Funding & Teaching Opportunities
for Graduate Students
For additional information about financial assistance, see the Financial Information section of the Graduate School web site.
Prospective students (Ph.D. or M.A.) wishing to be considered for teaching assistantships, scholarships, or internships must submit a complete application packet by February 1. All completed application packets received on or before February 1 will be considered for teaching assistantships.
Teaching Assistantships
Ten teaching assistantships are available to history graduate students. These are awarded on a competitive basis annually. Assistantships for Ph.D. students may be renewed up through the fourth year and assistantships for M.A. students may be renewed for a second year. Teaching assistants handle discussion sections in the American and European surveys.
In addition to their salaries, teaching assistants receive a tuition fee waiver (in-state or out-of-state) and a waiver of the registration fee. Other fees charged by the University are not included in the TA fee waiver package. Teaching assistants are required to register for 9 credits each semester.
Graders
The History Department has opportunities for graduate students to serve as paid graders in undergraduate courses. These opportunities vary each semester. For more information, contact the department administrator.
Research Assistantships
Research money is available for specific projects from two sources: the A.B. Hammond Fund for Western History administered by the department and the Research Advisory Council, administered by the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.
Scholarships/Fellowships
The Moser-McKinney Scholarship is awarded to a Ph.D. student. It includes a waiver of tuition and all fees. It is renewable for four years and might offer opportunities to teach.
The Cappadocia Fellowship of $3,000 is awarded annually to a graduate student in European history.
Special Teaching Fellowships for PhD Students
Contingent on the availability of funds, the History Department invites advanced Ph.D. students to plan and teach courses of their own design at the lower-division level. These courses are typically tied to the student’s primary field of expertise and dissertation research. Only Ph.D. students who have passed comprehensive examinations will be eligible to teach independent courses.
When funds become available, the department chair will circulate a memo describing the openings and establishing a deadline for applications. At minimum, applications must include a course syllabus, a course description, a CV, and a letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor. The Curriculum Committee will assess the applications and make recommendations to the faculty.
N.B.: The funding for such positions is inconsistent. In some years, it has not been sufficient to award any special teaching fellowships. Moreover, these funds often become available at different times of the year. As a result, competitions can be at unpredictable and unusual times. Ph.D. students are encouraged to prepare course syllabi in advance in the event that funds become available.
University-Wide Funding Opportunities
The Office of the President and the Provost has procedures for graduate students to obtain funds to support research, writing, and travel. See the following documents:
