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Funding for Ph.D. Students

Students who are admitted to the doctoral program from outside are typically promised at least three years of funding through some combination of fellowships and teaching assistantships. A few who are awarded the top fellowship packages can be promised four years of funding. (Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. from the UCSB M.A. program or on the M.A./Ph.D. track should see information in those sections of this website for funding information.) Most doctoral students work as teaching assistants for two years (which also fulfills the teaching requirement for the degree) and earn a fellowship for one year, often the first.

Fellowships 

Fellowships typically pay a year's stipend of $10-14,000, as well as in-state fees ($5,701.98 per year) and health insurance (approx. $473 per quarter). Some of the more competitive ones also pay out-of-state tuition. Sometimes these fellowships can be supplemented by partial teaching assistantships.

Teaching Assistantships 

Teaching assistantships all pay approximately $4,785.66 per quarter, plus about half of in- state fees and health insurance. The remaining portion of the in-state fees will normally be awarded to students in good standing in the form of a stipend. A detailed listing of available TAships can be found at available TAships. Teaching assistants work in:

Appreciation of Theatre (3 weekly discussion sections accompanying a lecture course), 
Introduction to Acting (2 bi-weekly acting classes for beginning actors), 
Introduction to Theater (2 weekly discussion sections in a core class for majors), 
Directing (supervising student directing projects), 
Technical Theatre (supervising students in the scene shop area), 
Costume (supervising students in the costume shop), 
History of Dance (assisting in a large lecture course).

There are three quarters during the year when teaching assistants are employed. The summer quarter sometimes offers teaching opportunities for graduate students, but these are not considered part of the funding package. All doctoral students must fulfill a teaching requirement of six quarters.

Other Funding Sources

Readerships (grading papers for upper-division courses) are occasionally available but are not promised in advance as part of a funding package. During any year in which a doctoral student is enrolled, he or she can be nominated for a Continuing Fellowship by the graduate faculty. These fellowships reflect a high level of achievement in the program. After advancement to candidacy, doctoral students become eligible to apply for various university (as well as extra-mural) fellowships to aid dissertation research. Doctoral candidates can also receive funding for a trip to a conference. Doctoral students are also sometimes offered teaching opportunities within the department, such as summer teaching or filling in for faculty on leave. These opportunities are not guaranteed upon admission and represent a matching of the needs of the department combined with the merits and abilities of the student. A listing of fellowship opportunities can be found at Fellowships & Financial Support.

TYPICAL SUPPORT FOR ph.D.
1st year  (coursework) Small Department Regents Fellowship In-State Fees
Out-of-State Tuition
Health Insurance
Stipend 
PAID
PAID (typically)
PAID
$15,000
2nd year (coursework) Teaching Assistantship Salary
Health Insurance
In-State Fees 
 
$15,775.98
PAID
PAID*
 
3rd year
(advancement to candidacy and dissertation)
Teaching Assistantship Salary
Health Insurance
In-State Fees**
 
$15,775.98
PAID
PAID**
4th year 
(dissertation work)
Assistantship? Fellowship? Varies by award Varies by award

* In-State fees are typically paid by a fee offset associated with the TAship and a fee fellowship administered by the department, which is merit-based and variable but typically pays the remainder of in-state fees.

**In-State fees are discounted for all students who have advanced to candidacy. They are also often paid by the merit-based departmental fee fellowships.

During the 4th year, some students might receive a teaching assignment, as available. Other students are awarded a fellowship, as available. Some students take a teaching job elsewhere during this year. In practice, most doctoral students receive full funding during the fourth year.

 

 

 

 

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Contact: webmaster@theaterdance.ucsb.edu | Last updated October 11 2007 05:10:56 PM


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