Teaching assistantships are usually available for qualified applicants.  The normal assignment for a TA is to grade papers and tutor students. TAs are not lead teachers in any section or course. These duties should require no more than an average of 10 hours a week.

To complete requirements for the M.A., a teaching assistant should expect to remain in residence for at least three semesters. The teaching assistant award is approximately $11,200 per year, and tuition is remitted, but not any fees.  Of the $11,200, $1350 pays for health insurance coverage.

University fellowships worth an additional $6,000 per year may be available for exceptionally strong candidates. 

Applicants wishing to be considered for financial support must submit their application materials by February 13, 2012.

Criteria for Awarding Teaching Assistantships and Fellowships

The Department of Philosophy takes the following evidence into consideration in awarding TA positions and supplemental funding:

• Letters of Recommendation
• Writing Sample
• GRE Scores
• Transcript
• Personal Statement
• TOEFL scores for non-native speakers of English

The primary consideration in funding decisions is whether the applicant shows talent for developing into a philosopher whom we can place in one of the top Ph.D. programs in the country. Competitive candidates will have a strong record of success in their undergraduate courses, especially those in philosophy. The candidate’s writing sample is very important. It should demonstrate graceful and clear writing, a talent for philosophical analysis, and sophisticated understanding of philosophical issues in the literature. There should be convincing evidence of the applicant’s dedication to work in philosophy. We are also interested in reasons for thinking the candidate would make a good teacher. For applicants whose native language is not English we expect strong TOEFL scores (a total of 100 or better).