Every year the Program is allocated a number of graduate assistantships. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to entering students. Assistantships pay a small stipend per semester, carry a waiver of tuition, and a small percentage of the mandatory fees, and may extend for one or two, but not more than two, semesters.
To hold an assistantship, a student must ordinarily be enrolled in 9 credits of graduate work and must maintain a satisfactory grade point average. American Studies ¼ assistantships require five hours of work a week*; ½ assistantships require ten hours of work a week* during each semester of aid. Hours and duties are arranged between the assistant and the supervisor. We use our assistantships to enhance the quality of undergraduate education at UMB, especially within the undergraduate major of American Studies. Most assistants have served as informal teaching-related assistants in undergraduate courses, without responsibility for grading, but helping with leading small group discussion, tutoring students on writing, and possibly commenting on student responses to reading questions.
*based upon the total commitment
of hours per academic year
Assistantship decisions are made once a year as part of the admissions process
for new students. Assistantships will be granted in such a way as to attract
the most qualified new students to the program. In the event that an already
granted assistantship becomes available for returning students, the program
will post the assistantship on the bulletin board according to GEO rules.
If you are awarded an assistantship,
the Graduate Program Director will notify you informally of the decision, and
the program assistant will send official notification and instructions.