Securing a Teaching Position

ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHING

Each department or committee has its own procedure for assigning teaching fellowships; assignment decisions are based on evaluations of each candidate's proﬁciency in English, preparation, teaching experience, and satisfactory academic standing. Contact the relevant departments or committees about which courses will require sections or tutors. Departments and committees will know the number of guaranteed slots that they can offer in each course by mid-April. Whenever possible, teaching fellow appointments and provisional assignments should be made before June 1.

Guaranteed positions will be honored regardless of ﬁnal course enrollments. Additional appointments may be made after ﬁnal enrollments are known. When undergraduate course enrollment occurs, a week after the term begins, you may ﬁnd that a course you are assigned to teach attracts a larger number of students than anticipated (so you may be able to teach an additional section) or fewer than expected (so you may need to look for a teaching position in another course if the position was not guaranteed). Talk with the head section person, department administrator, and/or administrative assistant, who often know of last-minute openings resulting from increased enrollments or staff changes.

Preference for teaching fellow appointments is given to students for whom a guarantee was offered at admission; teaching preference is also usually given to students prior to the ﬁfth year of residency. Departments and course heads are expected to consider all qualiﬁed applicants from within GSAS; special attention should be paid to qualiﬁed applicants from related departments and disciplines. In accordance with the faculty's own policy, course heads are also expected to consider qualiﬁed GSAS students for teaching positions before hiring non-GSAS candidates.

Applicants who are not chosen for a teaching fellowship should be informed by early June.

If you are eligible for guaranteed teaching but are unable to obtain a teaching fellowship appointment, you have the right to discuss this situation with appropriate departmental representatives to determine what can be done to locate an appointment. Be persistent. In some departments, positions are in short supply, so you will need to bring some entrepreneurial energy to the job search.

ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS IN GENERAL EDUCATION AND OTHER COMMITTEES

In addition to department courses, teaching fellowships are available in the Program in General Education, the Harvard College Writing Program, the Committee on Degrees in History and Literature, the Department of Literature and Comparative Literature, the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, and the Committee on Degrees in Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality.

PROGRAM IN GENERAL EDUCATION

Harvard College has long required that students take a set of courses outside of their concentration in order to ensure that their undergraduate education encompasses a broad range of topics and approaches. Beginning with the Class of 2013, the Program in General Education (more commonly known as Gen Ed) aligns these requirements with the educational needs of Harvard College students at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Gen Ed seeks explicitly to "connect a student's liberal education – that is, an education conducted in a spirit of free inquiry, rewarding in its own right – to life beyond college." In addition, the Program seeks to provide new opportunities for students to learn – and for faculty to teach – in ways that cut across traditional departmental and intra-University lines and that utilize hands-on teaching and innovative pedagogy.

Students must complete one letter-graded course in each of the eight Gen Ed categories: 1) Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding; 2) Culture and Belief; 3) Empirical and Mathematical Reasoning; 4) Ethical Reasoning; 5) Science of Living Systems; 6) Science of the Physical Universe; 7) Societies of the World; 8) United States in the World. One of these eight courses must also engage substantially with the study of the past.

The Program in General Education is the largest employer of teaching fellows (TFs), appointing more than 200 graduate students from all three divisions each term. Faculty teaching Gen Ed courses are drawn from nearly all departments in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). Most TFs are referred to Gen Ed courses through their department, but graduate students may also contact faculty directly. Hiring decisions for these courses are made by the faculty member (also known as the Course Head) in accordance with FAS guidelines, which require that Course Heads give priority to qualified third- and fourth-year Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) students. When the pool of qualified GSAS students has been exhausted, students from other Harvard graduate degree programs may be appointed as Teaching Fellows, and teachers not currently registered in any Harvard graduate school may be appointed as Teaching Assistants. You cannot apply to teach generally "in Gen Ed;" rather you must apply to teach in a particular course or courses. Check the online course catalogue (which is available on the Registrar's Office website in the summer) to decide which courses you are qualified and interested to teach. Then e-mail the respective Course Head(s) a current CV and a brief outline of your academic background and teaching experience. If and when your application is considered, the Course Head or Head TF will contact you directly.

