Undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) Program

Empowering UCLA undergraduates to lead, teach, and support fellow STEM students.

Applications Now Open for Fall 2026

Deadlines:
Due Aug. 10 for LCCs
Priority deadline of Aug. 17 for all other applicants

WHAT DO WE ASK OF LEARNING ASSISTANTS (LAs)?

1. NEW LA PEDAGOGY SEMINAR

1.5-hour Pedagogy Seminar taught by Dr. Shaked and the LA Program Instructional Team + 1.5 hrs/wk reading and time to write weekly reflections and work on course projects.

2. CONTENT MEETING

LAs meet weekly with their Content Course Instructor and Content Course TAs to discuss the material being covered in Discussion and/or Lab sections for that week.

3. LECTURE, LAB AND/OR DISCUSSION SECTION

LAs spend 2–6 hours per week facilitating collaborative learning in Lecture, Lab and/or Discussion Sections.

4. OFFICE HOURS OR DISCUSSION FORUM

LAs spend 1–3 hours per week supporting students in TA- or instructor-led office hours, on course discussion forums, or in Review Sessions.

5. LA FINAL PROJECT

LAs synthesize what they have learned into a final project intended for a specific audience, such as a Letter to a New LA or a letter to the course instructor.

Thinking of Applying? You Don’t Need to Be an Expert!

LAs are peer facilitators, not TAs. Here is why you should consider applying:

You Don’t Need to Be an Expert!

We often hear that LAs were hesitant to apply until a friend emphasized that they DO NOT need to be content experts! You’re an LA, NOT a TA.

You get a Lot of Support!

LAs get weekly meetings to review material and ask questions of fellow LAs and instructors. And you can always ask a TA for help in section!

We love having LAs who struggled in the course!

If you struggled in your course, you’ll be able to better empathize with and support other struggling students.

BENEFITS OF THE LEARNING ASSISTANT PROGRAM

How Do LAs Benefit?

  1. LAs learn evidence-based teaching techniques in a weekly pedagogy seminar to help other students learn more effectively. LAs increase their course content knowledge, along with their communication and interpersonal skills.

  2. LAs receive upper-division units for their work in the program and can receive this credit up to 4 times. This counts towards your UCLA upper-division GPA and upper-division unit requirement.

  3. Returning LAs are able to apply for LA Course Coordinator (LCC) positions (a paid position) as well as Pedagogy Head LA Positions.

How Do Students Benefit?

  1. In LA-supported courses, students get extra help in lecture and discussion, extremely fast responses to questions posted on the discussion forum, and additional office hours each week. LAs also help students engage in discussion to increase student critical reasoning and facilitate student group collaboration. Moreover, the LAs are often seen as more accessible and approachable.

  2. A recent PLOS article found that peer-led team learning (i.e. having peers facilitate group problem-solving in a manner similar to that of LAs) helps under-represented minority students succeed in STEM classes.

Hear From a UCLA LA

“Check out this video diary by LS30 LA Chimerika Stephanie Aneke reflecting on her experiences and growth during her first quarter in the program.”

Read Program Growth Summary (PDF)
COME JOIN THE LA PROGRAM PEDAGOGY SEMINAR

Frequently Asked Questions

You can learn more about the LA (Learning Assistant) Program here: https://ceils.ucla.edu/learning-communities-trainings/learning-assistant-program/

WHAT WE ASK OF YOU:

  1. New LAs attend seminar for 1.5 hr/wk (Tuesdays 3:30-4:45 PM).
  2. All LAs complete 1.5-2 hr/wk of assignments.
  3. Your time commitment is 9 hr/wk for 3 units and 12 hr/wk for 4 units.

WHAT WE OFFER:

Opportunities to build communication and facilitation skills, support peer learning, master course content, interact with instructors, and earn upper-division letter-graded units.

If you’re still uncertain about whether or not to apply, especially if you don’t yet feel qualified, we encourage you to go ahead and apply!

Many LAs who didn’t expect to get in were pleasantly surprised to be welcomed to the program, since we focus more on the capacity for growth than grades or teaching experience.

Interested in being an LA?

See the buttons at the top for the current state of applications.

Please note that all new LAs must be able to attend the Pedagogy Seminar on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:45pm (mandatory requirement for all new LAs)

As a campus with a continually growing diverse student body, we encourage applications from individuals with a commitment to mentoring under-represented demographics in the sciences.

