Graduate Assistantships

Computer Science Graduate Assistants (GAs) are graduate students who are hired to perform instructional, research, or administrative duties for the department. Graduate Assistantships are administered in conjunction with the Graduate School, and are governed by the Graduate Employees Union (GEU) Collective Bargaining Agreement. Both M.S. and Ph.D. students can serve as GAs, although most available positions are filled by Ph.D. students.

For detailed information about graduate assistantships, please consult the Graduate Handbook.

Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of teaching assistantships (TAs) are available to our best-qualified graduate students. These assistantships are normally granted for one term at a time, and are renewable based on department need and the student's performance in coursework and TA responsibilities. Teaching assistants typically work with course instructors to hold office hours, grade homework, etc. The selection criteria for teaching assistants are similar to those used for graduate admission: grades, references, plus evidence of teaching experience or ability.

Please note that a PSU Odin account is required to access the application.

Apply for TA-ship

Research Assistantships

Many faculty in the department have research grants that support research assistants (RAs), who are normally Ph.D. students. Faculty members choose RAs on an individual basis, but the most important criterion is the student's ability to contribute to the professor's research program. Typically, students are given a research assistantship only after they have been in the graduate program for at least one term and have taken at least one class from the professor, although faculty do sometimes give RA-ships to especially qualified incoming students. Ordinarily, students are able to use the work supported by the assistantship as part of their own RPE and dissertation research.