Welcome to

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Public Health
Department of Epidemiology
(Andrew F. Olshan, Ph.D., Chair)

TA Central: Information for teaching assistants

Learn while you teach – be a teaching assistant in the Department of Epidemiology

Graduate teaching assistants (TA's) play vital roles in the instructional program in the Department of Epidemiology and gain experience that is invaluable for their own professional development as well. Epidemiology graduate students assist in a variety of courses, both within and outside the Department, and in a variety of roles.

Read what students are saying about Epidemiology teaching assistants

Epidemiology courses that use teaching assistants

The following courses have been approved as suitable for fulfillment of the doctoral teaching requirement for the Department.

Courses satisfying the doctoral teaching requirement

In order for a course to satisfy the Department's doctoral program requirement for teaching experience, it must be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in respect to the nature of the subject matter of the course, the nature of the duties of the teaching assistant, and the provision of supervision and mentoring by the course faculty.

Sidney Kark Award for Distinguished Teaching Assistant

The Sidney Kark Award for Distinguished Teaching Assistant, named after one of the founders of the Department, was established in 1992 to honor students who show an outstanding commitment to teaching through their performance as Teaching Assistants. Many epidemiology students serve well in this capacity, and the award is intended to honor them by recognizing one who is selected as outstanding in her/his ability to relate to students, adeptness in communication, and passion for teaching. Consideration is also be given to exceptional/meritorious TA contributions which are outside a particular course, such as participation/leadership in training of other TAs, introducing technological advances in teaching, etc. The award also serves to remind us all of the importance of teaching in the mission of the School of Public Health. [nominate a TA]

Resources and materials at UNC

The University has many resources available to help you to become a better teacher and to assist you with the duties of being a teaching assistant. Two of particular interest are

• UNC Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) – an excellent resource for information about University policies and for diverse resources related to teaching in higher education. Their publications page (link) includes a set of short guides on key aspects of teaching (link).
  
  
• UNC Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) – provides information and assistance in using websites, Blackboard, and other technologies..

Several other helpful resources are (1) www.epidemiolog.net, which includes Understanding the fundamentals of epidemiology: an evolving text (a web-published “evolving” textbook, which is currently being translated into Spanish), a list of published textbooks, past examinations from EPID 168, and numerous website links; (2) Epidemiology On-line (an on-line source for epidemologic-related educational materials including: a bi-monthly epidemiology newsletter and on-line short courses), (3) North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness Training Website (with numerous audio tutorials including most of the lectures from EPID600), and (4) Data Skills On-line (modules for self-directed learning on various epidemiology-related topics including primary data collection, questionnaire design, geographical information systems, quantitative and qualitative research, web design, using spreadsheets, and finding public health data).

People to know

Victor J. Schoenbach, Associate Professor, Departmental TA Coordinator [web] [email]

Nancy Colvin, Assistant to the Chair for Graduate Studies [email]

Student TA Liaison to CTL [your name here!?]

Updated 4/30/2004, 5/29/2004, 6/9/2004, 2/12/2005vs, 8/15/2006vs