The department offers graduate assistantships in two forms: Teaching Assistantships (TA); and Research Assistantships (RA). TA's assist faculty members with classes (grading, laboratories, recitation, lectures, office hours, etc.) and RA's work with individual or groups of faculty members on research projects. All graduate applicants are automatically considered for assistantships upon acceptance into the program. However, both types of assistantships are highly competitive and most students are not awarded assistantships during their initial term. The pay rate for assistantships varies, but all assistantships are accompanied by tuition and health insurance (see http://www.grad.auburn.edu/ps/presgradfellows.html for details about these fellowships).
Teaching assistantships are awarded based on teaching needs and available funding. The department chair awards all teaching assistantships. The target dates for awarding TA's are April 15 (for the following Fall semester) and November 15 (for the following Spring semester). Students who are awarded teaching assistantships will be contacted directly, typically before these respective dates.
Research assistantships are awarded by individual faculty members based on their individual project research needs and available funding. It is unusual for newly entering students to be awarded an RA, as these are generally awarded based on classroom or personal interaction with individual faculty members. However, it is quite common for students to be awarded an RA after establishing themselves in class and TA's often switch to RA's once they identify their research topic and permanent advisor.
INSY graduate students are free to seek and take assistantships in other departments. In previous semesters, INSY graduate students have been employed in the Math, Statistics, and Mechanical Engineering departments, among others.
Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (OSE) Fellowships
Other Graduate School Fellowship Information