Scholarships and Awards
In addition to scholarships offered by the university and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, we offer graduate program-specific scholarships in science and technology in society.
The STS department has a limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships available for students applying for full-time study on the Blacksburg Campus. Entering students can apply for such funding as part of their admissions application. We are generally not able to fund all accepted students, and preference is usually given to Ph.D. degree students. Funding usually comprises a mix of graduate teaching and research assistantships. Graduate teaching assistants are expected to assist faculty members in teaching their courses, and may include grading, working with students, and leading discussion sections. Advanced students are often given the opportunity to run their own course sections, or even teach their own courses. Graduate research assistants will assist a faculty member collecting and analyzing data for faculty research projects.
Duration of Funding
We normally offer 4 years of assistantship for funded Ph.D. students, and 2 years for MS students. Contracts are for one year, with renewal depending on progress in the degree program and satisfactory performance of assistantship duties.
Benefits of Assistantships
Assistantships provide these benefits:
-Stipend
-Tuition waiver
-Health insurance program (see the Graduate School benefits page for details)
Applying for Funding
A question on the Graduate School application for graduate admission asks whether you want to be considered for a teaching assistantship. If you check yes, you will respond to additional questions and be added to our list of candidates. All new positions begin in the fall semester.
Please note that you do not require separate applications to be considered for Graduate Assistantships.
Application Open Dates: Same as admissions
Deadline: February 1
Contact Person: Ashley Snider