Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available each year in the Department of Mathematics to assist students with expenses while studying for an M.S. or M.S. Ed. degree in Mathematics, or the MNAS degree with mathematics as the primary area.

To be eligible for a graduate assistantship, a student must be admitted to a graduate program at MSU and must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work, or a minimum GPA of 3.0 on 9 or more hours of graduate course work.

Graduate students who did not receive both their primary and secondary education where English was the primary language must meet the following requirements to qualify for graduate assistantships with teaching assignments at MSU:  

• Successfully complete one semester of graduate studies at MSU, during which they complete cultural orientation to prepare them for such a teaching appointment.
• Pass an MSU juried examination in which the candidate must demonstrate his/her ability to interpret written English passages and to communicate orally in English in a classroom setting. Membership of the jury will include one member of the Mathematics Department (appointed by the Mathematics Department Head), one member of the Department of Communications and Mass Media, and one other faculty representative (the latter two members to be appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College).

The graduate assistantship provides a minimum stipend of $6,780 for the 2006-07 academic year (nine months) and a fee-waiver scholarship for up to 15 hours of graduate course work for each of the fall and spring semesters.  In many situations, a stipend of $9,000 may be awarded.  A graduate assistant is required to complete a minimum of 6 hours of graduate course work (500-600 level) during each semester of an academic year appointment. Students who have served as assistants for the academic year or for the spring semester will be recommended for a fee-waiver scholarship for up to 6 hours of course work for the following summer session.

A limited number of graduate assistantships are also available during the summer session. A graduate assistant appointment for the summer session currently will receive a minimum stipend of $1,695 and a fee-waiver scholarship for up to 6 hours of course work. A summer graduate assistant is required to complete a minimum of 3 hours of graduate course work during the summer session.

To apply for a graduate assistantship, one must submit an application and three letters of recommendation directly to the Department of Mathematics. Applications are available from the Graduate College, Carrington Hall, Room 306, (417)836-5335