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Teaching Assistantship (TA) & Research Assistantship (RA)

Funding support for all first year students is available through Teaching Assistantships (TA) in the Department of Psychology. Students in TA appointments are assigned to 1 to 3 course sections per semester, depending on the workload of the course(s). Summer support as a TA is also available upon early request by the student and fund availability. Students typically receive a summer assignment if requested. Research Assistantships (RA) are also sometimes available to first year students, if they will be working with a faculty member who has a funded project on which to place the student.

Teaching Fellowship (TF)

After the second year, students may qualify for a Teaching Fellowship (TF). Teaching Fellows are instructors of record for a course. Each TF is expected to instruct 2 course sections per semester. Summer support as a TF is also available upon early request by the student, and fund availability

TAs, RAs, & TFs also receive the following:

  • A monthly stipend
  • A waiver of non-resident tuition rates for out-of-state students
  • A doctoral tuition fellowship that covers the cost of 12 credit hours for the Fall and Spring semesters and up to 6 credit hours for the Summer semester
  • An excellent comprehensive state employee health benefit package (after a 60-day waiting period) at low cost to the student,
  • Conference travel funding for students who author conference papers – funding level depends on authorship role (i.e., 1st authors get more than 2nd authors) and total funds available

The Department does not guarantee support beyond the first year. However, students in good standing have been successful in securing up to 6 years of funding support through a combination of teaching, research appointments, external internships, or traineeships.

Other Graduate Student Benefits

  • Membership in UH’s state-of-the-art recreation and fitness center featuring the biggest indoor climbing wall in Texas, outdoor leisure pool, and Outdoor Adventure
  • Graduate student lounge/computer lab
  • Statistics computer lab
  • Free printing and copying
  • Office space in the Heyne building
  • Priority parking
  • Textbook and software discounts
  • Extended library check-out privileges