Master of Arts in Sociology

Graduate Assistantships

M.A. Graduate Assistantships carry a stipend for two semesters (Fall and Spring) and a tuition waiver (not including student fees) for 9 hours each semester.

Students with assistantships:

  • must enroll in and successfully complete nine credit hours of course work each semester;
  • are expected to work about 20 hours each week
  • typically serve as teaching assistants to faculty members teaching large-enrollment courses. Depending upon department needs, students in their third and/or fourth semester of assistantship might be assigned to independently teach one course (typically Social Problems or Introduction to Sociology). If available, such assignments will be offered to students who (a) have at least 18 credit hours in graduate Sociology classes, (b) did exemplary work in the Teaching Sociology course and (c) are making excellent progress through the M.A. program.
  • must take the Teaching Sociology course (taught in Fall semesters). Advisors will determine whether a student should enroll in this course during the first or second year of study;
  • should attend workshops offered by the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence
  • should be active members of the Sociology department graduate student community

Note: Assistantships awarded to students entering the M.A. program from outside the state of Florida require that students apply at the Office of the Registrar for Florida residency immediately upon entering the program.

Applying for an Assistantship

Send with the application for admission a short essay describing why you wish to be considered for an Assistantship as well as a description of how the assistantship will affect your ability to progress through the M.A. program in a timely manner.

Award criteria for new assistantships

Assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. The criteria for being awarded a first-year assistantship is the same as the criteria for entry into the program (GRE, GPA, letters of recommendation, writing sample).

Award criteria for continuing assistantships

Decisions about renewing graduate assistantships for a second year will be made by the Graduate Committee the end of March. Barring budgetary shortfalls, students with a first year assistantship will be awarded a second year of assistantship providing there is:

  • adequate progress being made through the M.A. program, including evidence that the thesis project is advancing in a timely manner. It is expected that students applying for a second-year assistantship will have successfully defended their thesis proposals by the end of May.

  • evidence of responsibility in the first year assistantship.