Teaching Opportunities

The department encourages graduate students to gain teaching experience during their tenure in the program, and provides different types of teaching opportunities:

Note: The University and Department are Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) employers. Appropriate EEO and AA criteria are utilized in all selection and hiring processes. 

Teaching Assistant (TA)

TAs are assigned to a faculty member to assist with a Fall and Spring course. Typically, TAs evaluate student work, run small discussion groups, offer lectures, and plan reading lists. The TA meets regularly with the appointed faculty member to discuss teaching issues and problems. The TA position lasts for one year, and the student is awarded a tuition waiver and stipend.

No more than two TA positions are available each year. Appointments are only available to newly matriculating PhD students carrying at least six credit hours per semester. TAs may not hold equivalent grants or awards from the University or East-West Center during the award period.

Graduate Assistant (GA)

GTAs are responsible for designing and teaching two undergraduate courses (Fall and Spring). The position lasts for one year, and the student is awarded a tuition waiver and stipend.

Approximately seven to nine positions are available each year and are awarded on a competitive basis. Participants may not hold equivalent grants or awards from the University or East-West Center during the award period and must carry at least six credit hours per semester.

Interested applicants should apply through UH Manoa STAR Scholarships.

Note: Students are permitted to participate in a maximum of three years of TA and/or GA work total. 

Other Opportunities

• Lecturers - The department will occasionally announce lecturer opportunities. POLS graduate students are alerted by email and should follow all listed instructions to apply.
• UH Summer Session Lecturers - These positions are open to all graduate students. POLS graduate students are alerted by email in the Spring semester and should follow all listed instructions to apply.
• Outreach College Lecturer - The Outreach College offers Political Science courses each semester and during the summer. POLS graduate students are alerted by email and should follow all listed instructions to apply.
• Other - Teaching opportunities are also available at other local colleges and universities, such as campuses in the University of Hawaiʻi system, Chaminade University, and Hawaiʻi Pacific University.