Funding support

Applying for Funding

Departmental funding decisions are made after our admissions decisions, and so it is possible to be admitted without funding. Unless we hear otherwise, all students that have applied will be considered for an assistantship. However, we only offer assistantships one time per year, that is, in the spring for the following fall semester, and so those applying off-cycle will not be considered until such time.

MA students

The department offers assistantships at the master's level. M.A. students receive departmental funding on annual 9-month (September to May) contract, renewable for up to a maximum of two years.

Each M.A. graduate assistant is required to perform a maximum service load of 20 hours per week. This Graduate Assistant (G.A.) service involves assisting in classroom instruction, grading of papers, and other activities beneficial to the student.s training and to the department. Additional forms of assistantships, including Research Assistantships (R.A.), may also be available. All students on full-time assistantships are required to be present in McGilvrey Hall for a minimum of 20 hours weekly.

Graduate students on assistantships must carry a minimum of 8 credit hours and a maximum of 16 hours of graduate course load. A fee waiver and a waiver of out-of-state fees are granted to those holding assistantships. All U.S. citizens being considered for a departmental graduate assistantship are required to process a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility for Federal Work-Study. Students that are awarded Work Study funds and choose to accept them will have their stipends augmented by $500.

An annual review will be held no later than the end of February by the graduate Faculty to assess the progress of all graduate students toward completion of their degree. First-year M.A. students who have received departmental funding, but whose progress or performance is judged to be unsatisfactory may have their funding and/or enrollment terminated at the end of the academic year. Marginal performance may result in students being subsequently funded on a semester basis instead of an annual basis. Students will be notified of this decision before May 1.

Further, a M.A. student on assistantship who has not been defended his/her proposal before the end of his/her first year will only initially receive a commitment of one semester of funding for the second year. The second semester of funding will be restored if he/she defends his/her proposal by Week 6 of the first semester of his/her second year.

Students that are admitted to the university but not initially provided funding may apply for funding in subsequent years. Those students will then be evaluated alongside new applicants, and if they are awarded funding, will receive funding for one year. An additional semester or year of funding will be considered on a case by case basis for those students who attend part-time in their first year.

Combined B.A./M.A. students are ineligible for funding until they have completed their B.A. requirements. The total period of funding for B.A./M.A. students shall not exceed 1.5 years. Students admitted conditionally are ineligible for funding consideration until they have met the conditional requirements.

PhD students

The department offers assistantships at the doctoral level.  Ph.D. students receive departmental funding on annual 9-month (September to May) contract, renewable for up to a maximum of three years. Under exceptional circumstances, funding for a fourth year may be considered. All students are encouraged to acquire funding on their own. If a student takes a semester or a year off (without funding by the department) to conduct research, this will not count against his or her period of funding.

A Ph.D. student who has successfully entered Candidacy by the start of his/her third year in residence shall receive an increase of $1,000 in their annual stipend for the third year. Also, a Ph.D. student on assistantship who has not been admitted to candidacy before the end of his/her second year will only initially receive a commitment of one semester of funding for the third year. The second semester of funding will be restored if he/she is admitted to candidacy by Week 6 of the first semester of his/her third year.

Each Ph.D. graduate assistant is required to perform a maximum service load of 20 hours per week. This Graduate Assistant (G.A.) service usually involves teaching and running one 3-credit course within the department, although it may also include assisting in classroom instruction, grading of papers, and other activities beneficial to the student.s training and to the department. Additional forms of assistantships, including Research Assistantships (R.A.), may also be available. All students on full-time assistantships are required to be present in McGilvrey Hall for a minimum of 20 hours weekly.

Graduate students on assistantships must carry a minimum of 8 credit hours and a maximum of 16 hours of graduate course load. A fee waiver and a waiver of out-of-state fees are granted to those holding assistantships. All U.S. citizens being considered for a departmental graduate assistantship are required to process a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility for Federal Work-Study. Students that are awarded Work Study funds and choose to accept them will have their stipends augmented by $500.

An annual review will be held no later than the end of February by the graduate Faculty to assess the progress of all graduate students toward completion of their degree. First- or second-year Ph.D. students who have received departmental funding, but whose progress or performance is judged to be unsatisfactory may have their funding and/or enrollment terminated at the end of the academic year. Marginal performance may result in students being subsequently funded on a semester basis instead of an annual basis. Students will be notified of this decision before April 1.