Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) / Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology

Apply for Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Positions

As a Psychology major at URI, you’ll have opportunities to work directly with faculty members to gain valuable teaching and mentoring experience. Undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) help support the delivery of psychology courses they have previously taken and performed well in. These experiences allow students to strengthen their understanding of psychology, develop communication and leadership skills, and gain experience that may be valuable for graduate school and future careers.

These experiences may count toward the experiential learning requirement for the Psychology B.A. degree through PSY 488: Undergraduate Teaching Experience in Psychology.

Important: PSY 488 fulfills the experiential learning requirement for Psychology B.A. students only. PSY 488 does not fulfill the experiential learning requirement for the Psychology B.S. degree. B.S. students must complete PSY 496 to satisfy their research experiential learning requirement.

What Do Undergraduate Teaching Assistants Do?

Undergraduate teaching assistants work under the supervision of a psychology course instructor. Depending on the course and instructor, responsibilities may include:

  • Helping facilitate classroom activities and discussions.
  • Assisting students with course material and answering questions.
  • Holding review sessions or providing academic support to students.
  • Helping instructors prepare instructional materials and classroom activities.
  • Supporting course-related assignments, projects, or other educational activities.
  • Assisting with other teaching-related responsibilities as determined by the instructor.

Specific responsibilities vary by course and instructor. Undergraduate teaching assistants are supervised by the course instructor and do not independently teach or determine students’ final grades.

How to Apply for an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Position

To apply for a teaching assistant position with a psychology faculty member, follow this 5-step guide:

1. Identify courses that interest you.

Think about psychology courses you have taken and particularly enjoyed or performed well in. Which courses sparked your interest? Are there topics you would enjoy helping other students learn? Consider your strengths, interests, and what you hope to gain from a teaching experience.

During this time, you should also prepare or update your resume. For assistance, we encourage you to visit the URI Center for Career and Experiential Education.

2. Identify potential faculty members.

For an updated list of faculty who are taking PSY488 students in the upcoming semesters, go here.

You can also review the faculty section of the Department of Psychology website and consider reaching out to instructors who teach courses you have previously completed successfully.

You may contact a professor whose course you particularly enjoyed. Faculty members may have different needs for undergraduate teaching assistants depending on their courses, enrollment, and teaching responsibilities.

3. Email 1-2 instructors to express your interest.

Your email should be thoughtful, professional, and well written. Faculty want to know that you are genuinely interested in teaching, responsible, and prepared to contribute to their course.

  • Introduce yourself and explain which course you took with the instructor, when you took it, and why you enjoyed it.
  • Describe why you are interested in serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant.
  • Highlight your relevant strengths, such as communication, organization, leadership, mentoring, or familiarity with course material.
  • Explain what you hope to gain from the experience and how it connects to your academic or career goals.
  • Ask whether the instructor anticipates having undergraduate teaching assistant opportunities. Do not assume a position is available.
  • Thank the instructor for their time and consideration.

4. Follow up and discuss potential opportunities.

If the instructor responds:

  • There are no positions available: Thank them for their response and consider contacting another instructor whose course you have completed successfully.
  • There may be positions available in a future semester: Ask whether you might contact them again when they begin planning for that semester.
  • There is a position available: Ask to schedule a meeting to discuss the opportunity, expected responsibilities, time commitment, and qualifications.

If you are invited to meet with the instructor, be prepared to discuss your experiences in the course, your interest in teaching, and how you can contribute to students’ learning.

5. Register for PSY 488.

Once an instructor agrees to supervise your undergraduate teaching experience, discuss the appropriate number of credits and expectations for the position.

Ask the instructor for permission to register for their section of PSY 488: Undergraduate Teaching Experience in Psychology.

Registration requires instructor permission and may involve obtaining a permission number.