This is not an exhaustive list of positions; particularly for the more advanced courses there may be no listing here.
Being a teaching assistant not only provides remuneration, it is also an excellent way to learn. It can be very rewarding to spark the interest and curiosity of your students.
There are several types of TA-ships in Biology: Laboratory TAs, Discussion TAs, Lecture TAs and Graders.
If you would like to be considered for a teaching assistant position, you may fill out the form linked below (which will only be shared with the instructors), or contact the instructor directly.
Some courses that hire teaching assistants
|
Course |
Type of TA |
Quarter offered |
Qualifications |
Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10010 Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) For high school students. |
Lab |
Summer 4-week double credit course |
Completed first year of the Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence. Research experience preferred. |
Schonbaum
|
|
10130 Principles of Biology (Microbes and Immunity) |
Lab, Lecture |
Fall, Winter, Spring |
Fineschi |
|
|
10130 Principles of Biology (E & E) |
Lab, Lecture |
Winter |
Larsen |
|
|
10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (Cell & Developmental) |
Lab |
Fall, Winter |
|
Smith |
|
10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (Ecology) |
Lab, Discussion |
Fall, Winter |
Pineda |
|
| 10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (microbes) | Lab | Fall, Winter | Bednarcyzk | |
| 10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (sexual dimorphism) | Lab | Winter | Martineau | |
| 10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (plants) | Lab | Spring | Butler | |
|
10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (Cell & Developmental) |
Lab, Discussion |
Winter |
Brock |
|
| 10140 Inquiry based Exploration of Biology (Ecology & Evolution) | Lab | Fall, Spring | Comfortable with statistical analysis | Hunter |
|
10140 Inquiry-based Exploration of Biology (Neurobiology) |
Lab, Discussion |
Fall, Spring |
Completion of the first three quarters of the Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence. Research experience preferred. |
McNulty |
|
10500 Metabolism and Exercise |
Lecture & Lab |
Fall |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence and Physiology |
Osadjan |
|
10501 Systems of the Human Body |
Lecture |
Fall |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or PreMed sequence |
Osadjan |
| 10602 Multi-scale Modeling of Bio. Systems I | Lecture | Fall | Haddadian | |
|
10603 Multi-scale Modeling of Bio. Systems II |
Lecture Lab |
Winter |
Haddadian |
|
|
11140 Biotechnology (for High School students) |
Lecture Lab |
Summer Sessions 1 & 2 Each session is 3 weeks long |
Completed first year of the Fundamentals or the AB sequence. Research experience preferred. |
Bhasin |
|
12114 Nutritional Science |
Lecture |
Fall, Spring |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence |
Strieleman |
|
12116 Human Body in Health and Disease |
Lecture |
Fall |
Completion of three quarters of Fundamentals (including Physiology), the AB sequence (with Physiology), or Pre-Health sequence. |
McNulty |
|
13111 Natural History of North American Deserts |
Lecture |
Spring |
Larsen |
|
|
13140 Public & Private Lives of Insects |
Lecture |
Fall, Spring |
Larsen |
|
|
14000 Explorations in Neuroscience (Summer session for High School students) |
Lecture, Lab, Discussion |
Summer (UChicago Immersion 3 week program) |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence, BIOS 24203 & BIOS 24204. Research experience preferred. |
McNulty |
|
14112 From Brain to Behavior |
Lecture |
Fall |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence, BIOS 24203 & BIOS 24204. Research experience preferred. |
McNulty |
|
20153 Fundamentals of Ecology & Evolution |
Lab, Lecture |
Winter |
Hunter & Andrews |
|
|
20170 Microbial & Human Cell Biology |
Lecture Lab Discussion |
Winter |
Completion of 20170s sequence |
Andrews, Dutt |
|
20171 Human Genetics |
Lecture Lab Discussion |
Spring |
Lecture: Pineda-Catalan Lab: Dutt |
|
|
20172, Mathematical Modeling for Pre-Med Students |
Lecture Lab |
Spring |
Haddadian |
|
|
20173 Physiology |
Lecture Lab Discussion |
Fall |
Andrews, Dutt Osadjan |
|
|
20175 Biochemistry and Metabolism |
Lecture Lab |
Winter |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence and biochemistry Bios 20175 or Bios 20200 |
Strieleman |
|
20186/1 Cell and Molecular Biology |
Lecture Lab |
Spring |
Completion of 20186 & 20187 |
Schonbaum |
|
20186/2 Cell and Molecular Biology |
Lecture Lab |
Spring |
Completion of 20186 & 20187 |
P. Smith |
|
20187/1 Genetics |
Lecture Lab |
Fall |
Completion of 20186 & 20187 |
Brock |
|
20187/2 Genetics |
Lecture Lab |
Fall |
Completion of 20186 & 20187 |
Lab: Schonbaum |
|
20188 Physiology |
Lecture Lab |
Winter, Spring |
Osadjan |
|
|
20189 Developmental Biology |
Lab |
Winter |
Completion of 20186, 20187 and 20189 |
Schonbaum |
|
20189 Developmental Biology |
Lab |
Spring |
Completion of 20186, 20187 and 20189 |
Brock |
|
20200 Introduction to Biochemistry |
Lecture Lab |
Fall, Spring |
Completion of the first three quarters of Fundamentals, AB, or Pre-Health sequence and biochemistry Bios 20175 or Bios 20200 |
Strieleman |
|
20234 Molecular Biology of the Cell |
Lab |
Fall |
Completed the AB sequence. Research experience preferred. |
Bhasin |
|
20235 Genetics |
Lab |
Winter |
Completed the AB sequence. Research experience preferred. |
Bhasin |
|
23232 Ecology & Evolution in the SW |
Lecture Discussion |
Spring |
Larsen |
|
|
23254 Mammalian Ecology |
Lecture Lab |
Spring (odd years) |
Larsen |
|
|
23266 Evolutionary Adaptation |
Lecture |
Fall |
Andrews |
|
|
26120 Introduction to Bioinformatics |
Lecture Lab |
Fall |
Haddadian |
Tips for TAs
- Be professional. Arrive on time and fully prepared for your sessions.
- Read background information
- Prepare your powerpoints (if requested)
- Be prepared for discussions
- Manage entries on Chalk site grade center with discretion
- Grade as you would yourself like to be graded—fairly, and neither too harsh nor too lax.
- Avoid conflicts of interest—if a friend is in your section, ask the instructor if it is possible to switch one of you to another section
- Anticipate schedule conflicts. You will need to manage your own workload as well as your preparation and grading. Do not fall behind in your grading, it affects a large number of people!
- Report any suspected honor code violations to the instructor.
- Be prepared to spend time helping out students, during office hours