Public History Graduate Financial Support

Departmental Assistantships

Students accepted into the MA program in history are eligible for a teaching assistantship for up to four semesters. The assistantships are competitive and cover the cost of tuition and most fees for fall and spring, and provide a monthly stipend (during fall and spring semesters). Students holding assistantships are required to work an average of twenty hours per week under the direction of a history department faculty member, to carry at least six hours of graduate work, and to make satisfactory progress in the graduate program. To apply, please complete the form found online at the College of Graduate Studies website, and submit the form with your application materials.

Graduate Assistantship Information

Center for Historic Preservation Assistantships

The Center for Historic Preservation annually awards one or more masters-level and doctoral-level graduate assistantships for responsibilities related to the Center's programs. Masters level graduate research assistantships at the Center provide a stipend of $6,000 plus all tuition and most fees for the academic year.

Center for Historic Preservation

Albert Gore Research Center Assistantships

The Albert Gore Research Center provides two in-house professional assistantships and two assistantship positions at the Rutherford County Archives to graduate students during the academic school year. Research assistants at the Gore Center are assigned work related to the Center's regional archival collections programs. Those at the Rutherford County Archives are responsible for maintaining collections and facilitating public access to the archives. The positions provide a modest stipend as well as covering tuition and most fees. Application for these assistantships are made through the Department of History. 

Albert Gore Research CenterRutherford County Archives

Financial aid is available in the form of teaching and professional assistantships that are awarded on a competitive basis.

The Doctoral Admissions Committee ranks applicants based on their incoming GPA, their letters of recommendation, their portfolio, and their letter of intent. Continuation of financial aid is contingent on maintaining good standing in the program and successful progress toward completion of the degree.

Students who are awarded departmental funding will receive a maximum of three years of support. Currently, doctoral assistantships at MTSU are 12-month appointments and include a stipend of $14,000 plus https://www.mtsu.edu/tuition/ remission and require 20 hours of employment per week from the student. In the third year of funding, if students are assigned to a residency on campus, they receive a Residency Fellowship, instead of an assistantship, which is also a 12-month appointment and includes a stipend of $19,000 and tuition remission.

Depending upon the student's needs and wishes, responsibilities may include research, teaching, and/or project management. The higher value of the Residency Fellowship reflects the increased quality and quantity of work expected of residents.

Please note that the Center for Historic Preservation funds additional assistantships and residencies and applicants to the Ph.D. program should be sure to apply simultaneously to both the Department and the CHP for funding.

Graduate Assistantship Information Center for Historic Preservation