Employment

Employment

Teaching is an important part of the training for Comparative Literature graduate students. Typically students serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the following large enrollment classes during their first year or two in the program: 

  • COM 5 - Fairy Tales, Fables, and Parables
  • COM 6 - Myths and Legends
  • COM 7 - Literature of Fantasy and the Supernatural

For such a course, the TA will lead two discussion sections. Comparative Literature TAs must enroll in COM 392 in the fall quarter of their first year as a TA.

After TAs have demonstrated the sufficient skills and preparation, they may then serve as the instructor ("Associate Instructor" or AI) for a course in the Major Works series:

  • COM 1 - Major Works of the Ancient World
  • COM 2 - Major Works of the Medieval and Early Modern World
  • COM 3 - Major Works of the Modern World
  • COM 4 - Major Works of the Contemporary World

AIs in Comparative Literature must enroll in COM 390 during or before their first quarter of teaching in the Major Works series. For additional information on teaching in the Department of Comparative Literature, see Teaching Assistant Opportunities.

Teaching opportunities in other departments, such as foreign languages (Chinese, French, German, Spanish, etc.), Cinema and Digital Media, Humanities, and more, may also be available. Foreign language departments tend to require enrollment in their own teaching methods course in order to be considered for teaching in their department. Hiring decisions for all positions are made by the hiring department.

Graduate student TAs and AIs are typically employed at 50% time (20 hours per week). TAs and AIs receive a partial fee and tuition remission as well as a monthly salary. The remission does not cover campus-based fees (which total approximately $270/quarter) or Non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST). Nonresidents are typically offered an NRST fellowship in combination with a TA position in order to bring the out-of-pocket cost down to that of a California resident TA. For complete information on fee remissions, see Student Accounting.