Graduate Assistantships

About 75 percent of full-time matriculated graduate students in exercise and sport sciences hold assistantships. An assistantship provides a nontaxable scholarship, which is applied to the tuition bill, as well as a taxable salary for carrying out assigned duties.

Graduate assistants work in the labs, clinics, and on the field. Specifically, assistantships are available in the following areas:

  • Anatomy & physiology lab teaching assistant
  • Kinesiology lab teaching assistant
  • Biomechanics lab teaching assistant
  • Exercise physiology lab teaching assistant
  • Sport psychology teaching assistant
  • Research assistants
  • Wellness Clinic supervisor
  • Intercollegiate sports assistant coaches
  • Certified strength & conditioning specialists
  • Certified athletic trainers
  • Recreational sports

Applying for an Assistantship. To be considered for an assistantship, applicants must have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher. Typically, assistantships are awarded for two semesters and require a commitment of 12-15 hours a week. In addition, each graduate assistant is assigned to a supervisor.

To be considered for an assistantship you must answer "YES" to the question, "Are you applying for a graduate assistantship?" on the application for admission. That question and the questions that follow form one part of your application for an assistantship. On the application please put down what assistantships you would prefer (list 1-3 options in order of preference from the list above) and state your qualifications for each. You must also submit two additional letters of recommendation that speak to your work-related skills and a current resume. We also require that you complete a separate graduate assistantship form. This form and instructions can be found here.

Athletic trainers must be certified by the time their assistantship duties start, strength and conditioning specialists must be NSCA-CSCS certified (or equivalent), and coaches must have at least collegiate level playing experience, or equivalent. Be sure to identify the sport(s) you are interested in. International students may have different certifications or levels of playing experience. If in doubt, please contact the graduate chair. 

For details and application procedures, please refer to the information in the Graduate Catalog.