to view the anticipated TA position list and instructions for submitting a TA application.
Roles and Responsibilities
TA positions are paid jobs and demand a level of professionalism, responsibility and accountability. Typical duties include:
- Prepare course materials and/or participate in class instruction
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials and review sections
- Keep class records
- Set, mark, and provide feedback on examinations, tests and assignments
- Hold office hours
- Invigilate exams and assist instructors to conduct oral exams
- Manage and maintain a website as well as the learning management system
- Duplicate materials
- Order and obtain AV equipment
- Demonstrate procedures or set up demonstrations
- Prepare and present a lecture during the term
Pay rates for TAs are determined on the basis of the degree program in which a union member is enrolled, and/or prior degrees earned.
Please refer to the UBC Human Resources website for the current Teaching Assistantship (CUPE 2278) salary scale: https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc/salaries/staff-salaries-job-evaluation/staff-salary-scales
TAs spend a maximum of 12 hours per week on average over the academic year. Please note that there are no fee exemptions for Teaching Assistants. All Teaching Assistants must pay the appropriate fees. These fees may be deferred, however, and deducted from the Teaching Assistant stipend.
Every effort is made to assign persons to undergraduate courses which fall into their own field of specialization. There will be no renewals for MA students beyond the second year nor for PhD students beyond the fourth year. Teaching Assistants are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 2278, and work under a collective agreement.
Please find below a list of anticipated TA positions for the upcoming academic year. The TA position list is updated by March 31 for anticipated positions in the following September to April period.
Anticipated TA Positions in History for the upcoming academic year 2024-2025:
(Updated April.8.2024)
| Course | Section | Credits | Term | Course Title | #TA Positions | Instructor(s) |
| HIST 100 | 101 | 3 | 1 | What is History? | 0.5 | Booker |
| HIST 102 | 001 | 6 | 1-2 | World History 1500 to 20th Century | 3.0 | Timmermann |
| HIST 103 | 001 | 6 | 1-2 | World History since 1900 | 4.0 | Lanthier/Bryce |
| HIST 103 | 002 | 6 | 1-2 | World History since 1900 | 3.0 | Fergie |
| HIST 104A | 227 | 3 | 1 | Topics in World History | 1.0 | Miller |
| HIST 105B | 201 | 3 | 2 | Contemporary Global Issues in Historical Perspective | 0.5 | Unwalla |
| HIST 106 | 227 | 3 | 2 | Global Environmental History | 1.0 | Glassheim |
| HIST 106 | 201 | 3 | 2 | Global Environmental History | 0.5 | Loo |
| HIST 108 | 101 | 3 | 1 | Global History of Capitalism | 0.5 | TBD |
| HIST 201 | 201 | 3 | 2 | History Through Photographs | 0.5 | McCormick |
| HIST 204 | 201 | 3 | 2 | History of Video Games | 1.0 | Yin |
| HIST 220A | 201 | 3 | 2 | History of Europe | 1.0 | Lanthier |
| HIST 235 | 101 | 3 | 1 | History of Canada: Moments that Matter | 1.5 | Ducharme |
| HIST 236 | 201 | 3 | 2 | Memory, Representation and Interpretation: Public History in Canada | 1.0 | Myers |
| HIST 237A | 101 | 3 | 1 | History of the United States | 0.5 | Paris |
| HIST 240 | 201 | 3 | 2 | Health, Illness and Medicine (I): Ancient World to Early Modern Period | 1.0 | Christopoulos |
| HIST 256 | 101 | 3 | 1 | History of Africa | 0.5 | Morton |
| HIST 260 | 101 | 3 | 1 | Science and Society in the Contemporary World | 0.5 | Brain |
| HIST 386 | 201 | 3 | 2 | Korea Since 1860 | 0.5 | Agov |
| HIST 391 | 101 | 3 | 1 | Human Rights in World History | 1.0 | Roosa |
| HIST 409 | 201 | 3 | 2 | American Foreign Policy since 1945 | 0.5 | Silver |
| HIST 425 | 001 | 6 | 1-2 | War and Society | 2.0 | Fairey |
| HIST 432 | 001 | 6 | 1-2 | International Relations in the Twentieth Century | 2.0 | Lanthier/Tworek |
0.5 = ½ TAship appt. or partial TAship (one term only)
For one term courses (3 cr.):
1.0 TAship positions = Two 0.5 TAship appts.
1.5 TAship positions = Three 0.5 TAship appts.
Section 101 = Term 1
Section 201 = Term 2
Sections 001, 002, etc. = Full Year Course (Term 1 & 2)
Qualifications:
Enrollment in Graduate Programme
Duties
Assist Instructor with tutorials, grading, teaching, and exam invigilation
Hours
1.0 position: 12 hours per week for 8 months (Term 1-2; Sept to Apr)
0.5 position: 12 hours per week for 4 months (Term 1 or Term 2; Sept to Dec or Jan-Apr)
Salary
(Wages as of September.1.2023)
1.0 position: GTA 1 = $14,971.20; GTA 2 = $14,410.32
0.5 position: GTA 1 = $7,485.60; GTA 2 = $7,205.16
GTA I – is a graduate student who has completed two (2) years’ service as a graduate student teaching assistant.
GTA II – is a graduate student with less than two (2) years’ service as a graduate student teaching assistant.
Salaries for Teaching Assistants are set by contract with the TA Union CUPE 2278. Details can be found on the relevant section of the following webpage: UBC Staff Salary Scales (Scroll down to the CUPE 2278 salary scale).
Deadline
We would be grateful for a response as soon as possible, but no later than April 30th of each year.
UBC HIRES ON THE BASIS OF MERIT AND IS COMMITTED TO EMPLOYMENT EQUITY.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY.
Application: (Returning TAs)
Returning TAs must notify the History Graduate Program about their intent to continue as a TA the following year and may express preference from the list of courses above.
Link: Renewing a Teaching Assistantship
Application: (New Applicants)
The department welcomes TAship applications throughout the year. If you are interested in any of the above anticipated History TA openings, please send the required TA application documents using the link below.
For reference, the TA application consists of:
- Statement of Relevant Experience (Required)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) indicating your academic and employment experience (Required)
- Any Previous Teaching Assistant Evaluations (If applicable)
Link: Submit a New TA Application
UBC HIRES ON THE BASIS OF MERIT AND IS COMMITTED TO EMPLOYMENT EQUITY.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY.