The Department of Sociology awards two teaching assistantships each year to doctoral students in sociology on a competitive basis, usually for one academic year (i.e., two semesters). These assistantships provide a 12-month stipend (July 1 through June 30), along with full-time tuition reimbursement and student health insurance during the academic year for which they are awarded. (Occasionally, assistantships are awarded for one semester, in which case the stipend and tuition reimbursement are granted for that semester only.)

In exchange for the stipend and reimbursement, students are expected to provide 20 hours weekly of service to the department in the form of teaching two lower-level sociology courses (e.g., Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, and/or Self & Society). These assistantships are given to students in the program who have excellent GPA and GRE scores and are believed to have the ability to provide excellent instruction in the classroom.

Assistantships may be renewed for a second year but such renewals will not be honored unless, by the beginning of the new appointment (August 1) the student has: (1) an academic record free of "I" and "X" grades (except for thesis,internship, or independent study credits), and (2) begun the process of assembling his/her interhsip and dissertation committee and chair.   Those serving on an assistantship are expected to register for no less than nine, and no more than twelve, credit hours per semester unless fewer hours are required for graduation.  NOTE:  Students who are funded by an assistantship during their first year and wish to continue their assistantship during their second year must submit a letter of interest including the information listed below by the following deadlines.

Interested students should submit their application materials by November 15 for the following fall semester and October 1 for the following spring semester.  (In other words, applicants seeking funding for fall, 2012 must submit their materials by November 15, 2011, while spring, 2011 applicants seeking funding must submit their materials by October 1, 2011.)  Students must also submit their CV/resume and a letter of interest to Dr. Jonetta Weber at jonettaweber@louisville.edu (a) indicating that they wish to be considered for an assistantship, and (b) elaborating why they feel they would be a good candidate for an assistantship.  The Doctoral Admissions Committee may also request an interview with assistantship candidates.  Awards are generally determined by March 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.  The Doctoral Admissions Committee may also request an interview with assistantship candidates.  NOTE:  Students must submit a letter of interest for each upcoming semester (fall and spring) in which they are interested in being considered for an assistantship.

For more information on available assistantships, contact Dr. Jonetta Weber at jonettaweber@louisville.edu or (502) 852-8028.