Financial Support

While evaluating applications for admission the faculty consider the viability of nominating top applicants in a  campus-wide competition for multi-year fellowships. We have resources within the Humanities Division of the College of Letters and Science, the Institute for European Studies, Townsend Center and applicable research units to which we also nominate potential admits.  The department also has a limited amount of resources available dedicated solely to graduate student funding. Admission offers of support are made only when the results of various nominations have been announced. Continuing students participate in a funding “renewal” cycle each year.

Each February all continuing students are asked to submit a detailed statement of their progress toward the degree and specific requests for funding in the following year to the Graduate Committee (composed of all active-duty, tenure-line faculty in the Department). At this time the Graduate Committee will assess each student’s standing in the program and will direct the Graduate Adviser to take appropriate action in cases where progress is less than satisfactory. Support will be allocated based on Departmental funding priorities and as resources permit. Prior written commitments for funding, with the proviso of satisfactory progress toward the degree, have first priority. The Continuing Progress and Funding form is in the FORMS section of the site. We also entertain applications for funding from students outside the department; forms for students outside Italian Studies are also located in the FORMS section.

Graduate Funding Priorities

Applications for funding through the Department of Italian Studies (in the form of GSIships, GSRships, and/or fellowships) are prioritized as follows:

• students to whom written commitments of support have been made made in the Department’s original offer letter;
• M.A./Ph.D students in the first five years of the program and Ph.D only students in the first four years of the program, with satisfactory progress toward the degree;
• M.A./Ph.D students in their 6th year and Ph.D only students in the fifth year of the program, with satisfactory progress toward the degree;
• All others, based on length of enrollment in the program and progress toward degree.

Please note the following qualifiers:

–Students who have not advanced to candidacy within Normative Time (4 years) are considered to be making insufficient progress toward the degree and fall to the lowest priority.

–Students who are eligible for the Dissertation Completion Fellowship and do not take it (unless to accept another fellowship), will be given the lowest priority. Exceptions can be requested for cause either by the student or by the Department.

–Department traveling fellowships for study or research are available by application. Applicants must offer a detailed justification for the fellowship. Priority will be based on excellence of the proposal and prior funding history. Applications will not be considered if the candidate has access to similar fellowship support from other sources or if she or he has not made a good faith effort to seek funding from such sources.

—M.A. / Ph.D. students beyond the sixth year and Ph.D. only students beyond the fifth year will be funded only if the candidate has made a good faith effort to obtain support from external granting agencies.

—Written commitments of support apply to the years specifically designated in the original offer letter. Such support may not be deferred until later years unless a waiver based on exceptional circumstances has been obtained from the graduate committee.

Teaching is an essential part of graduate training, and a teaching portfolio is increasingly required as part of applications for academic positions. The GSI Teaching and Resource Center is a valuable source of information and support.  We are committed to training students in the most recent methods of language pedagogy and, to the extent possible, to providing them with diverse teaching opportunities. Requests are made in every  February for the coming academic year.  This is part of the annual cycle of Continued Progress and Funding and the form used is found in the FORMS section of this site. There are opportunities for teaching during the summer as well as during the regular academic year.

Below are the general criteria for the selection and ranking of Graduate Student Instructors:

University requirements for teaching appointments

• A GPA of at least 3.1
• No more than 2 incomplete grades in upper or division or graduate level classes.
• Registered and enrolled in a minimum of 8 units, or 12 units if the salary, stipend, and/or fees are supplemented with department funds.
• All students who are not native speakers of English must pass a test of proficiency in spoken English before they can hold any GSI position.  You must submit proof of passing the proficiency exam to the Department before you can be hired.  (For more information on these exams visit the GSI Resource Center at 301 Sproul or https://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/language-proficiency/).
• All non-U.S. citizens must have a valid visa for the time period in which they will be teaching.  You must provide a copy of this document before you can be hired.
• There is a limit of 8 semesters of service as a GSI. By exception students may be appointed beyond the 8th semester if they have been advanced to candidacy for the PhD and have the approval of their head graduate adviser.  There is an absolute maximum of 6 years of GSI appointments that cannot be exceeded, even by exception.

