diff --git a/app/models/course.rb b/app/models/course.rb
index 9e70ccf7..a7948ce5 100644
--- a/app/models/course.rb
+++ b/app/models/course.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ class Course < ApplicationRecord
   validates :name, presence: true
   validates :directory_path, presence: true
   has_many :ta_mappings, dependent: :destroy
-  has_many :tas, through: :ta_mappings
+  has_many :tas, through: :ta_mappings, source: :ta
 
   # Returns the submission directory for the course
   def path
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ def path
   def add_ta(user)
     if user.nil?
       return { success: false, message: "The user with id #{user.id} does not exist" }
-    elsif TaMapping.exists?(ta_id: user.id, course_id: id)
+    elsif TaMapping.exists?(user_id: user.id, course_id: id)
       return { success: false, message: "The user with id #{user.id} is already a TA for this course." }
     else
-      ta_mapping = TaMapping.create(ta_id: user.id, course_id: id)
+      ta_mapping = TaMapping.create(user_id: user.id, course_id: id)
       user.update(role: Role::TEACHING_ASSISTANT)
       if ta_mapping.save
-        return { success: true, data: ta_mapping.slice(:course_id, :ta_id) }
+        return { success: true, data: ta_mapping.slice(:course_id, :user_id) }
       else
         return { success: false, message: ta_mapping.errors }
       end
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ def add_ta(user)
   end
 
   # Removes Teaching Assistant from the course
-  def remove_ta(ta_id)
-    ta_mapping = ta_mappings.find_by(ta_id: ta_id, course_id: :id)
+  def remove_ta(user_id)
+    ta_mapping = ta_mappings.find_by(user_id: user_id, course_id: :id)
     return { success: false, message: "No TA mapping found for the specified course and TA" } if ta_mapping.nil?
-    ta = User.find(ta_mapping.ta_id)
-    ta_count = TaMapping.where(ta_id: ta_id).size - 1
+    ta = User.find(ta_mapping.user_id)
+    ta_count = TaMapping.where(user_id: user_id).size - 1
     if ta_count.zero?
       ta.update(role: Role::STUDENT)
     end
diff --git a/app/models/ta_mapping.rb b/app/models/ta_mapping.rb
index 8a2ed80d..9979a984 100644
--- a/app/models/ta_mapping.rb
+++ b/app/models/ta_mapping.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 class TaMapping < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :course
-  belongs_to :ta
+  belongs_to :ta, class_name: 'User', foreign_key: 'user_id'
 
   #Returns course ids of the TA
   def self.get_course_ids(user_id)
-    TaMapping.find_by(ta_id: user_id).course_id
+    TaMapping.find_by(user_id: user_id).course_id
   end
 
   #Returns courses of the TA
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/v1/courses_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/v1/courses_spec.rb
index 64534d1a..6c414f81 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/v1/courses_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/v1/courses_spec.rb
@@ -11,41 +11,39 @@
     @student = Role.find_or_create_by(name: 'Student', parent_id: @ta.id)
   end
 
-  let(:prof) { User.create(
-    name: "profa",
-    password_digest: "password",
-    role_id: @instructor.id,
-    full_name: "Prof A",
-    email: "testuser@example.com",
-    mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
-    ) }
+  let(:prof) {
+    User.create(
+      name: "profa",
+      password_digest: "password",
+      role_id: @instructor.id,
+      full_name: "Prof A",
+      email: "testuser@example.com",
+      mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
+    )
+  }
 
-  let(:token) { JsonWebToken.encode({id: prof.id}) }
+  let(:token) { JsonWebToken.encode({ id: prof.id }) }
   let(:Authorization) { "Bearer #{token}" }
 
