Communication Assistantships, Scholarships and Financial Aid
Every year, the Department of Communication awards competitive assistantships to students who will teach or coach debate for about 20 hours per week while pursuing their master’s degree in communication. These assistantships are called assistantships. They include a tuition waiver—meaning, the student pays no tuition for graduate classes—and a stipend—meaning, a paycheck to help the student cover living expenses.
Most of our assistantships are for teaching. These are called graduate teaching assistantships. Teaching assistants serve as the stand-alone instructor for two sections of an introductory communication course each semester (e.g., COM 101). Sometimes we can also offer full or partial assistantships for assisting with our CMU debate team.
The tuition waiver covers up to 10 credit hours per semester (20 per year) over two years to complete the program —enough to cover the tuition expense associated with getting your masters.
How Do I Apply for a Graduate Assistantship?
The Graduate Teaching Assistant Application is separate from the online program application that you submit to the College of Graduate Studies. To complete the Department’s GTA Application, you will need the following:
The assistantship application deadline is March 15. Assistantships offered in the spring cover the coming fall-spring academic year. Assistantships can be renewed for a second academic year, pending good standing in the program and adequate performance as an instructor.
Mail a copy of materials to:
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Communication
333 Moore Hall
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859