Departmental requirements for selection                                                            

• Good academic standing and normal progress in the degree program.
• For language teachers: Superior knowledge of the Italian language to be determined by the department Chair and the Director of the Language Program, using oral and written evaluations as necessary; successful completion of Italian 375 or equivalent (required of all first-time language instructors).
• For literature, culture and film courses: Senior standing in the Ph.D. program (usually advancement to candidacy) and the approval of the Chair in consultation with the Graduate Adviser and the Department faculty.
• For GSIs assisting in a large lecture course: Significant prior classroom experience, specialized academic training in the subject being taught and the approval of the Chair in consultation with the Graduate Adviser and the Department faculty.
• For reappointment of GSIs: demonstrated teaching ability as assessed by student and faculty evaluations, including direct observation by the appropriate faculty supervisor.  Reappointment is never automatic.

Priority for hiring

• Italian Studies Department students with guaranteed teaching support packages, assuming they meet the criteria outlined above.
• Other qualified students in Italian Studies who have 5 years or less in the M.A./PhD. Program or 4 years in the Ph.D. only program.
• Other qualified students in Italian Studies who have not yet exceeded 6 years in the M.A./Ph.D Program or 5 years in the Ph.D only program.
• Qualified students from Comparative Literature and other Departments with significant academic interests in Italian Studies.
• Qualified instructors of Italian language from other Departments without a significant academic interest in Italian Studies.

Job Description

The duties of GSIs depend on the particular course assignment, but generally include the following:

1. For language teachers:

• Teach one section (5 hours weekly; Italian Studies 1G 3 hours weekly)
• Hold office hours (2 hours weekly and by appointment)
• Prepare and assist in the preparation of supplemental material and examinations
• Correct and grade examinations
• Meetings and other contact with the language program coordinator

1. For GSIs assisting in a large lecture course:

• Teach a maximum of 60 students in three discussion sections
• Attend all lectures by the course professor and consult with her/him regularly
• Assist in the devising and grading of paper topics and examinations
• Hold office hours (2 hours weekly and by appointment)

III. For literature, culture and film courses:

• Carry out necessary preparation for class meetings
• Meet course at regularly scheduled times (3 hours per week)
• Hold office hours (2 hours weekly and by appointment)
• Devise and grade paper assignments and examinations
• Meet regularly with course supervisor

All of these activities are carried out under the active direction of a regular member of the faculty to whom final responsibility for all courses, including the performance of GSIs, has been assigned.  Graduate Student Instructors are not required to submit monthly timesheets in order to receive pay but you may find it useful to keep track of your weekly hours in order to pace your effort for each of the major duties of your appointment. We urge you to promptly consult with your instructor if you find yourself unable to meet the obligations of this appointment without exceeding the overall workload limits of this appointment. Your instructor will provide you with more specific guidance on the measures or approaches you can take to stay within the expected workload limits. Please refer to the UAW contract for specific information about workload limits.  https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/bx/contract.html

First-time GSIs must attend the Teaching Conference for new GSIs offered by the Teaching and Resource Center each semester on the Friday before classes begin.  International GSIs must also attend the teaching conference for new international GSIs offered in the fall semester on the Thursday before classes begin.

First-time GSIs must successfully complete an online course on professional standards and ethics in teaching by the end of the second week of classes.  To enroll in the online course, go to http://gsi.berkeley.edu/.

• Language GSIs
  • First-time Language GSIs are required to enroll in a 375 course (Seminar in Language Pedagogy) in the fall, and also in Italian Studies 302.
  • In subsequent semesters, Language GSIs should enroll in Italian Studies 302 (a teaching practicum involving regular consultation).
• Reading and Composition GSIs
  • First time Reading and Composition GSIs are required to enroll in an R&C Pedagogy course (College Writing 375, Comparative Literature 375 for example) prior to or concurrent with the first semester teaching the 5A/5B course, and Italian Studies 303 also.
  • In subsequent semesters, R&C GSIs should enroll in Italian Studies 303 with the R&C supervisor.
• GSIs for IS 40 or upper-division courses will enroll in Italian Studies 303 under the supervision of the instructor of record for the course.

GSIs are responsible for reporting their absences from campus and missed work assignments to the faculty member in charge. It is the responsibility of the GSI to contact their substitute.

According to the Faculty Code of Conduct, those who have responsibility for teaching are expected to evaluate student work in a timely manner, post and keep regular office hours open to students without prior appointments, and ensure that grades directly reflect course performance.  Unacceptable conduct includes, among other activities, intentional disruption of functions or activities sponsored or authorized by the University, and unauthorized use of University resources on a significant scale for personal, commercial, political, or religious purposes.  The Standing Orders of the Regents state that no compensation shall be paid to those holding University appointments unless they are actively engaged in the service of the University.