Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA's) awarded by the Department of Communication Studies are competitively selected from among students accepted for admission by the Graduate School at The University of Alabama. Those students interested in applying for a GTA must complete the following two steps, by 1 March, to be considered eligible for the following academic year.

1. Officially apply for admission to graduate study with the Graduate School.
2. Be accepted into the Master of Arts program in the Department of Communication Studies.

How to Submit an Application

Official decisions about departmental assistantships are made about the applicants who have applied and been accepted into the MA program by 1 March. To submit an application for a GTA, send the following two required items to the department : 1.  A letter of application for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, specifying to which GTA one is applying and what experiences or interests the applicant has that are related to that assistantship 2.  Videotape or DVD evidence of speaking ability, a recording of the applicant giving a 10 minute speech or other formal oral presentation. Both should be addressed acordingly: Graduate Program Director Department of Communication Studies The University of Alabama Box 870172 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0172

 

Benefits and Responsibilities

GTA's are generally awarded for a single academic year, and the stipend is paid over a period of nine months. GTA's include a waiver of both in-state and out-of-state tuition.

Beginning M.A. candidates are only eligible for one of three positions:

1. Assisting in the Alabama Forensic Council, a nationally competitive forensic program, coaching in the area of individual events
2. Assisting in the Alabama Forensic Council, coaching in the area of debate
3. Assisting in the instruction of the department’s large enrollment courses:
   
   • COM 100, Rhetoric and Society
   • COM 101, Principles of Human Communication

Those interested in applying for either of the forensic assistantships should make inquiries directly to Dr. Frank Thompson, Director of Forensics.

Only M.A. candidates who have successfully completed 18 hours of study in the program are eligible to apply for one of three assistantships teaching COM 123, Public Speaking, under the general supervision of its coordinator.

All students holding GTA’s with the department must be working toward their M.A. degree, taking 6-9 credit hours per semester, and maintaining a B average, or better, in their course work.

Further Information

To inquire about the graduate admissions process, please refer the information provided by the Graduate School of The University of Alabama.

To address any other questions about the nature of the Master of Arts Program in Communication Studies, please feel free to write to the Graduate Program Director or to call the department office, 205-348-5995, for assistance.