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Student Job Opportunities

The Physics and Computer Science Department hires undergraduate Laurier students as instructional assistants for physics and computer science laboratory sessions, as markers, and as proctors. Graduate students can obtain employment as teaching assistants or research assistants.

Although we primarily hire physics students and computer science students for senior courses, we frequently hire students from other departments for junior courses.  Similarly, physics and computer science students should investigate the possibilities in other departments. For example, our students who are very strong in mathematics have taken advantage of both employed and volunteer positions with the Mathematics Assistance Centre.

Instructional assistant and marking positions for both physics and computer science courses are available to senior Laurier students. 

Students must:

  • be at least a year 2 student
  • be registered in a degree granting program (positions are not restricted to physics or computer science students)
  • have a mark of A- or better in the course and its prerequisite courses
  • have done well in the lab component of the course (IA positions)

Applicants are required to fill in the Instructional Assistant Application Form (Network login required). The form will ask you to select the courses you want to IA and/or mark and will require you to submit a resume (PDF, Word, HTML, or WordPerfect).  By filling in and submitting the form, you give us permission to verify your grades in the courses you are applying for and the related prerequisite courses.

If you have questions regarding the positions or the process, please contact:

For general information applicable to all graduate students, see employment-based funding. For more information on financial support, see funding and awards.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships are available to full-time students in the Master of Applied Computing program. A graduate teaching assistant (TA) is expected to work an average of 10 hours per week or a maximum of 130 hours per term. Over the course of the program, thesis students are eligible for a maximum of four TAs; students in the co-op option are eligible for two TAs. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to be eligible.

The Physics and Computer Science chair and graduate officer will decide on the allocation of teaching assistantships to students each academic year. Once you have been assigned to TA a particular course, you should meet with the course instructor to discuss the duties you will be expected to fulfil. Each course will have a Teaching Assistantship: Job Responsibility form that you and the instructor must sign. To receive payment, you must also complete and submit a Direct Deposit form. The signed forms are to be submitted to the physics and computer science main office for the signature of the graduate officer and forwarding to the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Research Assistantships

Research assistantships are available to full-time graduate students pursuing the thesis option of the Applied Computing program. The primary purpose of the Research Assistant is to perform required tasks for the faculty member's own research project and may be unrelated, or loosely related, to the student's own academic pursuits. Faculty are required to complete a Graduate Student Support form to help determine the nature of the relationship between the student, the faculty researcher and/or the project through this funding opportunity.