Great Grad Gigs

Great Grad Gigs That May Pay for Tuition

Finally, you’re a grad, but you need a little side gig to help with costs. Graduate assistants are highly sought after and amazing positions for students. There are tons of different types of positions and opportunities at UMD that revolve around specific work and allow students to work closely with faculty and undergraduate students, participate in research, and see the inner workings of the University.

• Graduate Assistants (GAs) are graduate students that are looking to take part in an integral part of education. These students who hold assistantships are part-time employment opportunities that include teaching, research, and administrative assistantships.
• Teaching assistantships have various responsibilities across disciplines and departments. Within a department, the particular assignment depends on the department’s needs and the experience and academic qualifications of the TA. TA’s will be supervised by a member of faculty that will guide them throughout the assistantship experience.
• Research assistantships (RA’s) vary according to the nature of the research project that they will participate in and the source of the funding. RA’s may be given more instructions with their work, such as conducting some work at home or doing research when classes are not officially in session. Just like TA’s, RA’s will be doing work under the close direction and watch of a member of the faculty.

The last option when looking at graduate assistantships is administrative assistants (AAs). These students will be doing work in an office and will perform administrative support functions. These positions are expected to include a research or professional development component as well. This type of assistantship has the ability to be done for less than one academic year.

The benefits that come along with these positions are plentiful. The ability to work part-time with flexible schedules, tuition remission, and the valuable experience that enhances your professional skills are all elements that make assistantships a great option for students. To apply to be a UMD graduate assistant, students must go to the job posting page or Careers4Terps. There are also limited numbers of Resident Life Graduate Assistantships Available that students can apply for.

Participating in hands-on learning by either being a TA or a GA are great ways to gain experience and set yourself apart as an academic for future applications and potential positions. UMD does a great job of giving students as many chances as possible to succeed and learn, so we recommend taking as many of these opportunities as possible.

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