The Department Graduate Assistant Application Form must be completed and returned to the e-mail address on the form. Awards are announced within the last month before the start of the term. The assistantships require 10 hours of work, such as monitoring an open computer laboratory in the evenings, assisting a faculty member in preparing equipment for laboratory sessions, etc. Assistantships are awarded first to applicants who are in good academic standing and closest to graduation. However, some first semester students are successful in securing an assistantship.
Students applying early are more likely to receive an award.
Many full-time students secure assistantships from other academic departments, computer services, or one of the University's research laboratories. A student needs to apply after arriving on campus. Most student jobs can be converted to an Graduate Assistantship if the supervisor is willing to file the paper work. Some international students register for a work-study during the summer, and spend the time working in industry. Upon registration for an Internship course and completion of a report, the student secures 3 hours credit as an elective towards their masters.