Graduate assistantships are financial awards given to graduate students for part-time work in teaching, administration, or research. Students admitted to graduate-level public health degree programs have the opportunity to apply for assistantship positions in our department. Opportunities also exist to apply for positions in other departments or university offices.
Public Health Assistantships
The Department of Public Health endeavors to provide financial support for all its doctoral students, although it is not guaranteed. Students must apply for all forms of funding; they are not provided without submitted applications. We encourage students to apply for multiple forms of financial assistance.
The department has several types of assistantships available, each with varying work responsibilities. Those types include:
- Graduate assistants (GA)
- Graduate research assistants (GRA)
- Graduate teaching assistants/associates (GTA)
Work Load
Postions can be either 25% or 50% appointments. The work loads for each type are:
- 50% appointment = 20 hours of work per week, excluding organized class time. Students must be registered for a minimum of 6 credit hours.
- 25% appointment = 10 hours of work per week, excluding organized class time. Students must be registered for a minimum of 9 credit hours.
Benefits
All positions provide the following:
- Tuition / maintenance fee
- Health insurance
- Monthy stipend* (paid over twelve months)
*Salary (stipend) is subject to federal income tax.
Students remain responsible for paying all other university fees, including (but not limited to) programs and services fees, campus facilities fees, technology fees, library fees, and transportation fees.
To apply
Assistantships are awarded on a yearly basis, subject to available funding. Applications are accepted from students admitted to graduate-level public health programs.
To apply, please submit the following:
- Graduate Assistantship Application
- Resume or CV
Deadline and Notification
Assistantship applications must be received no later than April 1
Applicants will be notified whether or not they have been awarded an assistantship in early May.
Application Submission
Send completed applications to
wsmith12@utk.edu
or
Dept. of Public Health
C/O Wendy Smith
HPER 390
Andy Holt Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996
Please Note
- Assistantship positions officially start in fall of each year.
- Students must reapply for assistantships each year, regardless of past appointments. Reappointments are not guaranteed.
- No applications will be reviewed prior to the April 1 deadline.
External Assistantships
Assistantship opportunities are also available through other departments on campus. General information regarding graduate assistantships and a list of some (but not all) GA positions in other departments is available on the UT Graduate School website. The applicable policies governing graduate assistantships are in the Graduate Catalog.