General LA Program Application Timeline (Fall Quarter)

Weeks before quarter Head LA Applicants New + Returning LA Applicants
August 3rd Applications open  
August 11th LCCs selected  
September 22nd Head LA Orientation LA acceptances sent out
September 24th Thurs. 3:30-4:45 pm   New LA Orientation for following quarter

 

General LA Program Application Timeline (Winter / Spring Quarters)

Weeks before quarter Head LA Applicants New + Returning LA Applicants
6 weeks (e.g. Wk 5 of preceding quarter) Applications open  
4-5 weeks (e.g. Wk 7) LCCs selected  
2-3 weeks (e.g. Wk 10) Head LA Orientation LA acceptances sent out
Wk 10 Tues. 3:30-4:45 pm   New LA Orientation for following quarter

 

The program consists of the following weekly commitments:

  • 1 credit pedagogy seminar co-taught by Dr. Shaked, Dr. Parker, and/or other STEM faculty (1.25 hour seminar + 2 hr/wk reading and time to write weekly reflections and work on course projects)
  • 1-2 hours weekly meeting with instructor(s) and TAs to go over content and likely misconceptions for following week
  • 2-6 hours of the following: attend lecture, lab and/or discussion sections to foster collaborative learning
  • 1-3 office hours with TAs
  • 1-2 hours of other tasks (e.g. looking ahead at lectures or homework; responding to questions on discussion board)

New LAs are asked to commit at least 9 hr/wk (for 3 units) and ideally 12 hr/wk (for 4 units).

In the pedagogy seminar, we will go over the theory of learning and strategies that will help increase student learning. This includes weekly readings, reflections, and projects that LAs spend an average of 2 hr/wk on. The seminar includes LAs from across the sciences, math and computer science.

Here is a detailed table of weekly expectations for each type of LA.

For more information, check out the Pedagogy Seminar Syllabus.

The courses participating in the LA program varies each quarter, but so far we have had LAs helping in the following courses:

  • Chemical Engineering 101A/101B
  • Chemistry 14A/14B/14C/14D
  • Chemistry 20A/B, 30A/B/C
  • Chemistry 153A/B/C & 153L
  • Computer Science 30/31/32/33/35L
  • Math 31A/B, 32A, 33A/B, 115
  • Physics 1A/1B/1C
  • Physics 5A/5B/5C
  • Physics 5AL/5BL/5CL
  • Life Sciences 7A/7B/7C
  • Life Sciences 7L
  • Life Sciences 30 A/B
  • Life Sciences 40
  • Psychology 10, 116 A/B
  • Statistics 10
  • Statistics 100 A/B/C

Yes! If you have taken at least a similar course, whether it’s with a different instructor, a different class listing, and/or at another institution (i.e., a Community College), then feel free to mark the course as one of your choices in the application.

Certain instructors decide to only take LAs who have had them as an instructor. You are welcome to try reaching out to the instructor before applying. NOTE: Even if the instructor is positive, this interaction does not guarantee you an offer into the program!

The LA program focuses on benefiting South Campus undergraduates and supporting faculty teaching large introductory science, math & engineering courses.

We generally do not have volunteers in the LA Program because part of our mission is to foster reflective learning facilitators, which involves the reflections, observations, and feedback that are part of being for-credit LAs.

We HAVE tried to accommodate volunteers in the past, but many volunteers aren’t as reliable as for-credit LAs (because their coursework and other commitments are understandably higher priority to them), and we’ve learned that we don’t have the bandwidth to manage scheduling and other logistics around such folks.

NOTE: But instructors are welcome to take on Volunteers (not “Volunteer LAs”) to supplement their LAs if the instructor wants to manage them, without the assistance of the LCC.

No, unfortunately, due to time constraints with content and sections, you are only able to LA for one class per quarter. Each quarter you are able to submit your preferences for courses you are interested in LA-ing for

Unfortunately, no. The pedagogy seminar teaches LAs evidence-based teaching practices that are essential to facilitating active learning in the classroom. The LA program and pedagogy seminar are ongoing, so you can always apply to be an LA another quarter. Pedagogy Seminar is Tuesdays 3:30-4:45PM and we aim to keep this time consistent every quarter so that you can plan accordingly!

Click here to see a list of on- and off-campus opportunities, for credit and paid, while a student and for recent grads!

Please look at our FAQ document for additional questions. If your question is not covered, please email us at uclalearningassistants@gmail.com.

Are you an instructor? See how to integrate LAs into your class

LEARN MORE