Admissions
Financial Support
Assistantships
Graduate and Research Assistantships
Many full-time doctoral students in the School of Education hold a graduate assistantship during some or all of their tenure in the graduate program. These Student Academic Appointments (SAA) are usually tied to recruitment fellowships. Most graduate assistants are appointed to work between 15 and 20 hours per week (.375 to .50 of full time equivalent).
Each of the departments in the School of Education at Bloomington receives a budget allocation for the appointment of graduate assistants to help faculty in research and teaching responsibilities, and to assist with student advising and program administration. In addition, administrative offices in the school and throughout the university typically hire one or more graduate assistants.
At IUPUI, graduate assistantships are available for teaching and to work with faculty on research, development, and service projects.
For information about these positions, students should contact the chair of the area in which they will be studying.
Graduate research assistants are hired to work on externally funded research, development, and training projects. Faculty members apply for grants or contracts to carry out these projects. Such grants and contracts range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars each. They are supported primarily by the federal and state governments and by foundations. Some faculty members also have contracts with public school systems and with other public and private agencies, including business corporations.
Department chairs and program heads play a large role in appointing graduate assistants and in keeping abreast of assistantship opportunities in administrative offices and in externally funded grant and contract projects. New students are advised to make personal contact with their department chair or program head concerning financial support. (See the section titled "School of Education" for a listing of department or area chairs and program advisors.)
Some continuing Ph.D. students often remain in an assistantship position from the previous year. They are also able to make direct contact with the directors of externally funded projects. Continuing Ph.D. students who wish help in locating assistantship opportunities should consult their department chair, program head, or advisor.
Another category of graduate assistantships entails the supervision of student teachers. Graduate students, usually with teaching experience, are appointed to observe and supervise undergraduate students who are student teaching in public schools throughout the state. Contact the Director of Student Teaching, Education 1000, Bloomington, IN 47405-1006, (812) 856-8503.
All available assistantships must be advertised within the university. A clearinghouse for the listing of available assistantships in the School of Education has been established for this purpose in the Office of Human Resources, Education 4150, Bloomington, IN 47405-1006, (812) 856-8055. Information is also available on the Web at http://education.indiana.edu/tabid/5027/Default.aspx.
Teaching Assistantships
On both the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, a large number of advanced graduate students are hired to teach undergraduate courses in the School of Education and throughout the university. At Indiana University, teaching assistants are called associate instructors (AIs).
AIs teach one or two courses per semester. A high level of academic performance and a personal interview typically are required. Teaching experience is required for some associate instructor positions. Associate instructors receive training and are supervised by faculty members. They must collect student evaluations, which are then submitted to their department. Associate instructors receive a stipend similar to that of graduate assistants and usually a full or partial fee scholarship.
The largest block of associate instructorships in the School of Education is administered by the Office of Teacher Education. Some undergraduate courses in elementary and secondary school teaching methods, reading teaching methods, philosophy of education, educational psychology/learning and developmental sciences, and other subjects are taught by doctoral students. AIs for these courses are selected by the department chair or program head in the department that offers each course.
Another large group of teaching assistants is hired by the Student Academic Center to teach courses to improve proficiency in reading, writing, and study skills for undergraduate students throughout the university. Contact the Director, Student Academic Center, 316 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-7705, (812) 855-7313.
Residence Hall Assistantships
Graduate students hired as counselors in the university residence halls receive room, board, a stipend, and remission of certain fees. They must live in a university residence hall and are responsible for the counseling and supervision of approximately 50 undergraduate students living on a floor of a residence hall. Academic record, experience working with children or adolescents, and personal and social skills are prerequisites for these appointments. Contact the Director of Counseling and Activities, Department of Residence Life, 801 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-2107, (812) 855-1764.