Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Student sitting at a table with laptop


Types of Assistantships

The Graduate Assistantship Program offers a limited number of assistantships throughout the academic year for qualified students. We encourage students to contact their program director or coordinator to introduce themselves and to discuss the opportunities that may become available in their field of study. Types of assistantships are listed below:

  • Graduate assistantships
  • Teaching assistantships
  • Research assistantships
  • Full time (20 hours per week)
  • Half-time (10 hours per week)

In addition, students can check Handshake for other job opportunities throughout the University.  


Advantages of an Assistantship

Graduate students who hold assistantships benefit educationally and professionally. They gain further expertise in their field; enhance their research skills and develop pedagogical skills; acquire experience in leadership, interpersonal effectiveness, and performance evaluation; acquire academic administrative experience; and develop collegial collaborations with advisors that may result in joint publications and other professional activities. Skills learned in assistantships prepare students not only for the academy, but also for corporate, government, and nonprofit organizations.

Students Eligibility

  • Admitted to a graduate degree program
  • In good academic standing and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 each term in all courses taken for graduate credit during the assistantship
  • Registered for course units during every academic term of the assistantship 

Full time assistants are eligible to receive 12 units of a tuition waiver each term but must be registered for at least 6 units per term. Half time assistants are eligible to receive 6 units of a tuition waiver each term but must be registered for at least 3 units per term.

Assistantship Openings

Assistantship openings that are posted can be found on Handshake. It is not a requirement for departments/programs to post Assistantships, therefore, we also encourage networking to find open positions. 

Once in Handshake, choose the Jobs Tab and type in the words Graduate, Teaching or Research Assistant(ship(s)) in the Search Bar. Open positions can be viewed on this page without logging into Handshake. 

 

Teaching Assistant workshop

The Office of Graduate Studies hosted the annual Teaching Assistant Workshop Tuesday, August 23, 2022, 9:00 am - Noon in PY 202. The GA Office will send an invite to all incoming TA's in August 2023. 

 

Technology Information Session

In addition, the Teaching Assistants also attended a Technology Workshop hosted by TU's Faculty Academic Center of Excellence at Towson (FACET), staff from Academic Affairs and the Office of Technology Services. This Technology Workshop provided technology tools to support you in your position as a teaching assistant at Towson University.   


External Graduate Assistantships

Some graduate programs offer external graduate assistantships and part-time jobs closely related to a chosen field to graduate students to help defray the cost of advanced study. The external graduate assistantship program expands the range of opportunities beyond the university campus. The program is a partnership between Towson University and the community, providing the talents of mature students for business, government, industry and education. External assistantships are not available in all programs.

External graduate assistants may be employed for 10 to 20 hours per week, on either a 10-month or 12-month basis. An organization hiring a graduate assistant is asked to develop a job description, supervise the student, and evaluate the student's work, in much the same manner as regular employees. Organizations are asked to provide work that involves the student in a substantial way in the organization's activities. The organization is expected to cover the costs of graduate tuition, a stipend, and an administrative fee. Contact your Program Director to see if your program offers external assistantships.

Hiring Department Forms 

*FY 22-23  Spring rates below:

(FY 24 Summer rates will be posted soon; GAO will begin accepting summer GA Appointments mid-April; summer Start Date May 30; summer Due Date June 2)

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Contact Information

Graduate Assistantship Office

Location
Administration Bld.
 Room 301
Hours

Monday - Thursday 
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.