Graduate Assistant - Kinesiology, MS - Teaching - Fall 2026
Description
Graduate assistant (GA) duties are tailored to individual strengths; however, all candidates must be capable of instructing students in exercise science theory across both classroom and practical laboratory environments. Selected assistants will receive formal teaching mentorship during the fall semester. Additionally, candidates must be comfortable fulfilling research assistant responsibilities, as active participation in research is expected. Applicants should explicitly outline their relevant strengths in their cover letter. Please note that applications must be entirely complete upon submission, including all transcripts and official letters of recommendation, as no modifications or supplementary documents can be added afterward.
Examples of Duties
Duties Include:
- The preparation and delivery of academic lectures
- The development of objective grading rubrics
- The timely evaluation of student coursework
- Provide academic support through regularly scheduled weekly office hours and collaborate closely with lead faculty to ensure weekly lesson plans align with established course learning objectives
- Leading the technical setup and calibration of equipment for classroom and guest demonstrations, facilitating practical laboratory sections, enforcing rigorous safety and regulatory compliance standards, and managing student data with strict confidentiality
- Actively support participant recruitment and screening, execute data collection protocols, and maintain precise data entry records
Typical Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor's Degree Required
Currently admitted to a UCM graduate degree program
Must be fully admitted to and actively enrolled in the Kinesiology, MS program
3.0 or higher graduate level GPA if previous graduate level courses have been taken
2.7 or higher undergraduate level GPA if no previous graduate level courses have been taken
Experience:
- A foundational background in exercise science or a closely aligned discipline is required, and applicants must demonstrate undergraduate competency in core areas, including exercise physiology, biomechanics, human anatomy and physiology, and evidence-based exercise prescription.
- While prior exposure to or practical training with human performance instrumentation (e.g., metabolic cart, electromyography systems, force plates, cycle ergometers, anthropometric assessment tools) is advantageous, it is not a prerequisite for selection. Individuals assigned to departmental research initiatives will be required to successfully complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative
Supplemental Information
GA Type: Teaching
GA Hour Expectations: 20 hours a week
Start Date of Position: 8/10/2026
End Date of Position: 12/11/2026
Total Stipend for Semester: $4,950
Working Days & Hours: M-F, 8:00-5:00, 20 hours per week
Scholarship: Students filling a Graduate Assistantship (GA) position are eligible to receive a graduate tuition waiver, a graduate non-resident tuition waiver (if applicable), and a graduate mandatory fees waiver. The scholarships are in the form of a waiver and the funds are not deposited into the student’s personal account. Instead, the student’s bill is reduced by the amount of the scholarship awarded. If the maximum amount of the scholarship is not used, the remainder is not paid to the student in any form and unused scholarship money cannot be carried over to another semester. The scholarship is applied to graduate level courses only; courses taken for undergraduate credit are not eligible to be covered by the GA scholarship. The non-resident fee scholarship only applies to classes taken on the UCM Warrensburg campus. The maximum scholarship amounts are based on the size of assistantship held. For a full (20-hour per week) assistantship, the scholarship covers tuition costs and mandatory fees up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework per semester. Graduate assistantship positions less than full will be prorated accordingly.
Special Instructions:
Full-time staff & 12-month faculty benefits-eligible position: Benefits include competitive salary; health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability; 3 weeks paid vacation per year; 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year; 13 paid holidays; retirement; and generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM.
9-month faculty benefits-eligible position: Benefits include competitive salary; health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability; 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year; 13 paid holidays; retirement; and generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM.
Part-time benefits-eligible positions: Benefits include generous education assistance for the employee.
Temporary, adjunct, student employment, or graduate assistant positions: Benefits are not included.
Completed UCM online application for employment required. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
A review will begin immediately and continue until filled unless indicated otherwise.
NOTE: A background check is required for the selected candidate of all staff, faculty, adjunct, and temporary positions and any job offer is contingent on the results of this check. Student employees and graduate assistants do not require a background check to be conducted prior to employment.
The University of Central Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
