Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships

Graduate Assistantships are university appointments that provide financial support to outstanding graduate students. These assistantships allow students to gain experience in teaching, research, or advanced service at the university level.

Graduate Assistantships:

Provide graduate students an opportunity to work with faculty mentors in research, teaching, or service assignments.
Benefit all areas and programs on campus as a graduate student may pursue a graduate degree in one program while conducting research, teaching, or service in another area.
Enhance the graduate education experience and program quality.
Are awarded as an incentive to potential students who are capable of employment while being enrolled in graduate coursework.

Assistantships are available for 1/8 time and 1/4 time, depending on the position requirements. During the academic year, students may work up to 5 hours per week for 16-weeks at 1/8 time or up to 10 hours per week for 16-weeks at 1/4 time. During the 8-week summer term, students may work up to 10 hours per week at 1/4 time and up to 20 hours per week at 1/2 time. Teaching assistantships are 1/4 time. Assistantships are awarded for one semester at a time and may be renewed providing the student maintains eligibility within the graduate program. International students should review the policy for the number of hours of work allowed per semester. Graduate students are eligible for assistantships regardless of the mode of instruction.

The student receiving a graduate assistantship must enroll in a minimum of 6 semester hours of course work during the fall or spring semester or 3 semester hours during summer session or be completing thesis or project credits. Students enrolled in thesis or project credits or who have an in-progress grade and are enrolled in Continuing Enrollment are eligible to receive 2 years of graduate assistantship funding. Students enrolled in the Education Specialist program and have thesis or project credits in-progress are eligible to receive 3 years of graduate assistantship funding.

Graduate assistantships are considered a scholarship to promising students for the opportunity to participate in research, teaching, and service-related tasks under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Students may apply for a graduate assistant position through MSU Human Resource system. Applications are reviewed by faculty requesting graduate assistants. Faculty prepare a job description that is attached to the contract request. Awarding of assistantships is determined by the program director in consultation with the department chair.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Minot State offers a scholarship to new graduate students employed in a K-12 school within a qualifying county. Students who enroll full-time (9 or more credits) receive a $1,000 scholarship, while students who enroll part-time (fewer than 9 credits) receive a $500 scholarship. To qualify, you must be new graduate student enrolled in a certificate, master’s, or specialist program. To be considered for this scholarship, complete the application and have your principal or superintendent email graduate@MinotStateU.edu, a letter confirming your employment at the K-12 institution.

The Minot State Alumni Foundation offers a scholarship to potential graduate school applicants. Applicant must be an MSU alum within the past 5 years who has not yet started a graduate program. The award is equivalent to the cost of a 3-credit course (one award per student). To be considered, complete the scholarship application.

Department Scholarships

Several MSU Departments may have additional scholarships which are offered on a year-by-year basis pending availability of funds. Students may contact the Financial Aid Office at 701-858-3375 or their respective Program Directors for additional information.

Most departmental scholarships selections are made from the applications received by Feb. 15 of each year. Applications will continue to be accepted after Feb. 15; however; most scholarships are granted by the department for those who met the initial Feb. 15 yearly deadline.

To be considered for any scholarships, applicants are required to complete the appropriate Scholarship Web Application (New or Returning) which can be found on the Graduate School website at MinotStateU.edu/graduate/current_students/index.shtml.

For those applying to a Department of Business Scholarship, applicants will also be required to complete the Department of Business application which is located on the righthand side of the following website: MinotStateU.edu/business/pages/scholarships.shtml.

Business

Bruce and Diane Walker

Open to full-time Department of Business students.

Doris A. Slaaten

Open to Department of Business students with a GPA of 3.0 in financial need.

E. James McIntyre

Open to full-time Department of Business students with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Preference given to those participating in MSU Athletics.

Jan Barlow

Open to Department of Business students.

MSIS Scholarship Endowment

Open to MSIS graduate students enrolled in at least 6 credits with a GPA of 3.0 or greater.

Randy & Pat Burckhard
As per the Alumni Office, awarded to Business Administration majors on a quadrennial basis.

Richard L. Muss Business

As per the Alumni Office, awarded annually to full-time Department of Business students who are residents of North Dakota.

Robert Torgerson

Open to full-time MSU students in the Department of Business.

Yvonne Schultz

As per the Alumni Office, open to Department of Business graduate students.

Communication Disorders-Speech Language Pathology

North Dakota Speech, Language, and Hearing Association:

Open to graduate and undergraduate students at the least junior status majoring in communication disorders.

Minot Sertoma Club

Established by the Minot Sertoma Club to aid students in hearing and speech related programs. Scholarships are awarded to graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology and in Special Education: Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

Hearing and Training Center

Scholarship for graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders minimum GPA is 3.5.

Edna Gilbert

Open to anyone majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

North Dakota Department of Instruction

Open to students who agree to be employed in a North Dakota school following graduation.

Dr. Audrey Lunday

Open to a first-year graduate student who is a single-parent graduate student from abroad whose intent is to be employed in a medical setting.

Inspiritus Community Foundation

Open to a graduate or undergraduate student studying Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Dr. David Williams

Open to any graduate or undergraduate student majoring in communication disorders. Minimum GPA of 3.35 or higher.

Bob and Pat Nelson Scholarship

Open to any student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Terry and Ann Zeltinger Scholarship

Open to any student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders intending to pursue Speech-Language Pathology.

Sheryl Fursteneah Sharp Scholarship

Open to any student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Dr. Lesley Magnus Scholarship

Open to any Canadian student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Preference for Canadian graduate students.

Don and Sandie Sivertson Scholarship

Open to any Graduate students majoring in speech-language pathology who graduated from a ND high school.

Keith and Patricia White Scholarship

Open to any student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and are a ND resident or US citizen.

Communication Science and Disorders Memorial Scholarship

Open to any student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Special Education

Elsie May Deeter Hearing Impaired

Established by Elsie May Deeter, scholarships are awarded to graduate students in deaf/hard of hearing education. Approval from the Chair of the Department of Education and Inclusive Services and the Vice President for Academic Affairs is required.

Florence Lake

Established by Florence Lake, a leader in education of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who was instrumental in establishing the program at Minot State University. This annual scholarship is awarded to students in education of the deaf on the basis of academic achievement and financial needs.

Frances V. Leach

Established by the late Mrs. Thomas W. Leach of Towner, North Dakota, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, to encourage and support special education. Priority is given to a graduate student from Towner or McHenry County majoring in learning disabilities. If no graduate student applies, the scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student from Towner or McHenry County majoring in special education.