Financial Support
The experimental program offers graduate assistantships (GAs) to all students. Each assistantship requires a maximum average of 20 hours of work per week and currently pays $14,000 for the 9-month academic year, with an additional stipend available in the summer. A tuition waiver for 9 credit hours during the academic year and 3-6 credit hours in the summer accompanies the stipends.
Students in good standing typically receive department-funded support for 4-5 years, although fifth year students are not guaranteed support by the department. However, other forms of financial assistance (e.g., faculty grants, instructorships, etc.) may be available, and the department has historically been able to provide assistantships for 5th year students. In addition, students who are not in good standing in the program or who are attending the program on a part-time basis (less than 9 hours per semester) are not eligible for financial assistance.
Graduate assistantships are provided by the department, college of graduate studies, and individual faculty grants. Students funded by these assistantships have opportunities to serve as teaching assistants, research assistants, administrative assistants, and course instructors for lower and upper level undergraduate courses. Specific assistantships vary each year, and GA assignments balance student interests and departmental needs.