Financial Assistance

Graduate Assistantships

All assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Once funded, students who remain in good standing, can anticipate continued support, MA students for four semesters, Ph.D. students eight. Graduate assistantships carry tuition waivers.

For more on procedures associated with graduate funding 'clicking here'.

Funded students at the MA level serve as research assistants which involves working with and assisting faculty in research, teaching or both. Ph.D. students serve as teaching assistants and either direct recitation sessions associated with large lecture sections taught by faculty or teach their own course. The later includes the basic courses in American politics, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory. On occasion, there is opportunity to teach an upper level course, reserved for the most experienced and capable teaching assistants.

Graduate Fellowships

A number of university and department fellowships are available on a competitive basis. University fellowships are full fellowships including tuition wavier. They are open to all students who qualify regardless of area of study. For more, contact Graduate Studies. Department fellowships supplement assistantships, are awarded by the Department, and limited to students in political science.

The Samuel R. McKelvie Scholarships is designated for those planning careers in public service. Applications are available from the Department.

The John P. Senning Scholarship Fund supplements graduate assistantships. No application necessary.

The Elizabeth Stone Senning Memorial Scholarship Fund is available on a highly selective basis to Ph.D. students at the dissertation stage for dissertation research in the fields of public administration, public policy or state government. Recipients will devote the year in which the scholarship is awarded exclusively to dissertation research and are ineligible for an assistantship and other funding.

The Walter Kiechel Memorial Social Science Fund supports graduate student travel to present research findings at professional meetings, travel associated with research activities or professional development, and tuition in special programs related to one's program of study offered at other colleges and universities.

The Clare and Marguerite MacPhee Fellowship Fund is available in special circumstances to supplement graduate assistant stipends.