Funding Opportunities and Benefits
Graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. In addition, top students may be nominated for University or Liberal Arts fellowships and awards. Typical financial packages include a generous stipend plus tuition and 80% of health insurance costs. Assuming satisfactory progress, this support is granted for the duration of graduate study.
Breakdown of Possible Fellowships/Awards:
*Graduate Assistantships
-Awarded on a competitive basis
-Teaching and/or research assignments
-Assuming satisfactory progress, support is granted for duration of graduate study
-Tuition coverage
-Covers 80% of health insurance costs
-see health insurance for more information
-semester release in dissertation year
*Sparks Fellowship
-Top students may be nominated by the graduate committee
-Provided by the College of the Liberal Arts
-Provides one year off from teaching and/or research assignments
-Tuition coverage
-Covers 80% of health insurance costs
-see health insurance for more information
-semester release in dissertation year
*University Graduate Fellowship
-Top students may be nominated by the graduate committee
-Provided by the Graduate School
-Provides one year off from teaching and/or research assignments
-Tuition coverage
-Covers 80% of health insurance costs
-see health insurance for more information
-semester release in dissertation year
*Bunton-Waller Graduate Awards Program
-Top students may be nominated by the graduate committee
-Provides additional funding (“top-off” funding) for duration of program
-Provided by the Graduate School
-The first year provides a reduced teaching load of one course per semester (or equivalent assignment)
-Provides a summer stipend (provided you enroll for summer session)
-Tuition coverage
-Covers 80% of health insurance costs
-see health insurance for more information
-semester release in dissertation year
*Graduate Scholars
-Provided for students already awarded assistantships or fellowships
-Top students may be nominated by the graduate committee
-Provided by the College of the Liberal Arts
-Provides additional funding (“top-off” funding) for two to three years
Additional Information
*The most common type of funding is a half-time teaching assistantship. For a half-time teaching assistantship (currently 3 courses over two semesters), students are expected to work 20 hours per week on teaching or research assistant activities. That expectation holds for both semesters. Students in their one-course-instruction semester are expected to translate any hourly gain in instructional workload to the areas of research or scholarship.
*The department provides travel funding for presentations at national and regional conferences.
*You will have the option of applying for summer funding (teaching or research).
*The College of the Liberal Arts makes travel and dissertation awards available to graduate students. Dissertation awards can be in the form of a research fund or one semester release time.
*The Department makes research awards available to graduate students for pre-dissertation projects.
.
.
