Financial Awards

A number of scholarships and assistantships are available for full-time enrolled students (8+ hrs. per semester) in the Department of Communication and Media. 

All qualifying communication and media students are considered for departmental tuition scholarships and assistantships. To qualify, newly admitted graduate students must have at least a 3.0 GPA for undergraduate or previous graduate work of at least 8 graded credit hour. Awards are based on the strength of the applicant's application materials. For full consideration for funding, all Fall applicants must submit their materials by February 15th and Spring applicants must submit their materials by November 15th. Funding may be available even if this deadline is not met, but applicants that meet this deadline will be given preference.

Applicants may also wish to pursue assistantships through non-academic units on campus. 

Communication and Media

Graduate Student Teacher

  • Half to Full Assistantship (10-20 hours per week)
  • Reports to: Ryan McGeough, Basic Course Director

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As a graduate student teacher, you will teach up to two sections of the COMM 1000: Fundamentals of Oral Communication course. This is an instructor of record position, meaning you will solo teach the course over the 16-weeek semester.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Terms of Employment"]

Terms of Employment:

  • For the Fall semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning August 25, 2025 and ending December 24, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.
  • For the Spring semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning January 20, 2026 and ending May 10, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Compensation"]

  • Graduate Assistantship stipend is $3,090.00 for half-time and $6,180.00 for full-time per semester and may be prorated depending on start date.
  • Graduate Assistants may qualify for in-state tuition and fees.
  • Graduate Assistants may receive University holidays and do not work during the interims between semesters.
  • For more information regarding Graduate Assistantship procedures review https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="General Qualifications"]

  • Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI's graduate program  
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. First semester graduate students must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00
  • Have an official transcript on file in the Office of Admissions
  • Be regularly admitted without provisions to degree status in a graduate degree program
  • Must meet UNI's HRS employment eligibility.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Preferred Qualifications"]

  • Strong writing, research, and communication skills
  • Tutoring and peer mentoring experience

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Application Details"]

  • No additional application is necessary. All fully-enrolled, qualifying students are considered for assistantships. The position is awarded based on the strength of the applicant's materials.

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Graduate Teaching Assistant

  • Half to Full Assistantship (10-20 hours per week)
  • Reports to: C. Kyle Rudick, Graduate Program Coordinator

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As a graduate teaching assistant, you will aid a faculty member in up to two sections of large enrollment courses in areas such as mass media, communication theory, or organizational communication. Duties include taking attendance, grading student work, overseeing student groups, and answering student emails.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Terms of Employment"]

Terms of Employment:

  • For the Fall semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning August 25, 2025 and ending December 24, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.
  • For the Spring semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning January 20, 2026 and ending May 10, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.

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[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Compensation"]

  • Graduate Assistantship stipend is $3,090.00 for half-time and $6,180.00 for full-time per semester and may be prorated depending on start date.
  • Graduate Assistants may qualify for in-state tuition and fees.
  • Graduate Assistants may receive University holidays and do not work during the interims between semesters.
  • For more information regarding Graduate Assistantship procedures review https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="General Qualifications"]

  • Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI's graduate program  
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. First semester graduate students must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00
  • Have an official transcript on file in the Office of Admissions
  • Be regularly admitted without provisions to degree status in a graduate degree program
  • Must meet UNI's HRS employment eligibility.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Preferred Qualifications"]

  • Strong writing, research, and communication skills
  • Tutoring and peer mentoring experience

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Application Details"]

  • No additional application is necessary. All fully-enrolled, qualifying students are considered for assistantships. The position is awarded based on the strength of the applicant's materials.

[/collapse]

Speech and/or Debate Graduate Assistant

  • Half to Full Assistantship (10-20 hours per week)
  • Reports to: C. Kyle Rudick, Graduate Program Coordinator

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As a speech and/or debate graduate assistant, you will aid a the director of debate and/or the director of speech as they oversee the speech and debate teams. Duties include overseeing practices, working closely with student performers/debaters, traveling to tournaments, judging at tournaments, finding materials for performances/debates, and promoting the speech and debate team to undergraduates.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Terms of Employment"]

Terms of Employment:

  • For the Fall semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning August 25, 2025 and ending December 24, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.
  • For the Spring semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning January 20, 2026 and ending May 10, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Compensation"]

  • Graduate Assistantship stipend is $3,090.00 for half-time and $6,180.00 for full-time per semester and may be prorated depending on start date.
  • Graduate Assistants may qualify for in-state tuition and fees.
  • Graduate Assistants may receive University holidays and do not work during the interims between semesters.
  • For more information regarding Graduate Assistantship procedures review https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="General Qualifications"]

  • Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI's graduate program  
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. First semester graduate students must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00
  • Have an official transcript on file in the Office of Admissions
  • Be regularly admitted without provisions to degree status in a graduate degree program
  • Must meet UNI's HRS employment eligibility.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Preferred Qualifications"]

  • Strong writing, research, and communication skills
  • Tutoring and peer mentoring experience
  • Speech and/or debate experience

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Application Details"]

  • No additional application is necessary. All fully-enrolled, qualifying students are considered for assistantships. The position is awarded based on the strength of the applicant's materials.

[/collapse]

Research or Creative Activity Assistant

  • Half to Full Assistantship (10-20 hours per week)
  • Reports to: C. Kyle Rudick, Graduate Program Coordinator

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Description"]

As a research or creative activity assistant, you will support a faculty member on a research project meant for scholarly dissemination. Duties may include obtaining scholarly works for a literature review, gathering or treating data, working with undergraduates on the team, developing a portion of a research report or creative activity, and showcasing the work at a conference or outlet.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Terms of Employment"]

Terms of Employment:

  • For the Fall semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning August 25, 2025 and ending December 24, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.
  • For the Spring semester 20/10 hours per week, beginning January 20, 2026 and ending May 10, 2026. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Compensation"]

  • Graduate Assistantship stipend is $3,090.00 for half-time and $6,180.00 for full-time per semester and may be prorated depending on start date.
  • Graduate Assistants may qualify for in-state tuition and fees.
  • Graduate Assistants may receive University holidays and do not work during the interims between semesters.
  • For more information regarding Graduate Assistantship procedures review https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="General Qualifications"]

  • Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI's graduate program  
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. First semester graduate students must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00
  • Have an official transcript on file in the Office of Admissions
  • Be regularly admitted without provisions to degree status in a graduate degree program
  • Must meet UNI's HRS employment eligibility.

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Preferred Qualifications"]

  • Strong writing, research, and communication skills
  • Excellent research skills

[/collapse]

[collapse collapsed class="style2" title="Application Details"]

  • No additional application is necessary. All fully-enrolled, qualifying students are considered for assistantships. The position is awarded based on the strength of the applicant's materials.

[/collapse]