The department offers various forms of funding for graduate students, including teaching assistantships (TA positions) and graduate part-time instructor (GPTI) positions (GPTIs teach stand-alone courses), research assistantships, summer dissertation fellowships and summer research assistantships, professional travel awards and summer partial tuition fellowships. Each of these forms of funding is explained below.
Teaching Assistantships
Some graduate students are offered teaching assistantships (as TAs or as GPTIs). Generally, master’s students receive two years of funding and PhD students receive four years (in both cases, continuous from the first semester enrolled), unless they enter the PhD program directly from CU-Boulder’s MA communication program, in which case the typical funding for the master’s and PhD degrees combined is five years. Enrolled students who have not been funded may be appointed on a semester or yearly basis when funding is available.
TAs and GPTIs with half-time appointments are expected to devote, on average, approximately 20 hours per week to their teaching responsibilities. In addition to normal classroom responsibilities (e.g., preparing for classes, testing, and grading), they are expected to:
- Attend fall and spring graduate student orientations and regularly scheduled teaching workshops
- Meet regularly with any course supervisor(s)
- Consult with the lead teaching assistant
- Hold regular/consistent office hours
- Arrange for evaluations of teaching performance (e.g., Faculty Course Questionnaires (FCQs) and classroom observations by course supervisor and by others)
- Comply with department and university policies about teaching and examination schedules
- Meet specific expectations for courses taught, as set by any course supervisor(s) and by good academic practice
Summer teaching often is available to graduate students, with assignments determined by the department chairperson on the basis of seniority, need and expertise. The summer pay schedule for GPTIs (the type of appointment) is: Term A: approximately 75 percent of total paycheck received on July 1, with remaining 25 percent received on July 31; Term B: approximately 75 percent of total paycheck received on July 31, with remaining 25 percent received on August 31.
TAs and GPTIs are evaluated on their teaching performance at the annual faculty review of graduate students. They also receive regular feedback from any course supervisors.
Lead Graduate Teacher Position: Each year, the department faculty appoints a graduate student to serve as the Lead Graduate Teacher (LGT), which is part of the Graduate Teacher Program. The graduate teacher program has two goals for graduate students who serve as lead graduate teachers (a) to develop the leads themselves as future academic managers, leaders, teachers and consultants; and (b) to assist departments with internal TA preparation to improve undergraduate education. Lead training focuses on academic management, leadership, college pedagogy, consultation and teamwork. Requirements include: serving as a liaison between the GTP and the department, meeting with the lead coordinators, negotiating and writing a plan that is acceptable to the GTP and to the department, presenting on GTP opportunities that are available to graduate students and faculty, consulting with TAs during office hours and in videotaped consultations, developing and presenting at least one discipline-specific workshop, working on a cross-disciplinary team, and turning in a final report.
Lead graduate teachers also do a TA support activity of their choice within the department. LGTs must have excellent working relationships with the chairperson, associate chair of graduate studies, and graduate program assistant; preference is given to those with an average score of 3.0 or better on the Faculty Course Questionnaire (FCQ) for courses previously taught, five to six semesters of teaching experience, and continued progress toward completion of the GTP certificate in teaching or professional development. LGTs receive a 6 percent administrative intern appointment, and they receive the Best Should Teach Silver Award at the Best Should Teach Lecture that is given in August. LGTs are nominated and voted on by department faculty. Interested students should consult with their advisor and with the associate chair of graduate studies.
Research Assistantships
Some graduate students (typically PhD students) are offered research assistantships (RAs), typically across an academic year, which involve working for and with a faculty member on that faculty member’s research. To the extent possible, RAs are matched with faculty members who are engaged in research that connects to the RAs’ desired expertise area. RAs give students research-related experience that is part of their paid work and, thereby, helps them to build a stronger profile that will enable them to do better on the job market.
Summer Dissertation Fellowships and Summer Research Assistantships
The department receives monies from the graduate school and from gift accounts that make possible the awarding of summer dissertation fellowships and research assistantships (RAs) for selected students. The associate chair of graduate studies puts out a call for these awards early in the fall, with students applying for the summer dissertation fellowships and faculty members applying for graduate students to serve as RAs for the following summer. Students may apply for fellowships in more than one category, but cannot receive both awards. The graduate program committee reviews all applications received. Students receiving a summer dissertation fellowship or positions as RAs may not also teach in that summer.
- Summer Dissertation Fellowships: Awarded to students to provide time to work on their dissertation. PhD students may be awarded only one dissertation fellowship during their program, typically in the summer after completion of the PhD comprehensive examination. Students submit to the associate chair of graduate studies a one-to-three paragraph description of the proposed dissertation work, along with a letter of support from their advisor.
- Summer Research Assistantships: Awarded to support specific research projects under faculty supervision. Faculty members submit to the associate chair of graduate studies a one-to-three paragraph description of the proposed research project and the name and reasons for the graduate student selected. RAs work a total of 120 hours.
Professional Travel Awards
Professional travel awards are given to students traveling to present scholarship at professional conferences (in addition to any other university travel support). The associate chair of graduate studies puts out a call for these awards early in the fall with a due date in September, with students applying for travel awards by indicating the professional presentation that has been accepted or that will be submitted. Students must apply at that time for any expected travel during that academic year; no funding is available for professional travel after that time. The typical range of awards is $100–$600.
Summer Partial Tuition Fellowships
Summer partial tuition fellowships are awarded to graduate students taking Maymester or summer courses. The maximum award is $300.