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Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available in most departments for highly qualified graduate students. Non-resident graduate students awarded an assistantship may be charged the equivalent of in-state tuition during the semesters in which they are actively employed. In-state tuition equivalencies do not modify residency status. A student who has, or will have an approved graduate assistantship may request an in-state equivalency for one summer during his/her graduate career. Assistantships may only be awarded to an individual student for a maximum of four semesters (excluding summers). Stipends for assistantships may vary by department.
Graduate assistants are expected to familiarize themselves with university policies and to fulfill their professional responsibilities to the university. An applicant for a graduate assistantship must be admitted to a graduate program as a degree-seeking student and enrolled in graduate courses during the semester of employment. Course load requirements for graduate assistants are described below.
Applications for assistantships should be filed with the chairman of the department of the student’s major field of interest no later than May 1 prior to fall enrollment, October 1 prior to spring enrollment, and March 1 prior to summer sessions.
A graduate student who has been admitted conditionally will become eligible for consideration for a graduate assistantship upon completion of nine hours of graduate coursework with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Exceptions may be made for one semester only in cases of assistantships in academic departments when an otherwise ineligible student has required expertise. In such cases, this rule may be waived upon petition by the student, with approval by the departmental chair, the collegiate dean, and the university graduate coordinator.
To be eligible for an assistantship, students must admitted to a graduate program at MSU, have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and be enrolled in a minimum of six graduate hours Graduate students in their final semester of course work may petition (in writing) the University Graduate Coordinator to qualify for an assistantship while enrolled in fewer than six graduate hours. Non-resident graduate assistants seeking the in-state tuition equivalency must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 hours of graduate coursework (during fall and spring semesters) and working at minimum of 15 (but no more than 22) hours per week. During the summer sessions, students must be enrolled for a minimum of 3 hours of course-work in any summer session in which they receive a graduate assistantship.
To maximize academic success, graduate assistants should not carry a course load exceeding 12 hours (or 13 hours if the student is taking a 4-credit hour course). Combined, a graduate assistant’s course load and adjusted workload should not exceed 15 hours per semester.
Non-Teaching Graduate Assistantship (GA)
Adjusted Work load + Graduate Credit Hours < 15 hours
(Adjusted Workload is calculated as follows: each 5 clock hours of work per week = 1 hour of adjusted workload.)
Example: student is working 20 clock hours per week and enrolled in 6 hours. 4 + 6 < 15.
Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA)
Credit Hours of Courses Taught + Graduate Credit Hours < 15 hours
Example: Student is teaching one 3-credit hour course and enrolled in 12 hours. 3 + 12 < 15
If a course overload exception is to be made in any individual instance, the graduate assistant must have an a cumulative GPA of no less than a 3.0. A Graduate Course Overload form, available on line, must be completed by the student and signed by the appropriate authorizing parties. Graduate Assistants petitioning to take more than a combined class and work load of 16 hours in any semester must have approval of the dean, the collegiate graduate coordinator, and the university graduate coordinator in the Provost Office.
Link to Graduate Assistantship Personnel Action Form Link Graduate Student Overload Form
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