STEM Communities Learning Assistant Program Application

LAs assist with the instructional mission of the TXST College of Science and Engineering by participating in faculty-student instructional teams for specific courses. They commit between 5 and 10 hours a week to preparation and working with students, with the option of more hours for staffing Study Centers. LAs are different from other peer educators in several ways: LAs assist faculty during instruction, facilitate student interactions within the framework of research-based activities, and study and reflect on relevant discipline-based research on learning and teaching. LAs are paid $14.00 / hour.

Thank you for your interest in the STEM Communities Learning Assistant Program.

The LA Application for the Spring 2025 semester opens Monday, October 7th and will close on Friday, October 25th at 11:59pm.

Hiring decisions will be shared by the end of the day on Friday, December 6th (Reading Day).

Applications for Fall 2025 will open in March.

Three happy students

Are you new to this program?

Have you been an LA before?

What do LAs do?

Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate students who support their peers' learning by guiding student groups through challenging activities during class. LAs meet weekly with faculty and enroll in a pedagogy course. LAs may assist students outside of class in unstructured Study Centers. LAs may also work with faculty to find / develop / modify student-centered activities to be used during class.

As an LA, you can...

Deepen your understanding of STEM course content.

Gain valuable leadership and communication skills.

Develop meaningful relationships with STEM faculty.

Become a member of a supportive community.

Help other students have positive and successful experiences in a specific course (BIO 1330, BIO 1331, CHEM 1341, CHEM 3375, PHYS 1335, PHYS 1345, PHYS 1430, PHYS 2425, or PHYS 2435).

As an LA, you will receiveā€¦

$14/hour pay, typically 5-10 hours/week during the semester.

Guidance from knowledgeable instructors during collaborative weekly preparation sessions (2-hr Friday event - 11am-1pm or 12-2pm).

Instructional education in a 2-hr seminar-style STEM pedagogy course (HON 3210, BIO 3210, or PHYS 3210). This is a required course for all first-semester LAs and meets Mondays 3:30-5:30pm or Tuesdays 5-7pm.