Eligibility

Graduate assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to incoming master's and Ph.D. students and are dependent on available resources. Graduate assistantships are awarded for one academic year and may be renewed on a yearly basis if funds exist, students make adequate progress in their programs of study (e.g., grade of B or higher, successful completion of comprehensive exam, etc.), and a satisfactory rating from the graduate director in the performance of assistantship duties. Normally, funding for master's students will not extend beyond two academic years, and funding for Ph.D. students will not extend beyond four academic years. These maximums may be extended on a case-by-case basis.

Requirements

Students receiving a graduate assistantship are generally required to work 20 hours per week. Graduate assistants are provided a full tuition waiver and a stipend during the academic year and may also receive partial health benefits. There is no separate application for an assistantship. All full-time students who have a completed application, express a desire for funding, and have been accepted into a graduate program will be considered. The department’s Graduate Committee begins reviewing Ph.D. applications after December 1 and M.A. applications after March 1 for fall semester admission. Because graduate assistantship awards are highly competitive, students who seek an assistantship are encouraged to apply early.

Questions about graduate assistantships should be directed to Dr. Brandon Applegate at applegate@sc.edu.

Award Process

Procedures for Awarding Funding to Graduate Students

• All students who complete their applications, indicate an interest in funding, and are formally accepted into a graduate program in criminology and criminal justice will be considered for graduate assistantships.
• Each member of the Graduate Committee will review incoming students’ files and rank each student based on merit as it pertains to their application materials (i.e., personal statement, undergraduate GPA), academic preparation, professional experience, as well as departmental priorities.
• Members of the Graduate Committee will meet to discuss files and individual rankings in order to create a final ranking.
• In conjunction with the Department Chair, the Graduate Director will make award offers to students based on final rankings and on the amount of available funding. Students who are offered graduate assistantships will be required to formally accept the funding in writing.
• Students who are not offered funding will be placed on a waiting list in order of ranking. In the event that a student declines a graduate assistantship or additional funding is identified, the student next on the waiting list will be offered the assistantship.
• For students who complete their application after the December 1 and March 1 deadlines, requests for funding will be considered on a rolling basis. The Graduate Committee will review the application materials and will re-rank the waiting list to include recently accepted graduate students.
• Part-time students and graduate students from outside the unit are not eligible for department-funded graduate assistantships.