Fellowships and Assistantships
The history department awards a limited number of fellowships that are contingent on funding availability. Fellowships are in addition to teaching associate salaries and tuition waivers and can possibly be renewed annually.
Teaching Assistants and Associates
The history department awards positions as teaching assistants (M.A. students) and
teaching associates (Ph.D. students) on a competitive basis. Consideration is given
to GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation and nature of past academic training.
In most cases, teaching assistants and associates grade examinations and lead discussion
sections in lower-division survey courses in American history and Western civilization.
In selected cases, Ph.D. students teach independent sections of the survey courses. The
positions of teaching assistant and teaching associate carry full tuition waivers
with options for health benefits.
The director of graduate studies should receive applications for these positions by February 1. Students who have been appointed on a temporary basis should reapply in writing by that date. Awards for the next academic year will normally be made by April 15.
Teaching Assistant and Associate Stipends
Teaching assistants and associates are awarded a monthly stipend. Teaching assistants will receive a yearly stipend of $15,183. This is broken down into nine monthly payments of $1,687. Teaching associates will receive a yearly stipend of $17,640. This is broken down into nine monthly payments of $1,960. M.A. students who receive graduate assistantships as part of their initial acceptance letter are guaranteed two years of funding as long as they remain in good standing with the program. Doctoral students who receive graduate assistantships as part of their initial acceptance letter are guaranteed five years of funding as long as they remain in good standing with the program.
Responsibilities and Duties of Teaching Assistants and Associates
Graduate students appointed as teaching assistants and associates incur responsibilities and obligations to the Department of History. Those responsibilities and duties are stipulated below. The expected average work load is equivalent to 20-hours per week for half-time appointments, 10-hours per week for quarter-time.
Teaching Assistants must meet the following academic requirements to retain their appointments:
- Earn 15-hours of graduate-level credit listed on or applicable to the plan of study during the academic year; students with only thesis or dissertation hours remaining must abide by Graduate College policy on continuous enrollment
- Maintain a 3.4 cumulative GPA
- Must earn a grade of at least a B for courses included on the plan of study.
- Teaching assistantships and teaching associateships will not be renewed if the student has more than three hours of coursework graded as Incomplete, "I".
- If required to demonstrate foreign language competency, students should take the foreign language examination in the second semester of enrollment and in each semester thereafter until the exam is passed OR complete and earn a grade of B or higher in a foreign language immersion class OR complete fifteen college-level credits in a single foreign language with an overall B average.
- Complete the departmental teaching practicum, "Teaching History at the College Level" (HIST 5021).
Teaching Associates must meet the following academic requirements to retain their appointments:
- All of the requirements listed above and, if fourth-year funding is available, also the following: Pass written and oral comprehensive examinations in the four fields on the plan of study by the end of the sixth semester of study.
- Teaching assistants and associates will not be considered as research assistants, and their duties will be confined solely to teaching responsibilities.
The duties of Teaching Assistants and Associates consist of:
- Successfully completing the one-hour teaching practicum offered by the department
- Attending all lectures presented by the instructor responsible for the course unless excused by the instructor
- Grading examinations, conducting discussions, taking attendance, maintaining at least three office hours per week (1 ½ for quarter-time appointment) and fulfilling any teaching-related duties established by the course instructor
- Attending all meetings established by the course instructor to discuss teaching techniques, subject matter and grading standards
- Attending all meetings mandated by the history department for the purpose of preparing teaching assistants and associates for their duties