Application for graduate assistantships/fellowships/scholarships
The department has available a limited number of competitively awarded graduate assistantships, fellowships and tuition scholarships each year for graduate students currently enrolled in the Ph.D. or M.A. programs.
Current graduate assistants and fellows
Those interested in renewing their assistantship/fellowship/scholarship for the next academic year must complete this form. Positions are not automatically renewed. Awards are based upon availability of a position, department needs, good academic standing as indicated by satisfactory progress in the program (e.g., GPA, timely completion of coursework, taking prelims within one year of finishing coursework), career preparation (submission of manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal, conference presentations), service and citizenship (e.g., visibility and active participation in department activities) and satisfactory performance of prior assistantship/fellowship duties.
Graduate teaching assistants (GTA)
These students are assigned to assist a faculty member or teach their own undergraduate course (depending on the amount of prior teaching experience). Duties include developing syllabi and assignments, grading, proctoring exams, lecturing, leading student discussions and performing other pedagogical activities. GTAs are awarded to students who have demonstrated competent fulfillment of assistantship responsibilities or the potential for effectively teaching sociology classes at the university level. GTAs include a stipend, housing allowance, tuition scholarship and subsidized health benefits. GTAs must be enrolled for a minimum of six credits of graduate work each term, usually two to three courses (six to nine credits) each term or dissertation credits. Priority for GTAs is given to Ph.D. students.
Occasionally, a master's student is given a GTA position. All GTAs must adhere to the department graduate assistant work rules and policies and the University Graduate Employee Organizing Committee (GEOC) Agreement.
Thomas C. Rumble Fellowships
This award aims to optimize Ph.D. student performance by providing support for and establishing expected outcomes at particular stages of their training process. The fellowship includes a stipend, housing allowance, tuition scholarship and subsidized health benefits. Students cannot be awarded a Rumble for more than two years.
Students must be enrolled full-time (minimum eight credits or dissertation credits) and cannot hold employment outside the university. Rumble Fellows may hold another university position for up to 10 additional hours weekly, with permission from the director of graduate studies, adviser and chair of the department. Rumble fellows are expected to actively participate in a series of events/activities sponsored by the Graduate School. The criteria for awarding Rumble Fellowships are the same as the criteria used to award department GTAs. Emphasis on the current Rumble fellow's satisfactory meeting of the fellowship requirements is evaluated in determining a second year for a Rumble or for a Graduate Assistantship position.
Graduate Professional Scholarships (GPS)
This award provides payment for resident tuition assessments only a minimum of six graduate credits and a maximum of 10 credits can be covered in each of the fall and winter semesters. Students seeking this scholarship must also apply separately to the Graduate School applications open in the winter term and are due by Apr. 1 of each year. Applicants must reapply to be considered for subsequent years. See the Graduate School for the online application process. Criteria for department nominations are based on the same criteria listed above. Results are announced in early June.
Graduate students who are not current graduate assistants or Rumble fellows seeking an assistantship for the next academic year must complete this form below. The department awards an assistantship upon the availability of a position, department needs and maintenance of satisfactory progress in the Ph.D. or M.A. program (as described above) and if applicable, satisfactory performance of any job duties in the department.
The Graduate Committee reviews all applications and recommends applicants for available positions to the department chairperson who makes the final decision. In consultation with the Graduate Committee, the chairperson also makes the final decision regarding the specific nature of all assistantship assignments.
Typically, decisions are made by March 15 but no later than May 1 (except for the GPS).
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