The University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI) is a progressive, interdisciplinary school offering a Bachelor of Science in Information, a Master of Science in Information, a Master of Health Informatics, a Master of Applied Data Science, and a Ph.D. in Information. The School?s mission is to create and share knowledge so that people will use information ? with technology ? to build a better world. The intellectual diversity of faculty, staff, and students reflects the broad range of social and technological sciences that comprise UMSI?s unique approach to solving information problems.
UMSI offers a variety of courses with large enrollments (50 or more students) in the fall semesters. In these courses, instructional teams led by lead Faculty Instructor(s) facilitate lectures, conduct small group discussion sections, and provide feedback and grades on student assignments. Course Assistants serve as members of one or more instructional teams, with the primary role of providing feedback on assignments and/or grading.
Fall 2025 Course Assistants will be assigned to the instructional team in one or more UMSI courses based on the match between skill/experience and one or more of the courses? knowledge domains.
- UMSI offers undergraduate and graduate-level courses that explore the theoretical, cultural, and practical fundamentals of information studies, including value-sensitive technology uses and impacts, the ethics of new and emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary problem-solving and team-based project management techniques for information problems.
- UMSI courses in UX (user experience) qualitative research and design impart knowledge of what end users of a system or product need and want, then employ those insights to enhance the design process for products, services, or software. Course Assistants supporting UX-oriented courses must have sufficient knowledge to assess the accuracy and completeness of gradable assignments.
- UMSI emphasizes the importance of basic and advanced knowledge of object-oriented programming languages, particularly Python. In addition to achieving proficiency in programming, students acquire the ability to ?show their work? and explain the reasoning behind applying programming concepts in specific problem settings. Course Assistants supporting programming courses must have sufficient programming knowledge and the ability to provide feedback on assignments.
- Technical writing skills: UMSI courses often require students to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to demonstrate learning through multiple self-directed assignments. Course Assistants supporting courses emphasizing technical writing should have the skills and experience to provide concise, value-neutral, and objective written feedback on written assignments, including guidance on revision.