Texas Tech University

Funding & Financial Assistance

Teaching Assistantships

The Department of History awards Teaching Assistantships annually. The stipends currently range from $14,000 to $20,000, and include in-state tuition status as well as the waiver of some fees. Teaching Assistant duties include grading, supervising discussion sections for freshman survey courses, and teaching independent sections of U.S. History. The selection process is competitive and decisions for the next academic year are made in the latter part of the spring semester of each year. Depending on departmental staffing needs and individual performance both as a student and as a teacher, Teaching Assistantships can be renewed for up to one year for MA students and three years for PhD students.

To apply, current students should contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator and ask to be considered for the upcoming semester. New applicants to the program should mark the appropriate box on the application for the Department of History. Those applying after the annual selection will be considered for any vacancies that arise during the academic year.

Fellowships & Scholarships

Departmental Fellowships & Scholarships

Scholarship

Each year the Department of History awards graduate fellowships and scholarships on a competitive basis. Click "Graduate Scholarships" for more information about those opportunities.

Occasionally, the department also awards fellowships to particularly deserving new applicants. In the past, these fellowships have provided a stipend (roughly equivalent to that of a Teaching Assistant) to allow the student to concentrate solely on their studies for either the first semester or the first year.

Graduate School Fellowships

When made available, the department selects its most promising MA and PhD applicants for the prestigious AT&T Chancellor's Fellowships and the CH Foundation Doctoral Fellowships. These fellowships provide an additional amount ($3,000 for two years for an MA, and $4,000 for four years for a PhD) on top of the Teaching Assistant Stipend. The materials from the department's nominees are then forwarded to the Graduate School, where they compete with applicants from departments across the university for these fellowships. Over the last several years the History Department has been very successful in obtaining these fellowships.

In addition, when made available, the department selects the top applicants to our graduate program to receive the Graduate School Recruitment Fellowship. The fellowship awards MA students $3,000 each year for two years as they work on their degree. Doctoral recipients are awarded $4,000 per year for four years as they work to complete their degree requirements. This money is in addition to any department funding awarded to the student.

Research Assistantships

The Southwest Collection, the Institute for Peace & Conflict, the Sam Johnson Vietnam Center & Archive, and the Center for Historic Preservation and Technology often employ graduate students from the Department of History. Students are directed to those organizations for their current application rules.

Scholarships

Each year the Graduate School awards scholarships. Holders of competitive scholarships totaling $1000 or more for the academic year are granted in-state tuition status for that year. Students should consult the Graduate School Funding website for information on current competitions and opportunities.

Travel and Research Funding

The History Department has some funds available for graduate student research travel and travel to professional conferences. Phi Alpha Theta's local Zeta Iota chapter also has some limited funds for travel. Both are competitive and application details can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor. Each year the Graduate School has a competitive stipend for PhD summer research. Please see the Graduate School website or the History Graduate Advisor for details of the current competition deadlines and requirements early in the spring semester.

General Financial Aid

Students are directed also to the TTU Financial Aid office located in West Hall. Graduate students are classified as independent by the federal government and currently are eligible for approximately $18,500 in loans annually. The Financial Aid office can also direct you to other university and private scholarship and grant opportunities as well as work-study and on-campus employment. The Graduate School also has the Gelin emergency loan fund.