Economics Program – Graduate Student Financial Support
The Economics Program offers three types of financial support to highly qualified graduate students. These are research and teaching assistantships, as well as the John Kain Fellowship and the Vibhooti Shukla Fellowship. Such support provides valuable opportunities for faculty-student professional collaborations that enhance academic learning, career choices, and professional development.
Research and Teaching Assistantships provide assistance to a faculty member or members in the conduct of their research or their courses and help students to develop their own teaching skills.
Assistantships are competitive – eligibility includes a minimum GPA of not less than 3.0 and preferably 3.5 at time of entry and during continuation of the Program, as well as a combined GRE score of preferably not less than 1200, as well as related evidence of academic and communications skills at the time of application.
Assistantships typically are awarded starting in the Fall semester with the award covering the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Assistantships require registration for at least 9, and possibly 12, credit hours of coursework per semester, as prescribed by the UTD graduate catalog and the Economics Ph.D. Program degree plan, and as advised and permitted by the Economics Program Head.
Assistantships are awarded and renewable, contingent on satisfactory academic and assistantship performance and availability of funds, for a maximum of 99 semester credit hours of graduate coursework. This means enrollment, as well as strong and timely progress, in the Economics Ph.D. Program and in its courses, as prescribed by the UTD graduate catalog and the Program degree plan, and as determined by the Program Head or, if a research assistantship, then the faculty Principal Investigator who holds the research grant. All assistants also are expected to know relevant university policy and procedures and important dates and holidays as listed in the University Schedule of Classes.
Assistants may receive one of three tiers of monthly stipend – approximately $1100 per month up to 30 semester credit hours of graduate coursework – approximately $1200 per month between 30 and 60 hours (which may include an earned MA or MS degree) – and, approximately $1300 per month between when a student passes the doctoral examinations (usually at 60 hours) and teaches his/her own course up to a maximum of 99 semester hours. Regardless of tier, fully funded students also receive in-state tuition and fees for approximately 9 credit hours of coursework per semester up to 10 consecutive semesters. Assistantships, together with required coursework, constitute a full-time position – this means that assistants do not hold employment outside of the university.
Fellowships
The John Forrest Kain Fellowship in Economics is open to entering full-time students in the Economics Ph.D. Program and who have strong scholarly interests in Economics. Eligibility for the Fellowship is based on undergraduate preparation for graduate study in Economics, GPA, GRE, letters of recommendation, an application essay, and interviews with applicants. Applications should be addressed to Dr. James Murdoch, Economics Program Head, and received not later than March 15 of the calendar year. The Fellowship provides a monthly stipend, which is renewable for up to four years based on academic performance, as well as a waiver of tuition and fees.
The Vibhooti Shukla Fellowship is open to students who enter or are not beyond two years of full-time study in the Economic or in the Public Policy and Political Economy Ph.D. Program, and who have a strong interest in the application of economic theories to public policy and policy analysis and/or in econometric modeling as applied to policy problems. The Shukla Fellowship is valued at $18,000 per year and is renewable annually based on academic performance. The fellowship is accompanied by tuition and fees per semester for a total of ten semesters again based on academic performance. Those who are interested in being considered for the Shukla Fellowship should send, by April 14 of the calendar year:
- A letter of interest in the Fellowship that describes the applicant’s research interests and career objectives – faculty members also may submit letters of nomination;
- Three letters of recommendation by faculty that demonstrate familiarity with the student’s achievements and abilities.
Application materials should be mailed to:
Dr. Euel Elliott,
Associate Dean for Academic Programs
School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
University of Texas at Dallas
Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083
One application or nomination cannot be submitted for both fellowships. Each fellowship must be applied for separately. On receipt, application materials are reviewed by the Kain Fellowship Committee or the Shukla Fellowship Committee and applicants are notified thereafter.
Expressions of interest in, or requests for information about, assistantships or fellowships, as well applications, should be addressed to:
James Murdoch, Economics Program Head
Email: murdoch@utdallas.edu
Telephone: (972) 883-4989
or
Judy Du, Economics Program Assistant
Email: judy.du@utdallas.edu
Telephone: (972) 883-4964
Inquiries about other forms of financial aid should be directed to the University’s financial aid office.
- Updated: February 9, 2007
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