The total number of TFs hired in Gen Ed courses each term depends on the number of undergraduates enrolling in each course. Course Heads begin appointing TFs once they receive initial course enrollment estimates several months before the beginning of the term. If you are selected to teach in a Gen Ed course, you will be contacted by the Gen Ed Office to complete teaching appointment forms. To guarantee payment in the first month of the term, these forms must be submitted by July 15th for the fall 2011 term and by November 18th for the spring 2012 term. Students' first paycheck may be delayed if their appointments are processed after these deadlines.

Since Harvard undergraduates do not finalize their course enrollments until the end of the first week of the term, some courses must enlarge their teaching staffs in mid-September for fall term courses or early February for spring term courses. If you have not been appointed for a course you would like to teach it is recommended that you attend the first meetings of the course to see whether more TFs are needed.

Beginning in spring term 2011, the Pre-term Planning (PTP) process helped to inform preliminary enrollment estimates for courses. The PTP process, where all students are required to indicate courses they plan to take in the subsequent semester, allows for better planning for teaching appointments, classroom assignments and course material orders.

Program in General Education
Holyoke Center Suite 470
Phone: 617-495-2563
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: generaleducation.fas.harvard.edu
Stephanie Kenen, Administrative Director and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education
Anne Marie E. Calareso, Associate Director of the Program in General Education

HARVARD COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM

Teaching positions in Expository Writing—at the rank of preceptor—become available each year. You can apply for these positions at the Harvard College Writing Program Ofﬁce:

Harvard College Writing Program
8 Prescott Street
Phone: 617-495-2566
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thomas Jehn, Sosland Director
Karen Heath, Senior Preceptor
Rebecca Skolnik, Program Administrator

Applications are due by late November (call for details). Interviews with the hiring committee take place in February and March.

Qualiﬁed applicants not selected in the spring due to a limited number of slots at that time are urged to keep their current addresses and phone numbers on ﬁle with the Expository Writing Ofﬁce. Vacancies occasionally need to be ﬁlled even during late summer.

If you are not familiar with the current program in expository writing and would like further information before applying for a position, please visit the Expository Writing Ofﬁce.

The Harvard College Writing Program also administers the Harvard Writing Project, which offers workshops and individual conferences for TFs on how to assign, read, and respond to student writing and publishes handbooks on teaching writing effectively. For more information on the Harvard Writing Project, contact James Herron ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or us online.

COMMITTEE ON DEGREES IN HISTORY AND LITERATURE

The Committee on Degrees in History and Literature hires graduate students with interdisciplinary interests and experience. Most of its tutors come from languages, comparative literature, English, history, history of American civilization, Middle Eastern studies, Near Eastern languages and civilizations, art and art history, and history of science departments. Usually, the committee hires only candidates who have passed their General Exams and have prior teaching experience. Most tutors teach individual senior and small group junior tutorials, but there are sometimes places in co-taught sophomore group tutorials. Once hired, tutors in history and literature may have appointments renewed for subsequent years. Openings generally have speciﬁc requirements related to the subject ﬁelds chosen by the undergraduates in the concentration. Applications, available online and at the ofﬁce in December, are due in January. The committee chair and director of studies usually interview prospective tutors in March. On the basis of credentials, recommendations, and interviews, the committee makes appointments in April for the following year.

Students interested in tutoring in this interdisciplinary concentration should visit the History and Literature Ofﬁce:

Committee on Degrees in History and Literature
Barker Center 122
12 Quincy Street
Phone: 617-495-4029
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Leah Price, chair
Jeanne Follansbee, director of studies
Jessica Shires, department administrator

DEPARTMENT OF LITERATURE AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

The teaching duties for the Department of Literature and Comparative Literature include instruction in junior and senior individual tutorials. Appointments are normally for the academic year for 1/5 or 2/5 time. The department prefers candidates who have passed their General Exams in a literature ﬁeld and who have had some prior teaching experience in literature. Candidates are also expected to have expertise in at least two literatures (one can be English and American literature). Literature is an honors program; a thesis is required.

Application forms are available in the ofﬁce and should be ﬁled by March. To inquire about teaching fellowship appointments in literature, contact the director of studies:

Committee on Degrees in Literature
Dana Palmer House
16 Quincy Street
Phone: 617-495-4186
Sandra Naddaff, director of studies

COMMITTEE ON DEGREES IN SOCIAL STUDIES

Teaching fellows in Social Studies teach tutorials for Social Studies 10, "An Introduction to Social Studies," and also advise senior theses.

