Teaching Requirements
First and second year students are not permitted to hold teaching fellow appointments.
PhD students are awarded a financial support package at admission that includes guaranteed teaching (two sections per term) for four terms. This teaching is guaranteed and enables PhD students to participate in Harvard’s undergraduate tutorial program, teach sections in the introductory government courses, or assist undergraduates in middle-group courses by leading discussion sessions or directing senior theses. All graduate students will normally be required to teach a minimum of two sections in departmental courses sometime during the period that they are in residence.
In the third year, most teaching fellows devote two-fifths time to teaching, the remainder to work on the dissertation. The fourth year may be devoted entirely to writing the dissertation or to a combination of teaching and research. Students who have passed the general examination may teach three-fifths time for four years, with the following exception: those who have taught fewer than sixteen term-fifths may be appointed in a fifth year up to that total.
All first time Teaching Fellows must enroll in Gov 3002: Teaching and Communicating Political Science. This is a required course for Government PhD students who are teaching in the department for the first time (typically G3s). The course meets in both the fall and spring semesters. Between meetings, you will have the chance to apply what you learn through peer observation, having your section videotaped, and watching your section with the Departmental Teaching Fellow. The ultimate goal of this course is to help you to become a good teacher and an effective speaker.