Eligibility. A student must be admitted to a graduate program at Missouri State University to be eligible for a graduate assistantship. A minimum GPA of 3.00 on the undergraduate cumulative, or last 60 hours for first-time graduate students, or graduate cumulative (minimum 9 hours) is required. A student in a masters degree program may hold an assistantship for a maximum of two years (including fall, spring, and summer), and a student admitted to a certificate program may hold an assistantship for two semesters. A student is eligible for a third year of assistantship support if he or she has completed all requirements for a masters degree (has graduated) and has been admitted to a second masters degree or a graduate certificate program. Also, a student in a doctoral program is eligible for a third year of assistantship support. Graduate assistants are not eligible to work at any other paid position at Missouri State University during the time of their assistantship. Assistants must maintain a 3.00 GPA to continue eligibility.
International Students. Foreign nationals who are a new (first-time) G.A. cannot legally begin working until they have been cleared by International Payroll. This process should be initiated as soon as the student is hired. If the student is not cleared prior to the start date entered on the PAF, the start date will be changed to match the date clearance was received and the stipend prorated accordingly. For more information, click HERE.
Graduate students who did not receive both their primary and secondary education where English was the primary language must meet the following requirements to qualify for graduate assistantships with teaching assignments at Missouri State University.
1. Successful completion of one semester of graduate studies at Missouri State University, during which they complete cultural orientation to prepare them for a teaching appointment.
2. Pass a Missouri State University juried examination in which the candidate must demonstrate his/her ability to interpret written English passages and to communicate orally in English in a classroom setting. Juried examinations are to be coordinated by the Graduate College. Membership of the jury will include one member of the applicant's major department (appointed by that department's head), one member from the Department of Communication, and one other faculty representative (the latter two members to be appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College).
Stipends and Fee Waiver Scholarships. The graduate assistantship provides a minimum stipend of $4,080 for the Spring 2013 semester and $8,160 for the 2013-14 academic year (nine months). In a few situations a stipend of $4,964 per semester or $9,928 per academic year may be awarded. (Note that departments/offices do have flexibility in the determination of the stipend level and may offer stipends above these amounts as long as the number of assistantships remains at or above the previous year’s totals and the stipend is being funded by a grant.) A graduate assistant is required to complete a minimum of 6 hours of graduate course work (600-level or above) during each semester of appointment to maintain their eligibility. (However, to be considered a full-time student requires a minimum enrollment of 9 hours.) Some departments/units may require graduate assistants to take more than 6 hours of course work.
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available during the summer session. A graduate assistant appointed for the 2013 summer session will receive a stipend of either $2,040 or $2,482. Summer graduate assistants are required to complete a minimum of 3 hours of graduate course work during the summer session.
Students who receive graduate assistantships are also eligible to receive fee-waiver scholarships if their appointment PAFs are received in the Graduate College by September 15 (for fall semester) and February 15 (for Spring semester).
Application. To apply for a graduate assistantship, an application must be submitted directly to the department in which the assistantship is sought. It is wise to check with the department before applying. Applications are available online (see link above). Information requested from an applicant includes employment and academic history and the listing (names, address, phone) of references. Departments employing graduate assistants may request additional information.
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