- Your first point of contact about GA opportunities should be your graduate program director. Tell your program director of your interest in a graduate assistantship and see if they have a position available. Don't procrastinate-hiring decisions are usually made in late spring or summer before the beginning of the new academic year, so the sooner you let your PD know of your interest, the better.
- Some positions may be posted on the Career Center Brave Opportunities page (Handshake). Search and apply for available positions. Contact the Career Center for assistance.
Graduate Assistantships
"I am so thankful I decided to continue my education at UNCP. Through taking advantage of the opportunities like undergraduate privilege, online accelerated programs, graduate assistantships, and affordable tuition, I am confident in my future."
Requirements
-
Work Commitment: Graduate Assistants are expected to work 20 hours per week during the academic semester.
-
Program Enrollment: Candidates must be formally accepted into a master's program at UNCP.
-
Course Load: Maintain enrollment in a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours per semester or 3 hours during each summer term of employment. GAs in their final semester may request to take a reduced course load of 6 semester hours.
-
Academic Performance: Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for continuing students.
-
Professional Development: Agree to complete one professional development workshop or event each semester of employment.
-
Research Participation: Participate in the annual Graduate Research Symposium, held in early April.
-
Employment Restrictions: Not be otherwise employed at UNCP without prior permission.
-
Administrative Compliance: Submit all required employment paperwork by the specified due dates.
-
Professional Conduct: Exhibit professionalism in all aspects of the GA role.
-
Renewal Status: GA appointments are not guaranteed for renewal and may or may not be extended beyond the current term.
-
Termination Conditions: A GA appointment may be terminated if the graduate assistant fails to comply with professional development and symposium participation requirements, does not meet academic standards or exhibits unprofessional behavior or unsatisfactory performance of duties.
-
Appointment Duration: GA appointments typically commence on the first day of classes and conclude on the last day of classes for the academic semester.
-
Summer Availability: Graduate Assistantship positions are generally not available during the summer months.
The remuneration for Graduate School-awarded GAs will be $9000 a year or $4500 a semester. In addition, The Graduate School provides tuition awards typically of around $600/semester for in-state GAs, and five out-of-state/international tuition awards of $4500 a semester, $9000 a year. The number of available GA positions is limited and these positions are generally distributed at the discretion of the hiring program director.
GAships funded by a department or program may have different remunerations and typically do not come with a tuition award.
Departments or programs at UNCP may choose to fund Graduate Assistantships (GAs) independently, separate from The Graduate School's funding. In such cases:
-
Alignment with Graduate School Standards: The requirements for these positions should closely mirror those established by The Graduate School.
-
Approval Process: Before initiating the hiring process, departments must submit a detailed position description to The Graduate School for approval.
-
Administrative Procedures: All associated paperwork and administrative processes should be coordinated through The Graduate School to ensure consistency and compliance.
Additionally, departments have the option to hire student workers, who may be graduate students. However, these individuals should not be designated as Graduate Assistants.
How to
Apply/Search for Positions