Teaching Assistantships and the Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP)
Applicants for admission to the three programs in English--Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Fine Arts (MFA)--may apply for a teaching assistantship, an academic appointment made on a competitive basis. TAs are primarily awards given to new, incoming students, with the great majority of recipients being those who enter in the fall. Although first semester TAs do not teach their own classes independently, they are paid the same monthly stipend as second-year graduate student teachers of record. During their second semester, TAs are assigned a mentor and assist in a variety of ways with the teaching of ENG 101 (Academic Writing and Research). TAs in the Linguistics and Film Studies concentrations may assist in courses related to those fields.
TAs receive (1) an annual stipend of $9,000, (2) a full tuition fellowship covering fall and spring semesters (not summers) for 4 semesters and (3) a health insurance policy currently worth $1578/year, with coverage over the full calendar year, including summers. Although tuition is paid in full, the arrangement does not cover university fees, which currently amount to $684 per semester.
University and Department Definitions and Expectations
Teaching Assistantships at NCSU are defined by the university in the Graduate Administrator's Handbook as one-half-time appointments: "A half-time Graduate Teaching Assistant is expected to spend approximately 20 hours per week fulfilling assigned teaching responsibilities associated with the stipend. These duties may be independent of teaching activities that contribute to the requirements of the degree program. Expected time commitment for students whose appointment is less than or greater than half-time are in the same proportion to a 40-hour week as that of the half-time appointment, i.e., 10 hours for a quarter-time appointment and 30 hours for a 3/4 -time appointment." (http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_publicns/handbook chap. 4, sect. 4.2.b). The workload in English thus averages about 20 hours per week. This time may be somewhat lighter in the first year, when TAs are beginning their training, and heavier in the second year, when they may be teaching classes of their own or assisting in a large lecture course.
In the first year, TAs register for 9-11 hours each semester. In the second year, TAs teaching their own English composition courses in the First-Year Writing Program should register for no more than six degree credits per semester.
The assignment of courses TAs will teach or assist in depends on departmental need. The majority of TAs in the department are trained in the First-Year Writing Program to teach composition (ENG 101), and do so in the second year.
TAs in Linguistics and Film Studies concentrations in the MA and TAs in the MFA and MS programs typically assist courses in those areas, though they may request to teach composition. Also, some TAs who begin their service to the department by assisting in larger literature sections are selected as needed to remain as literature assistants in the second year.
All required training (see below) must be completed before any TA can teach sections of ENG 101.
Time-to-Degree for TAs
In each graduate program, TAs may take longer than non-TAs to finish the degree. Frequently, this involves either taking additional courses over the summer between the first and second years, or taking one or two summer sessions beyond the second year. Summer courses and courses taken beyond the four-semester TA appointment must be paid for by the student. The cost of extending the time should be weighed against the significant benefits of gaining professional teaching experience. For this reason, also, it is very important for out-of-state students to begin the process of establishing NC residency early in their first semester. Otherwise, they will have to pay out-of-state tuition to complete their degree requirements. For the rules regarding NC state residency, see: Graduate Handbook, Chapter 4.6, "Establishing Residency" at http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/handbook/index.htm.
The Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) can sometimes extend health insurance beyond the second year, but graduate school policy does not extend tuition wavers beyond the fourth semester of any MA TA award. The English Department cannot extend the TA stipend beyond two years, but does employ some trained TAs who are beyond the second year to teach composition at a per-course rate.
Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP)
All TAs are limited to two years by the terms of the Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP).
The GSSP refers to (1) payment of tuition at either an in- or out-of-state rate; (2) the annual stipend any department pays its assistants for teacher training and work; (3) paid health insurance. The tuition and stipend payments are limited to fall and spring semesters. TAs may take summer classes, but those who do pay their own tuition. Health insurance, however, remains in force during the first two summers.
The GSSP lasts for only four semesters. Any TA who takes longer than four semesters will be obliged to pay for remaining tuition.
Although TAs who have trained in composition may apply to continue teaching composition after their second year is completed, they are no longer on the GSSP and consequently do not receive tuition remission or health insurance.
For more information on the GSSP, see: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/support-plan/
