Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Financial Assistance

Graduate students may be able to finance their education with a variety of financial assistance tools specific to Graduate School. Please view financial support opportunities for graduate students.

Teaching assistantships

Teaching assistantships (GTAs) may be available on a competitive basis. The program has a set number of teaching assistantships for every semester.

  • Teaching assistants at the M.A. level work under the supervision of a faculty member or instructor, and assist in the workload required to teach sociology courses.

  • At the Ph.D. level, teaching assistants are typically assigned to teach sections of Introduction to Sociology.

  • Advanced Ph.D. students who prove to be good teachers may be assigned to other courses, depending on departmental needs.

Research assistantships

Research assistantships (GRAs) are contingent on external funding for faculty members and may or may not be available in a given year.

Research assistants at both the M.A. and Ph.D. levels are assigned to specific research projects and work directly under the supervision of the principal investigator responsible for the project.

Graduate assistantships details

Assistantships generally provide a stipend to help cover student living expenses and a tuition waiver for up to 10 credit hours per semester (Fall and Spring). Students on assistantships must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester during the assistantship.

Health insurance is also available at a moderate cost to the student. According to Kansas regulations, international students appointed as GTAs or GRAs must have health insurance coverage.

Assistantships do not cover fees. For information about fees, please click here.

Assistantships are generally provided for the academic year; therefore, students joining the program in the Spring semester are not eligible for regular assistantships in that first semester. M.A. students are eligible for departmental funding for two years, while Ph.D. students are eligible for funding for three years, contingent on satisfactory progress and available resources.