GSI - Political Science (Winter 2026)
Job Description
How to Apply
- Interested applicants must apply for GSI through the UM Jobs portal at careers.umich.edu
- Applicants MUST also identify courses that they prefer to teach in their application materials. Applications without ranked preferences will not be considered.
- Applicants who have never taught in Michigans Dept. of Political Science, must also submit a cover letter and their CV as a single document. Please address your cover letter to the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science.
- Interested applicants please submit your materials by December 15, 2025
By indicating a course as a preference, you are also indicating that you are available to teach all sections of that course, and attend all lectures if necessary. Indicating a preference to teach a course does NOT guarantee that you will be assigned to teach that course.
Course Description
GSI positions are available for the following courses. Full course descriptions and schedules for the following courses (including sections) can be found on the LSA Course Guide.
Regular Instructional GSIs
POLSCI 101 Intro Pol Thry (LaVaque-Manty)
POLSCI 111 Intro Amer Pol (Shipan)
POLSCI 140 Int Compar Pol (Hong)
POLSCI 160 Intr World Pol (Morrow)
POLSCI 306 Amer Pol Thot: Early (Manuel)
POLSCI 314 Congress vs the Presidency (Rivers)
POLSCI 315 Media and Public Opinion (Brader)
*POLSCI 340 Governments and Politics in Western Europe (Tsebelis)
POLSCI 347 Politics and Society in Latin America (Franco)
*POLSCI 364 Public International Law (Koremenos)
POLSCI 373 Data Science for International Studies (Fariss)
*POLSCI 381 Pol Science Research (Koremenos)
POLSCI 387 Comparative Analysis of Government Institutions (Tsebelis)
POLSCI 389.002 Topics: Is the US a Democracy? (Mickey)
POLSCI 389.006 Topics: Reproduction in America: Political and Legal Perspectives (Fortson)
POLSCI 389.016 Topics: Democratic Erosion (Slater)
POLSCI 494 Seminar - Honors Proseminar (LaVaque-Manty)
*Courses that meet LSA Upper Level Writing Requirement (ULWR)
These GSI Assignments require either previous or concurrent enrollment in WRITING 993: Teaching Writing in the Disciplines. This is a 1-credit offered by the Sweetland Writing Center.
Responsibilities*
GSI Positions for Sectioned Courses
GSIs selected for the classes listed above are expected to provide general pedagogical support for the course, which may include, but is not limited to: attending lecture, teaching discussion sections, grading and commenting on papers and exams, and meeting with enrolled students during office hours. The number of sections a GSI with a full appointment (a 0.5 position) will be asked to teach depends on the structure of a course. Most appointments for undergraduate courses include two or three hour-long sections of 20-25 students per week in a full 0.5 appointment.
GSI Positions for Upper-Level Writing Requirement Courses
Some courses in the department meet as lectures, without discussion sections, but have a GSI in place to support the courses role in fulfilling the College of LSAs Upper-Level Writing Requirement (ULWR). ULWR courses require a significant amount of writing and revision, classroom instruction on writing in the discipline, and careful attendance to writing issues when discussing course assignments and in grading and commenting on papers. Duties for GSIs in ULWR courses may include, but are not limited to: attending lecture, grading and commenting extensively on papers and exams, and holding office hours to support students in developing their writing skills. First-time GSIs in ULWR courses must also enroll in the Sweetland Center for Writing's WRITING 993: Teaching Writing in the Disciplines, a one credit seminar, for fall.
GSIs are expected to be on campus and available to work no later than Wednesday, January 7, 2026 the first day of classes.
Additional Requirements
First-time GSIs teaching an LSA course are required to attend CRLT GSI Teaching Orientation.
Students who are holding a GSI position for the first time in Political Science are required to concurrently enroll in POLSCI 993 GSI training course, which will meet on selected Fridays throughout the Fall semester.
Students who will be a GSI in a ULWR course for the first time in any department must also enroll in WRITING 993. Additionally, if the language of instruction at a student's undergraduate institution was not English, the student must be evaluated by the English Language Institute (ELI) for English proficiency and either pass the GSI-OET or have this test waived by the ELI before they can be eligible for a GSI appointment in Political Science.
Required Qualifications*
All applicants must be graduate students enrolled at the University of Michigan in good academic standing.
Desired Qualifications*
The most successful applicants will have completed a graduate course in political science, have previous experience as a GSI with favorable student evaluations, and/or previous experience teaching in political science.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Contact Information
All applicants are welcome to request the status of their application at any time by contacting the Political Science Office at [email protected] or (734)764-6313.
Decision Making Process
All employment decisions will be made by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science. Doctoral students in Political Science within their funding commitment from the department will be given first priority for available positions. In the event that positions remain open after all eligible and qualified Political Science doctoral students have been hired, then the Department will move to any existing pool of external applicants. GSIs from outside the department will be selected based on the quality of their past teaching experience, the strength of their references, and also on how well their past coursework and teaching experiences have prepared them to teach the course topic of any open positions.
Selection Process
External applicants can expect to hear about initial decisions on or around December 19. While we do our best to maintain original placements, sometimes the need arises to move GSIs from one assigned course to another. Assignments may change up to the first day of classes.
Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an Employee does not receive his or her preferred assignment, he or she can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
GEO Contract Information
The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/
Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.
Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.
How to Apply
- Interested applicants must apply for GSI through the UM Jobs portal at careers.umich.edu
- Applicants MUST also identify courses that they prefer to teach in their application materials. Applications without ranked preferences will not be considered.
