Academic Year TA Opportunities

All CCAS PhD students will have the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant after spending at least one year in the program. Teaching assistantships are not automatically offered to students but are awarded on the basis of merit.

Teaching Assistantships are apprenticeships intended to provide qualified students with relevant training experience for academic and academic-related careers in teaching and research. Graduate students who are recipients of teaching and research assistantships must meet all registration and enrollment criteria established by the Graduate Council and the department. All appointees must also maintain satisfactory progress throughout their appointments.

Eligibility for an Academic Apprentice Position (TA):

  • Registration and Enrollment: Registered and enrolled in at least 12 graduate units
  • Academic Standing: Must have at least a 3.0 UCLA GPA
  • Oral English Proficiency: International graduate students, including permanent residents, must pass the TOP Exam
  • Maximum length of employment: Hold ASE titles for no more than four academic years (12 academic quarters) and, by exception only following advancement to candidacy, no more than 18 quarters
  • Faculty Supervision: Serve under the active tutelage and supervision of regular Academic Senate faculty members
  • 495 Enrollment: Must enroll in a departmental 495 pedagogy course before or during their first quarter appointed as a TA. For more information: https://teaching.ucla.edu/gradstudent-programs/ta-training-requirements/

If Necessary:

  • Make arrangements to take the TOP through the Office of Instructional Development and validate their score.
  • File for an exception to the policies above to the Dean of the Graduate Division at least three weeks in advance of the hire date through the department Student Affairs Officer (SAO).

All first-time Teaching Assistants are required to enroll in CCAS 495 or equivalent, a pedagogy course that includes the Professional Standards and Ethics Training (PSET).

For additional information regarding Teaching Assistantships or other apprenticeship positions available in Chicana and Chicano Studies, please contact the departmental SAO.

2026-2027 CCAS TA Application

Submit the TA Application Here

Summer TA Application

CCAS TA Summer Requirements:

Eligibility for an Academic Apprentice Position (TA):

  •     Registration and Enrollment: Registered and enrolled for the upcoming Fall in at least 12 graduate units. Students are not eligible for ASE and/or GSR employment while on filing fee or after their degree is awarded.
  •     Academic Standing: Must be in good academic standing (not on academic probation or have had their degree candidacy lapse) and have at least a 3.0 UCLA GPA at the time of appointment. In addition, all appointees must also maintain satisfactory progress throughout their appointments.
  •     Oral English Proficiency: International graduate students, including permanent residents, must pass the TOP Exam
  •     Faculty Supervision: Serve under the active tutelage and supervision of regular Academic Senate faculty members
  •     495 Enrollment: Must enroll in a departmental 495 pedagogy course before or during their first quarter appointed as a TA. For more information: https://teaching.ucla.edu/gradstudent-programs/ta-training-requirements/

  

*Department Requirement* No exceptions, you must have at least one-quarter of TA experience at UCLA to apply.

*CCAS Graduate Students* Applicants must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress based upon normative time to degree requirements.

CCAS Summer Term Special Topic Seminar

The Graduate Studies Program of the Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies offers Teaching Fellows an opportunity to teach their own CCAS Special Topic Seminar during the Summer term. To qualify, you must be a Doctoral graduate student in the CCAS department and advanced to candidacy. Teaching a Special Topic Seminar is an employment for graduate students to refine their teaching skills in a seminar class environment. Teaching a Special Topic Seminar is awarded through an application review process. The number of available spots is based on the department’s curricular needs. Priority will be given to graduate students who do not have experience teaching a CCAS Special Topic: 188 course.

2026 Summer TA Application

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