Most social studies tutors come from the social sciences, especially the government, sociology, history, economics, and anthropology departments. A knowledge of social theory is essential for teaching in Social Studies 10, and as the course is an especially rigorous one, we typically hire experienced teachers. Teaching fellows in Social Studies also serve as academic advisers to their students and participate in the broader Social Studies community.

Applications to teach in Social Studies are due by the end of February each year. Applicants are asked to send a letter, c.v., and a summary of teaching evaluations. Two letters of recommendation specifically addressing your teaching abilities should be sent under separate cover.

Committee on Degrees in Social Studies
Hilles Library
59 Shepard Street
Phone: 617-495-2163
Richard Tuck, chair
Anya Bernstein, director of studies
Kate Anable, department administrator

DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The Department of Visual and Environmental Studies (VES) hires teaching assistants with specialized skills for classes in the studio arts, ﬁlm, and photography, and teaching fellows for lecture courses on ﬁlm studies, environmental studies, and contemporary art. Teaching assistants will often be graduates of the department or professionals from outside the Harvard community. Those interested should contact the director of undergraduate studies or manager of academic programs.

VES lecture courses, particularly in ﬁlm studies, may employ teaching fellows from related departments such as Anthropology, Comparative Literature, and the History of Art and Architecture. Please contact the director of graduate studies for ﬁlm and visual studies or the director of undergraduate studies for ﬁlm studies for further information regarding teaching in these areas.

Department of Visual and Environmental Studies
Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
24 Quincy Street
Phone: 617-495-3251
Ruth Lingford, director of undergraduate studies
Carrie Lambert-Beatty, director of graduate studies
Paula Soares, manager of academic programs

COMMITTEE ON DEGREES IN THE STUDIES OF WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

The Committee on Degrees in Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality hires TFs to lead sections and tutorials in conjunction with introductory courses and sometimes larger lecture courses. The program also hires graduate students to the tutorial board to work individually with juniors and seniors on speciﬁc topics. Since the concentration emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, applicants should be well-versed in feminist theory, theories of sexuality, and/or gender studies in general, as well as within their own disciplines.

Interested graduate students may obtain descriptive material about the program, courses requiring teaching fellows, and tutorial opportunities from the staff assistant or administrator. Applicants should submit a letter to the administrator describing their research and teaching interests, and a curriculum vitae including at least two references. Since the program is small, only a few TFs are hired annually. For further information, contact:

Committee on Degrees in Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Boylston Hall, Ground Floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617-495-9199
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bradley Epps, chair
Caroline Light, director of studies

HARVARD SUMMER SCHOOL

Support teaching staff appointments are made by the Summer School upon the recommendation of the course instructor and, in some cases, with the recommendation of the department chair under whose auspices a course is being given. A preview of courses appears in January and is followed by the catalogue in early March. Last summer, more than 200 support teaching staff members were hired.

Teaching in the Summer School does not count as part of the four-year teaching fellow limit for GSAS students.

The Summer School hires teaching assistants, language drill instructors, graders, and course assistants. Appointments depend on enrollments and documented course needs.

Teaching Assistants and Language Drill Instructors: Most teaching assistant appointments are in computer, laboratory science, and foreign language courses (although larger courses in the humanities and social sciences may also need assistants). Teaching assistants are expected to attend lectures, lead their own labs or sections, grade all assignments, and hold ofﬁce hours. Language drill instructors hold daily drill sections in intensive language courses, grade assignments, and hold ofﬁce hours. All instructional staff are expected to be present on campus for the entire summer session.

Graders: Courses with 30 or more students may have graders. Only undergraduate and non-credit students count toward the minimum enrollment requirement, since faculty are responsible for grading graduate student work. A normal workload for a grader includes two substantial written assignments (e.g., an hour exam and ﬁnal exam, or a long paper and a ﬁnal exam).

Course Assistants: Course assistants are sometimes hired in studio workshops that require extensive classroom work with small groups of students.

Contact Lisa Lauterbach Laskin, associate dean for academic affairs for the Summer School, for more information (617-495-0311). Employment applications are available at the Harvard Summer School, 51 Brattle Street, Room 526.