-
   # GET /courses/{id}/add_ta/{ta_id}
   path '/api/v1/courses/{id}/add_ta/{ta_id}' do
     parameter name: :id, in: :path, type: :integer, required: true
     parameter name: :ta_id, in: :path, type: :integer, required: true
     let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-    let(:prof) { User.create(
-      name: "profa",
-      password_digest: "password",
-      role_id: 4,
-      fullname: "Prof A",
-      email: "testuser@example.com",
-      mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
-    ) }
-    let(:ta) { User.create(
-      name: "taa",
-      password_digest: "password",
-      role_id: 3,
-      fullname: "TA A",
-      email: "testuser@example.com",
-      mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
-    ) }
-    let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+    let(:ta) {
+      User.create(
+        name: "taa",
+        password_digest: "password",
+        role_id: @ta.id,
+        full_name: "TA A",
+        email: "testuser@example.com",
+        mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
+      )
+    }
+    let(:course) {
+      Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                    info: 'blank')
+    }
     let(:id) { course.id }
     let(:ta_id) { ta.id }
     get('add_ta course') do
@@ -82,7 +80,10 @@
   path '/api/v1/courses/{id}/tas' do
     parameter name: 'id', in: :path, type: :string, description: 'id'
     let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-    let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+    let(:course) {
+      Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                    info: 'blank')
+    }
     let(:id) { course.id }
     get('view_tas course') do
       tags 'Courses'
@@ -104,16 +105,21 @@
     parameter name: 'id', in: :path, type: :string, description: 'id'
     parameter name: 'ta_id', in: :path, type: :string, description: 'ta_id'
     let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-    let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+    let(:course) {
+      Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                    info: 'blank')
+    }
     let(:id) { course.id }
-    let(:ta) { User.create(
-      name: "taa",
-      password_digest: "password",
-      role_id: 3,
-      fullname: "TA A",
-      email: "testuser@example.com",
-      mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
-    ) }
+    let(:ta) {
+      User.create(
+        name: "taa",
+        password_digest: "password",
+        role_id: @ta.id,
+        full_name: "TA A",
+        email: "testuser@example.com",
+        mru_directory_path: "/home/testuser",
+      )
+    }
     let(:ta_id) { ta.id }
     let(:ta_mapping) { TaMapping.create(course_id: course.id, ta_id: ta.id) }
     get('remove_ta course') do
@@ -140,7 +146,10 @@
   path '/api/v1/courses/{id}/copy' do
     parameter name: 'id', in: :path, type: :string, description: 'id'
     let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-    let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+    let(:course) {
+      Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                    info: 'blank')
+    }
     let(:id) { course.id }
     get('copy course') do
       tags 'Courses'
@@ -190,7 +199,10 @@
       }
       response(201, 'successful') do
         let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-        let(:course) { { institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank' } }
+        let(:course) {
+          { institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+            info: 'blank' }
+        }
         after do |example|
           example.metadata[:response][:content] = {
             'application/json' => {
@@ -207,7 +219,10 @@
   path '/api/v1/courses/{id}' do
     parameter name: 'id', in: :path, type: :string, description: 'id'
     let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-    let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+    let(:course) {
+      Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                    info: 'blank')
+    }
     let(:id) { course.id }
     get('show course') do
       tags 'Courses'
@@ -239,7 +254,10 @@
         required: %w[]
       }
       let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-      let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+      let(:course) {
+        Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                      info: 'blank')
+      }
       let(:id) { course.id }
       response(200, 'successful') do
         after do |example|
@@ -269,7 +287,10 @@
         required: %w[]
       }
       let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-      let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+      let(:course) {
+        Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                      info: 'blank')
+      }
       let(:id) { course.id }
       response(200, 'successful') do
         after do |example|
@@ -287,7 +308,10 @@
     delete('delete course') do
       tags 'Courses'
       let(:institution) { Institution.create(name: "NC State") }
-      let(:course) { Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD', info: 'blank') }
+      let(:course) {
+        Course.create(institution_id: institution.id, instructor_id: prof.id, directory_path: 'samplepath', name: 'OODD',
+                      info: 'blank')
+      }
       let(:id) { course.id }
       response(204, 'successful') do
         after do |example|