“It is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” — Charles Darwin

Application for Teaching Assistants

The current application window is for the fall 2023 semester

Note, however, that initial review of applications takes place before the end of this window, typically by about week 11 or earlier of the preceding semester. If in doubt about the review date, check with Dr. Cullum before applying.

Important information

  • Students from any major may apply to be Biology teaching assistants. Sophomores are welcome to apply, but most students accepted are juniors and seniors.
  • Successful applicants are expected to register for BIO 490 (one credit-hour course for lab TAs) or 492 (lecture TAs), one credit-hour courses relating to your work as a teaching assistant. All TAs must register for one of these courses regardless of major.
  • Biology majors with two semesters of BIO 490 credit (or with BIO 490 credit for two different lab courses in one semester) may use BIO 490 in place of one of the four upper-division lab courses required for the major.

Application procedure

  • All fields in bold should be filled in. Other fields should be completed as relevant. If you are interested in TAing an upper-division course, it is generally wise to contact the instructor to discuss the position.
  • You should receive an email confirming your application. If you do not, or if you have other questions about TAships and the application process, please contact Dr. Cullum: acullum@creighton.edu.
  • The department will contact you after we have reviewed the applications. Please be aware that a variety of factors, including applicants’ schedules, determines which inviduals eventually fill our available positions.

      • Contact Information

      First Name: Last Name:
      Primary Email: Primary Phone:
      NetID:    

      Academic Information

      Your current year: Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate
      Major: Second Major: Minor:
      Overall GPA:        

      Note: If no major has been declared, please put “None”. Your overall GPA can be found in NEST.

      Biology Courses

      • A complete list of your coursework is important in our evaluation of your application.
      • For each biology or support course you have taken or are taking at Creighton, please select the semester and the grade you received. For current courses, use midterm grades if known, otherwise enter “IP” (for “in progress”). If you did not take a course, please leave all the fields for that course blank.
      • For courses you took somewhere other than Creighton, find the closest equivalent course in the list and choose “Elsewhere” from the semester dropdown. Choose the appropriate grade if you took the course at another college, or “N/A” if you received AP credit or equivalent.
      • Courses that require TAs display radio buttons for teaching preferences. Please indicate those course(s) you would want to teach, those you could teach if needed, and any courses you would not be willing to teach. You can also select a single top choice, if desired.
      • The General Biology courses are currently transitioning from course numbers 211 & 212 to 201 & 202 (for lecture) and 205 & 206 (for lab). Please indicate the course you actually took when indicating the semester and grade, but use the new course numbers to indicate the lab (or lecture) you wish to TA.
      Course Title Semester
      Taken       		Grade Top Choice Want to
      Teach       		If necessary Not Willing
      to Teach
      BIO 201 General Biology: Organismal and Population
      BIO 202 General Biology: Cell and Molecular
      BIO 205 General Biology: Organismal and Population Laboratory
      BIO 206 General Biology: Cell and Molecular Laboratory      
      BIO 311 Biostatistics
      BIO 315 Foundations of Ecology & Evolution      
      BIO 317 Genetics
      BIO 318 Genetics Laboratory
      BIO 335 Zoology
      BIO 341 Botany
      BIO 350 Fundamentals of Microbiology
      BIO 362 Cell Structure and Function
      BIO 363 Cell Structure and Function Laboratory      
      BIO 371 Animal Behavior      
      BIO 372 Animal Behavior Laboratory      
      BIO 383 Vertebrate Natural History      
      BIO 384 Vertebrate Natural History Laboratory      
      BIO 415 Evolution      
      BIO 419 Molecular Genetics Laboratory      
      BIO 425 Development of Biological Thought
      BIO 432 Immunology      
      BIO 433 Vertebrate Comparative Anatomy      
      BIO 439 Parasitology      
      BIO 449 Physiology
      BIO 450 Animal Physiology Laboratory
      BIO 451 Microbiology      
      BIO 452 Microbiology      
      BIO 453 Microbiology Lab      
      BIO 460 Environmental Remote Sensing      
      BIO 461 Entomology      
      BIO 462 Neurobiology      
      BIO 463 Neurobiology Laboratory
      BIO 464 Neurobiology of Disease      
      BIO 467 Developmental Biology
      BIO 471 Conservation Biology      
      BIO 481 Terrestrial Ecology
      BIO 485 Marine and Freshwater Ecology      
      BIO 486 Freshwater Ecology Laboratory
      BIO 501 Bioinformatics      
      BIO 517 Current Topics in Genetics      
      BIO 520 Genomes and Chromosomes      
      BIO 532 Current Topics in Cellular and Molecular Biology      
      BIO 539 Ecology of Zoonotic Diseases      
      BIO 541 Advanced Topics in Plant Biology      
      BIO 545 Plant Diversity and Evolution      
      BIO 549 Environmental Physiology      
      BIO 559 Current Topics in Physiology      
      BIO 567 Current Topics in Neuroscience      
      BIO 580 Current Topics in Ecology      
      CHM 203 General Chemistry I      
      CHM 204 General Chemistry Laboratory I      
      CHM 205 General Chemistry II      
      CHM 206 General Chemistry Laboratory II      
      CHM 321 Organic Chemistry I      
      CHM 322 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I      
      CHM 323 Organic Chemistry II      
      CHM 324 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II      
      CHM 371 Biochemistry of Metabolism      
      PHY 201 General Physics for the Life Sciences I      
      PHY 202 General Physics for the Life Sciences II      
      PHY 202 General Physics Laboratory I      
      PHY 206 General Physics Laboratory II      
      PHY 353 Introduction to Biological Physics      

      Number of Sections Requested

      Indicate the maximum number of sections you are interested in TAing in the upcoming semester(s).

      Fall:    1    2

      Additional Comments

      Use the space below to include any additional information that you believe could be important in reviewing your application or determining your assignment. (This is not a request for a cover letter! Many applicants will not have a need to add anything here. If you do provide information, please be specific and concise. 500 character maximum.)

      Please be sure your application is complete and accurate before submission!

      Please address questions or problems concerning this page to Dr. Cullum: acullum@creighton.edu.