Appointments are usually made on a yearly basis. To date, most incoming graduate students are awarded assistantships.
Sociology graduate assistants typically serve as teaching assistants to faculty members. Their duties include meeting with students, attending class, and assisting with grading. Full-time GAs work 20 hours per week during the academic year, and part-time GAs work no more than 10 hours per week during the academic year.
GAs receive a monthly stipend and a tuition waiver for each semester of the appointment. GAs must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA and carry a course load of at least nine credit hours per semester in order to retain their assistantships. You can apply for a graduate assistantship through the Illinois State Jobs Web site.
International applicants who wish to apply for a graduate teaching assistantship must have a score of at least 23 on the TOEFL iBT, receive a passing score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and submit the results, or be evaluated on campus prior to instructional assignment.
Continuing graduate students must reapply for a graduate assistantship after their first-year’s appointment as a graduate assistant.
Students who do not wish to apply for a graduate assistantship may apply for a Graduate Tuition Waiver Award. These awards are given on a competitive basis to new students who have not been awarded a graduate assistantship or continuing students who have a minimum 3.00 GPA and who are making good progress toward their master’s degree. The Graduate Tuition Waiver Award may cover all or part of a graduate student’s semester tuition costs. The completed application should be sent prior to or early in the semester for which a student is applying for the award. Submit application to:
Dr. Diane Bjorklund, Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Illinois State University Campus Box 4660,
Normal, Illinois 61790-4660
Other financial resources are available on campus. For example, many university administrative units offer graduate assistantships. The job posting numbers are: 0700996 and 0700997. In addition, there are scholarships and fellowships for graduate students and tuition waivers for minority graduate students and international students.
