Muskie School of Public Service

Muskie School Assistantships

Student Profile

Patty Morris

Patty Morris will be researching domestic violence services for immigrants and refugees for her final capstone project. Morris, who started out as a graduate assistant, now works in the Muskie School as a research analyst. Read More

Faculty research projects and the School's research institutes offer exceptional opportunities for interested students. Every year approximately 25 – 35 Muskie graduate students receive assistantships within the School. This past year approximately $140,000 in assistantships were funded for students to work on projects ranging from an evaluation of the links between smart growth and drinking water regulations for the New England Environmental Finance Center, to data analysis of the Violence Against Women Act for an effectiveness initiative housed at the School.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why an assistantship?

Assistantships serve three purposes: to provide financial support for students, to enhance students' professional and scholarly development, and to support faculty and research staff scholarship and teaching. The recipient of an assistantship is both a student and an employee. As a student, he or she is expected to maintain a high level of academic performance and to develop professional skills through regular counseling by a faculty/research staff mentor. As an employee, the graduate assistant should expect to meet specified teaching or research obligations under supervision and to receive in-service training.

What is the difference between a graduate assistantship and a research assistantship?

The different sources of funding determine whether it is a graduate or research assistantship:

  • The University provides funding for the academic program's graduate assistants. These positions are for ten hours per week and support faculty activities. A School committee reviews applications each spring and makes awards for the following school year.
  • The research programs of the Muskie School fund research assistantships when funding becomes available as part of a specific grant and contract award. These positions support research project activities. Although these positions may align with the start of the semester and the School committee process, there are always additional research assistantship opportunities that come up after the start of the school year.

Am I eligible for an assistantship?

To be eligible for an assistantship a student needs to be matriculated and attending full-time. Master's students must be registered for at least 6 credits of coursework in the semester(s) in which they will be working. (International master's students must be registered for 9 credits to quality.) Doctoral students must be registered for 6 credits of coursework or registered for GRS 701 and have a certificate of satisfactory progress for each semester in which they are to receive a graduate assistantship.

How many hours a week is an assistantship?

Assistantships may be from 5 to 20 hours a week, depending on the specific assistantship, and run for a full semester, two semesters or at least two months during the summer.

What is the pay rate?

For 20 hours per week, total compensation is $8,500. For 10 hours per week, total compensation is 4,250. For 5 hours per week, total compensation is $2,125. If the student is hired for one-semester or a portion of the academic year, the compensation will be pro-rated. These rates govern any student hired as a graduate assistant, research assistant or teaching assistant, regardless of the funding sources.

How do I find out about available assistantships?

Four ways: (see Process for Identifying and Applying for a Graduate or Research Assistantship below for more details)

  1. Apply in March when you receive the Request for Graduate Assistant form.
  2. During the semester, check either the Muskie website, the list-serve, or the bulletin board for research assistantship postings.
  3. Contact either the Student Affairs Office (207-780-4864) or Sondra Bogdonoff (research assistantship coordinator) (207-780-4932) for more information.
  4. Intermittently certain academic departments, not necessarily connected to any graduate degree program, have positions available for which all USM graduate students are eligible to apply. See the Open Graduate Assistantship Positions www.usm.maine.edu/grad/current/open.htm for a listing of current unfilled positions within USM.

Whom do I contact for help or questions?

Muskie School

Both the Student Affairs Office (207-780-4864) and Sondra Bogdonoff (research assistantship coordinator) (207-780-4932) can help you identify opportunities, answer questions, and help you through the process.

USM Graduate Studies

The graduate studies website www.usm.maine.edu/grad/current/graduateassistantships.htm has general information on assistantships, forms for initiating an assistantship, and frequently asked questions. For questions contact Drew Masterman at drewm@usm.maine.edu or (207) 780-4165.

Students: Process for Identifying and Applying for a Graduate or Research Assistantship

  1. All accepted and continuing students are mailed information and an application for graduate and research assistantships in March. Specific assistantship opportunities are not detailed in the letter. Interested students should fill out the enclosed form and mail it back with a resume. Applications are due the end of March. Students are notified if they have received a graduate or research assistantship in mid-April, but the specific faculty member or research project may not be designated until later.
  2. Names and applications of students not receiving funding are automatically forwarded to the research institute representatives (listed below) for review for possible research assistantships that may become available at a later date.
  3. As new research assistantships become available, they are posted to the Muskie website, posted on the bulletin board outside the Student Affairs Office, and e-mailed to students via the student list serve. Interested students should send their resumes directly to the contact person listed on the job description form or call that person for more information.
  4. Intermittently certain academic departments, not necessarily connected to any graduate degree program, have positions available for which all USM graduate students are eligible to apply. See the Open Graduate Assistantship Positions www.usm.maine.edu/grad/current/open.htm for a listing of current unfilled positions.

Students: Once You Receive an Assistantship

  1. The student and Sondra Bogdonoff fill out the Recommendation for Graduate Assistant Appointment in consultation with the assistantship supervisor. This should be done at least one month in advance of the position start date.

    Note: For the remainder of this year (2004/2005) the student can decide the proportion of the assistantship to be paid as salary and what as tuition credits. (After this year there will be no tuition option for in-state students).

    Students should know that:
    1. Financial Aid must be consulted if you are considering a tuition waiver, as this may reduce the amount of the loan you can borrow.
    2. An out-of-state student using a tuition waiver qualifies for the in-state rate, USM making up the difference. But if you take more credits than are waived, the University does not make any financial contribution for any credits. (This policy is under revision for Fall 2005.)

  2. USM Graduate Studies mails the student an employment eligibility verification packet. This must be filled out and returned before the first day of work. The packet includes: An employment verification form requiring submission in person with documentation to prove citizenship; W-4 form and W-4 ME; I.D.S.; EEO Survey; and Letter of acceptance form.

Researchers: Process for Developing a New Research Assistantships

  1. When a research project identifies funding for an assistantship, they fill out the two page position description form and forward that form to Sondra Bogdonoff and their Institute assistantship coordinator. The description form is available online or in the Student Affairs Office. The form identifies if the project would like to be a part of the assistantship application in April, or requires a separate recruitment process.

  2. Sondra Bogdonoff makes sure the position is posted on the Muskie website, sent to students on the Muskie student list-serve, sent to faculty and institute reps, and posted on the jobs bulletin board outside the Student Affairs Office.

  3. Interested students send their resumes directly to the contact person listed on the job description form.

  4. As soon as a student has been identified by the research project, the contact person informs Sondra Bogdonoff of that decision and any modifications to the job position. She and the student fill out the Recommendation for Graduate/Research Assistant Appointment in consultation with the assistantship supervisor. This should be done at least one month in advance of the position start date.

    Note: For the remainder of this year (2004/2005), we must determine the proportion of the assistantship to be paid as salary and what as tuition credits. (After this year there will be no tuition option for in-state students).

  5. Student should be informed that:
    1. Financial Aid must be consulted if the student is considering a tuition waiver, as this may reduce the amount of the loan you can borrow.
    2. An out-of-state student using a tuition waiver qualifies for the in-state rate, USM making up the difference. But if the student takes more credits then are waived, the University does not make any financial contribution for any credits. (This policy is under revision for fall 2005).

  6. Supervisors should read the summary of responsibilities for supervisors on the USM Graduate Studies web site.

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