Graduate Student Support and Awards

Financial assistance for graduate students is available in the form of fellowships and assistantships. An assistantship is an appointment to specified teaching or research duties. Assistantships carry a bi-weekly stipend and cover tuition costs. A fellowship is a non-service award made to superior students to assist in the pursuit of an advanced degree. This award carries a monthly stipend and usually covers tuition costs.

Students applying to the graduate program will be considered for all available assistantships and fellowships, unless they notify the Director of Graduate Studies otherwise. Continuing graduate students should indicate their interest in consideration for assistantships or fellowships on their yearly Student Progress Report and Funding Application form. After the student's first year, decisions about funding are based on performance in the program (including GPA, timely progress towards degree, and professional development). The department has a commitment to ensure that students have funding for one year upon return from their Ph.D. dissertation research, if at all possible.

The Department and the Graduate School also have sources of support for thesis or pre-dissertation research and travel to present research at professional meetings. Students are expected to apply for external funding to support their primary dissertation fieldwork and research.

Students should also investigate funding possibilities outside of the University of Kentucky, especially for the first year. International students, in particular, should investigate Fulbright funding from their home country. The National Science Foundation also may have funding available for graduate training, depending on research interests and program themes.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

The Department of Anthropology awards between 11 and 13 teaching assistantships and two research assistantships each academic year. Teaching Assistants are assigned to primary undergraduate courses to assist the instructor with class preparation, discussion sections, review sessions, administering exams, and grading. TAs must maintain specific office hours for student access.

Research Assistantships include the Museum of Anthropology Research Assistant and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey Research Assistant, and when available, grant supported RAs from specific faculty. Duties for these RA positions vary by position. RAs are expected to work 20 hours per week during their assistantship.

Fellowships

Fellowships are awarded by The Graduate School on a university-wide competitive basis. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for nominating students for these awards to the graduate school. However, a few fellowships are open by self-nomination. Consult the Graduate School's web page on Fellowships, Assistantships, and Support Funding for more information.

Departmental Support and Awards

Support funding is also available to degree-seeking graduate students for assistance with expenses relating to dissertation research. In addition, the department presents two annual awards that recognize excellence in teaching and excellence in research.

Susan Abbott-Jamieson Pre-Dissertation Research Fund Award

In 2001, a generous gift from UK alumna Ashley Judd was used to create and endow the Susan Abbot-Jamieson Award. Named for anthropology Professor Emerita Abbott-Jamieson, who taught Judd in cultural anthropology courses, the fund provides dissertation research grants to doctoral students. The gift is eligible for matching funds from the state's Research Challenge Trust Fund.

The Susan Abbott-Jamieson Award provides support to graduate students in one or more of the following activities:

1. To investigate the potential of particular field sites for dissertation research.
2. To explore the potential of archival and other databases and/or archaeological collections for dissertation research.
3. To visit research institutes, government organizations, and researchers who might, later on, assist in obtaining necessary research clearances and/or facilitate dissertation research.
4. To engage in necessary summer language training required for dissertation research.

The number of awards and funding amount varies based on the number of applications. In general, the maximum award is $1000 for domestic travel and $2000 for international travel.

Eligibility

Current Ph.D. students who have not yet taken their PhD qualifying exams, but intend to take the exams within a year of conducting pre-dissertation research, are eligible. This award is to be used only for preliminary research activities and language training as preparation for writing successful dissertation proposals. It is expected that students returning from research funded with an SAJ award will submit dissertation proposals to outside funders during the two semesters following the research funded with the SAJ.

How to Apply

Submit one paper copy of each of the following to the Chair of the Awards Committee:

1. a 4 to 5 page (double-spaced) proposal outlining what will be accomplished during the award period (generally, 6-8 weeks during the summer);
2. an itemized budget to undertake the proposed pre-dissertation research; and
3. a current curriculum vitae.

Applications are due in hard copy to Chair of the Student Awards Committee on or before February 15.

Expectations of Recipients

At the completion of the award period—no later than three weeks after returning to UK—the recipient must submit a 10 to 12 page report describing what was accomplished during the award period and how the experience will help the recipient write a doctoral research proposal. Submit completed reports to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Anne Parrish Graduate Student Field Study Memorial Award

The Anne Parrish award is given annually by the Department to the Ph.D. candidate whose dissertation research proposal is judged superior among those evaluated by the faculty awards committee. The proposals are called for early in the second semester of each year. The award consists of cash in the amount of $500 to be used to further the dissertation data collection process. The award is a memorial to Anne Parrish, a 1993 Ph.D. graduate of the Department.

Margaret Lantis Award for Excellence in Original Research by a Graduate Student

This award recognizes accomplishment for original research. Students are nominated for this award by a member of the faculty based on a published article or report, a paper presented at a professional meeting, or a paper of publishable quality submitted for a class by the student.

Criteria for conferring the award include originality of the research design, effectiveness with which the research has been executed, originality and logic of interpretation, and/or substantive contribution of the research to the study, application, or practice of anthropology.

Applications are due in hard copy to Chair of the Student Awards Committee on or before February 1.

William Y. Adams Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student

This award recognizes exceptional teaching. A faculty member or any person familiar with the student's teaching effectiveness may nominate students for this award. Qualification for the award should be supported by student course evaluations, faculty assessment of the nominee's teaching, or other evidence of superior teaching.

Criteria for conferring the award include evidence of particularly effective teaching and/or originality of teaching methods.

Applications are due in hard copy to Chair of the Student Awards Committee on or before February 1.

Graduate School Support

The Graduate school has competitive grants for travel to present at professional conferences and for travel related to thesis or dissertation research. Some of these awards are self-nominating, and some require nomination by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). Please consult the Graduate School Support Funding web site for a complete list of awards, application details, and forms.

Student Support for Travel

The Graduate School has student funding to support travel to a professional meeting or conference and for travel related to thesis or dissertation research. Students may apply for one conference or research award per fiscal year. Application is by self-nomination. Deadlines for application are the 15th of each month preceding the month of travel. Details and forms can be found on the Graduate School Support Funding web pages.

• For Travel to Professional Meeting/Conference. All current graduate students are eligible to apply for Conference Support if they have been accepted to present research at a conference or professional meeting. Awards may total no more than $400 per student per fiscal year for presentations at domestic locations or $800 per fiscal year for presentations at international locations.
• For Research or Research-Related Travel. All current graduate students are eligible to apply for Research Support if they have specific expenses related to thesis or dissertation research. Awards may total no more than $400 per student per fiscal year for research at domestic locations or $800 per fiscal year for research at international locations. The Director of Graduate Studies must approve the research topic and trip.

Commonwealth Research Award

The Commonwealth Research Award is designed to promote the development of graduate students as researchers and scholars, to encourage graduate students to conduct research and scholarship of the highest quality, and to allow graduate students to learn the traditions and values of disseminating new knowledge. Funding is available for graduate programs to nominate outstanding graduate students who have engaged in cutting-edge research to make a presentation at the premier conference affiliated with the student's discipline. The student should be the major contributor to the research being presented, and must be the actual presenter. Awards will be made for travel expenses (transportation, lodging, food, registration fees) necessary to attend a meeting and will range from $500-$1000. Requires nomination by the Director of Graduate Studies. Only one student may be nominated by the DGS per year.

Dissertation Enhancement Award

Dissertation Enhancement Awards are available to doctoral candidates who have successfully completed the post-qualifying examination and are required to conduct research at a site away from campus. Maximum award is $3000. Requires nomination by the Director of Graduate Studies. Two students may be nominated by the DGS per year.