Updated 8/24/2023
The teaching requirement in the MCB Graduate Program is fulfilled by participating as a teaching assistant for one semester during the second year.
Graduate students must participate in all training activities organized by the professor responsible for teaching the class in which they are assigned as teaching assistants. Many graduate students will gain excellent experience through participation in teaching events offered by the Sheridan Center throughout the year including consultations, workshops, and teaching certificate programs.
The program will collect student preferences for teaching assignments during the spring of their first year and assignments will be made that summer. The teaching requirement may be fulfilled only by assisting in a course in which the teaching assistants conduct discussion or laboratory sections. The faculty member in charge of the course is responsible for providing feedback and suggestions to the graduate assistants on their teaching performance at least twice during each semester.
English Language Proficiency for Students Whose First Language is not English
Brown University requires that all international teaching assistants whose first language is not English must be evaluated and certified as proficient in English before they are allowed to teach. It is inherent upon each international student to schedule an evaluation with the ESL office upon arrival at Brown and to accomplish the required proficiency within the first year of graduate studies. If the student's command of spoken English does not meet this proficiency, the student must enroll in the appropriate ESL course(s) recommended by the office of English for International Teaching Assistants.
To schedule an English proficiency evaluation, please submit a completed English Proficiency Evaluation Request Form to Jill Stewart.
English Language Courses: The non-credit English language courses (listed in Banner as English for Internationals or EINT) are designed for international graduate students who require English language certification before serving as teaching assistants in their departments. Placement in all EINT courses is determined by the English proficiency evaluation. Click here for EINT course descriptions.