- Applicants who have never taught in Michigans Dept. of Political Science, must also submit a cover letter and their CV as a single document. Please address your cover letter to the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science.
- Interested applicants please submit your materials by December 15, 2025
By indicating a course as a preference, you are also indicating that you are available to teach all sections of that course, and attend all lectures if necessary. Indicating a preference to teach a course does NOT guarantee that you will be assigned to teach that course.
Course Description
GSI positions are available for the following courses. Full course descriptions and schedules for the following courses (including sections) can be found on the LSA Course Guide.
Regular Instructional GSIs
POLSCI 101 Intro Pol Thry (LaVaque-Manty)
POLSCI 111 Intro Amer Pol (Shipan)
POLSCI 140 Int Compar Pol (Hong)
POLSCI 160 Intr World Pol (Morrow)
POLSCI 306 Amer Pol Thot: Early (Manuel)
POLSCI 314 Congress vs the Presidency (Rivers)
POLSCI 315 Media and Public Opinion (Brader)
*POLSCI 340 Governments and Politics in Western Europe (Tsebelis)
POLSCI 347 Politics and Society in Latin America (Franco)
*POLSCI 364 Public International Law (Koremenos)
POLSCI 373 Data Science for International Studies (Fariss)
*POLSCI 381 Pol Science Research (Koremenos)
POLSCI 387 Comparative Analysis of Government Institutions (Tsebelis)
POLSCI 389.002 Topics: Is the US a Democracy? (Mickey)
POLSCI 389.006 Topics: Reproduction in America: Political and Legal Perspectives (Fortson)
POLSCI 389.016 Topics: Democratic Erosion (Slater)
POLSCI 494 Seminar - Honors Proseminar (LaVaque-Manty)
*Courses that meet LSA Upper Level Writing Requirement (ULWR)
These GSI Assignments require either previous or concurrent enrollment in WRITING 993: Teaching Writing in the Disciplines. This is a 1-credit offered by the Sweetland Writing Center.
Responsibilities*
GSI Positions for Sectioned Courses
GSIs selected for the classes listed above are expected to provide general pedagogical support for the course, which may include, but is not limited to: attending lecture, teaching discussion sections, grading and commenting on papers and exams, and meeting with enrolled students during office hours. The number of sections a GSI with a full appointment (a 0.5 position) will be asked to teach depends on the structure of a course. Most appointments for undergraduate courses include two or three hour-long sections of 20-25 students per week in a full 0.5 appointment.
GSI Positions for Upper-Level Writing Requirement Courses
Some courses in the department meet as lectures, without discussion sections, but have a GSI in place to support the courses role in fulfilling the College of LSAs Upper-Level Writing Requirement (ULWR). ULWR courses require a significant amount of writing and revision, classroom instruction on writing in the discipline, and careful attendance to writing issues when discussing course assignments and in grading and commenting on papers. Duties for GSIs in ULWR courses may include, but are not limited to: attending lecture, grading and commenting extensively on papers and exams, and holding office hours to support students in developing their writing skills. First-time GSIs in ULWR courses must also enroll in the Sweetland Center for Writing's WRITING 993: Teaching Writing in the Disciplines, a one credit seminar, for fall.
GSIs are expected to be on campus and available to work no later than Wednesday, January 7, 2026 the first day of classes.
Additional Requirements
First-time GSIs teaching an LSA course are required to attend CRLT GSI Teaching Orientation.
Students who are holding a GSI position for the first time in Political Science are required to concurrently enroll in POLSCI 993 GSI training course, which will meet on selected Fridays throughout the Fall semester.
Students who will be a GSI in a ULWR course for the first time in any department must also enroll in WRITING 993. Additionally, if the language of instruction at a student's undergraduate institution was not English, the student must be evaluated by the English Language Institute (ELI) for English proficiency and either pass the GSI-OET or have this test waived by the ELI before they can be eligible for a GSI appointment in Political Science.
Required Qualifications*
All applicants must be graduate students enrolled at the University of Michigan in good academic standing.
Desired Qualifications*
The most successful applicants will have completed a graduate course in political science, have previous experience as a GSI with favorable student evaluations, and/or previous experience teaching in political science.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Contact Information
All applicants are welcome to request the status of their application at any time by contacting the Political Science Office at [email protected] or (734)764-6313.
Decision Making Process
All employment decisions will be made by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science. Doctoral students in Political Science within their funding commitment from the department will be given first priority for available positions. In the event that positions remain open after all eligible and qualified Political Science doctoral students have been hired, then the Department will move to any existing pool of external applicants. GSIs from outside the department will be selected based on the quality of their past teaching experience, the strength of their references, and also on how well their past coursework and teaching experiences have prepared them to teach the course topic of any open positions.
Selection Process
External applicants can expect to hear about initial decisions on or around December 19. While we do our best to maintain original placements, sometimes the need arises to move GSIs from one assigned course to another. Assignments may change up to the first day of classes.
Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an Employee does not receive his or her preferred assignment, he or she can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
GEO Contract Information
The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/
Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.
Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.
About University of Michigan
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- Values guide our choices and actions. From how we hire and promote, make decisions, educate, conduct research, provide care, and treat one another. We strive to ensure the following values reflect who we are and what we stand for.
- Integrity - We act with honesty and take responsibility for our actions.
- Respect - We act in a way that acknowledges the humanity and contributions of each individual.
- Inclusion- We create an environment where all can participate, are invited to contribute, and have a sense of belonging.
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- Diversity - We welcome, acknowledge and appreciate our similarities and differences.
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More about Working at U-M
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