A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Applications for assistantships must be submitted directly to the department. Acceptance into the graduate program does not guarantee financial assistance.  Currently there are three types of financial support that students may apply for and receive through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.  Please click on the links below to find out more information.

Graduate Teaching Assistant

IMPORTANT DEADLINE: WE WILL BEGIN REVIEWING APPLICATIONS ON FEB 1

The Mathematics and Statistics Department at Portland State University has about 25 Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) to teach beginning level mathematics courses such as college algebra, trigonometry, and introductory statistics. GTAs normally are hired for a nine-month appointment to begin Fall Quarter. Appointments are awarded to graduate students working on MS/MA in Mathematics, MS in Statistics, MST/MAT, PhD in Mathematical Sciences, Ph.D. in Mathematics Education, and Ph.D. in Systems Science/Mathematics. Rarely are GTA appointments given to students majoring in other departments. Some summer teaching appointments may be available.

The 2007-08 stipend for a new GTA at the Master's level is $9,630; for a new GTA at the Ph.D. level the stipend is $10,206; after passing the Ph.D. Comprehensive examinations the GTA stipend will be $11,070. GTAs may not have outside employment. In addition to your stipend, GTAs receive a tuition waiver (currently $2,142/quarter) which pays for instructional fees for 9 credit hours; these do not include university fees ($408.50/quarter).

Responsibilities for a GTA appointment:

• teaching one class per quarter for three quarters
• conducting office hours (normally 2 hours per week)
• tutoring math students (lower-division algebra and calculus or stat lab.) 1 hour per week
• attending a one-hour course on the teaching of mathematics and/or statistics (one may apply to be excused from the course).

All GTAs are required to carry a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours and to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better. They are all furnished office space in Neuberger Hall.

A five-day orientation workshop will be held prior to the beginning of Fall term. Topics covered will include university and departmental orientation, individual advising, teaching assignments, model lessons, and methods of assessing what students have learned in your class.

Renewal of a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) is not guaranteed; an attempt will be made to renew appointments to those whose academic and teaching performance is satisfactory subject to the following guidelines:

If interested in Financial Support from the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, please complete the GTA application form. Please request at least two recommendations from past professors or employers who are familiar with your undergraduate work in mathematics/statistics or with your teaching abilities.

The GTA Committee will begin reviewing applications Feb. 1; however, applications will be considered until all available positions are filled.

Research Assistant

Some professors are able to provide Research Assistantships from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their direction. Students are selected for excellence in scholarship and promise as researchers. The responsibilities and financial support vary based on the grant work.

Adjunct

From time to time the department is able to hire graduate students as adjunct faculty members.  Adjunct faculty members typically teach one or two courses a term.  Tuition waivers are not available to adjunct faculty.