The School of Theology and Religious Studies Teaching and Learning Program is part of the STRS commitment to excellence in teaching on the part of all faculty as well as preparing future professors.
Teaching Assistantships and Teaching Fellowships are not considered part of financial aid or scholarships for graduate students but, rather, are an integral part of the program that develops future professors in the teaching aspect of their profession.
The STRS Teaching and Learning Program is open to all STRS graduate students, although Teaching Fellowships are reserved for those pursuing a doctoral degree. The first requirement of the program is to take TRS 550 Teaching & Learning (with a focus on teaching Theology & Religious Studies at the college level). This course is offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters, meeting on Monday from 3:10 to 5:40pm.
Those that wish to participate in the program should discuss this with their Academic Advisor and, upon the approval of the Academic Advisor, enroll in TRS 550. [Note: This course was formerly designated TRS 751A]
Practicum Phase – Teaching Assistantships
After completing TRS 550, students are eligible for the practicum phase of the program wherein they will serve as a Teaching Assistant (TA) to a faculty member teaching an undergraduate TRS course. Normally, the first TA assignment would be in the Fall following completion of the course and attendance at the University-level 1-1/2 day orientation for all New TAs and TFs, conducted in August on the Monday and Tuesday prior to the start of Fall Semester. [Note: Although MA students are not precluded from serving as TAs, priority for these positions is given to doctoral students]
Students should notify the STRS Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies that they have completed TRS 550, are available to attend the August New TA/TF Orientation, and are ready for a TA assignment in the Fall.
Graduate students may serve as a Teaching Assistant two to four times. TA assignments are determined by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies and are based on the graduate student’s course schedule and, in the case of subsequent TA assignments, the logical next step in the graduate student’s development. The assignment process often involves the Director of the STRS Teaching and Learning Program as well as the faculty member to whom the TA will be assigned.
The two to four TA assignments (over two to four semesters) provides TAs an opportunity to serve in a variety of courses, work with different members of the faculty, and have an opportunity to facilitate discussions as well as teach 1-2 class sessions in a semester-long course.
Lead Professors serve as mentors to TAs in their development as future professors. This mentoring relationship is addressed in detail in the STRS Faculty Mentoring Manual. An important part of the mentoring process is the formal TA evaluation completed by the Lead Professor at the end of each semester. A copy of the evaluation is provided to the TA and the evaluation is sent to the Director, STRS T&L Program. The Program Director will forward the evaluation to the Assistant Dean for inclusion in the student’s file.
Teaching Fellowships
TAs can move to the next phase of the program path, that of Teaching Fellow, when they and the Lead Professors for whom they have served judge they are ready to teach a course on their own.
Normally, the first course is one within the graduate student’s area of expertise and the TF would work closely with a member of the faculty who has taught the proposed course, mentoring the graduate student TF as they prepare for and teach that particular course.
After consulting their academic advisor and securing a faculty mentor, the prospective TF presents the proposed first course to their Academic Area Director for approval. Should a proposed course not be within a student’s own academic area, the approval is granted by the Academic Area Director responsible for the course proposed.
Since the mentoring relationship is critical in the development of future professors, all graduate student Teaching Fellows are to have a Faculty Mentor for every course they teach. After the first time a TF teaches a course, and has been mentored by a faculty member who has taught that course, TFs are to establish a mentoring relationship with a member of the STRS faculty for each subsequent course they teach.
As with TAs, Faculty Mentors complete a formal TF evaluation at the end of each semester. A copy of the evaluation is provided to the TF and the evaluation is sent to the Director, STRS T&L Program. The Program Director will forward the evaluation to the Assistant Dean for inclusion in the student’s file.
FYE Teaching Fellowships
Once a TF has demonstrated teaching competence through teaching a TRS course they are competitive for a First-Year Experience Teaching Fellowship. The invitation to apply for the FYE Teaching Fellowship is sent by the Provost’s Office to all graduate students each year, early in the spring semester. The TRS 201 Course Coordinators, along with the Director of the STRS T&L Program serve as the search committee for FYE TF position openings. This committee reviews applications and submits their recommendations to the Dean. In addition to having already demonstrated teaching abilities, preference is given to applicants who have finished their course work, taken their comprehensive exams and are in the dissertation proposal/writing phase.
Normally, FYE Teaching Fellowships are for two years, renewable after the first year. Consideration for extending an FYE Teaching Fellowship beyond two years, based solely on STRS needs for qualified instructors, requires the Search Committee’s consultation with and approval by the student’s dissertation director as the priority for STRS is for candidates to be making acceptable progress towards their doctoral degree.
In summary, the STRS Teaching & Learning Program that prepares graduate students in the teaching part of their profession follows the following sequence:
- Complete TRS 550 Teaching & Learning (offered each Fall & Spring).
- Notify the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies of availability to attend University-level New TA Orientation in August and desire to begin practicum phase of the program as a TA in the Fall.
- Attend University-level New TA/TF Workshop (4th week in August, on the Monday & Tuesday before the start of Fall semester).
- Serve as a Teaching Assistant for 2-4 courses. Remuneration for a TA position is $2000-2500, depending on whether or not the TA will lead Discussion Sections associated with the course.
- Teach a TRS course under the mentorship of a faculty member who has taught the same course. Remuneration for an STRS Teaching Fellowship is $2500.
