Out-of-Field GTA Application

Eligibility

• degree-­seeking graduate student at KU in good academic standing (3.0 minimum GPA)
• enrolled in at least 6 hours of regular graduate course work (does not include Continuing Education)
• qualified to teach Spanish and/or Portuguese

Teaching load

• the standard (and maximum) teaching load is a 50% appointment, which is for teaching one 5-­‐credit class or two 3-­‐credit classes

Training

• all OFGTAs participate in orientation sessions and training sessions taking place before the start of the semester as well as to take part in regular workshops that may be required during the regular semester
• all OFGTAs take SPAN 801 in their first fall semester of teaching in order to hold an appointment; they take SPAN 802 each subsequent semester that they teach in our department

Enrollment

• in addition to qualifications, preference will be given to individuals who are taking a class for graduate credit in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Appointment

• the appointment is made on a semester-­‐by-­‐semester basis. Although every effort is made to give as much advance notice as possible, often courses do not fill until just before the start of classes

Active file

• to maintain an active application, the prospective OFGTA needs to submit a copy of his or her enrollment at the end of the enrollment period each semester. This information will be used when identifying students who have enrolled to take a graduate class in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and students who are available to teach at the hours when instructors are needed.

A complete application file includes the following:

1. An Updated CV
2. Statement (250 to 500 words) outlining teaching experience, travel abroad, language study, and other background information related to your qualifications to teach
3. KU transcript or DPR; new graduate students may submit transcripts from their previous institution. The committee is looking for evidence that the candidate has the necessary qualifications for teaching basic language.
4. An audio file of approximately five minutes in which you talk somewhat casually about yourself; do not read a prepared statement. The file should be in mp3 format and should be submitted via this form by following the prompts below. Non-­‐native Spanish speakers should record themselves speaking in Spanish. Native speakers of Spanish should record themselves speaking in English; please note that non-­‐native speakers of English must also earn a minimum score of 50 on either the TSE or SPEAK test in order to hold a teaching assistantship. (If you are unable to provide a recording, a phone interview may also be conducted in the language the applicant is applying to teach.)
5. Two confidential letters of recommendation. These letters should refer to teaching experience, language proficiency, and professionalism, and should attached to this form. New graduate students may ask their KU degree program to send copies of the letters written for their KU graduate admission application.
6. Class schedule indicating enrollment and hours available to teach.

Each of these files can be attached and submitted through the application form linked below this section. If you have any issues with the application process, please contact:

Department of Spanish and Portuguese

spanport@ku.edu

University of Kansas

1445 Jayhawk Blvd.

Wescoe Hall, Room 2650

Lawrence, Kansas 66045­‐7590