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University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208 Tel: 803.777.3109 Fax: 803.777.8255 Email: poli@sc.edu
Expenses The following costs are for the 2008-2009 academic year for a typical student taking the normal course load of 9 credit hours. Out-of-state graduate tuition: $10,168 per semester In-state graduate tuition: $4,718 per semester In-state part-time tuition: $467 per credit hour Graduate students enrolled in nine hours or more, all students classified as graduate assistants (teaching, instructional, research, and staff assistants), and all international students are required to have health insurance. Most consider the University-sponsored plan a terrific bargain at the cost of $850 (for the 2008-2009 academic year). However, those who already have health insurance through another plan may receive a waiver of the University plan by showing proof of comparable coverage to the Health Insurance Assistance Office at Student Health Services. (View the Hard Waiver instructions.) Graduate assistants have also been receiving a fringe benefit to offset the cost of the University-sponsored policy ($225 for the 2008-2009 academic year). The cost of living in Columbia is quite modest compared to other parts of the United States. One bedroom apartments rented by students typically range from $450 to $800 per month. Financial Support The major source of University-related financial support in the Department's graduate program is in the form of graduate assistantships. In addition, there are also a limited number of graduate fellowships available. With roughly one-third of the graduate students in the Department receiving funding, graduate assistantships and fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. All students in the program are automatically considered for funding from the Department by members of the Graduate Committee on an annual basis. No additional application is required. Other sources of financial support are normally available as well. graduate teaching in the Department of Political Science (usually reserved for ABDs); educational loans and work-study through the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships; and grants and awards for education, travel, and research. Graduate Assistantships Graduate assistantships allow the student to pursue course work while gaining valuable professional experience. Assistantships typically entail a stipend, reduction of tuition assessment from the out-of-state rate to the in-state rate, an additional tuition supplement to help defray the remaining cost of tuition, and a partial subsidy for health insurance costs for students purchasing the University-sponsored health insurance plan For the 2006-2007 academic year, the median total package for graduate assistants included a stipend of $11,000 for the academic year and a total package (including tuition and health insurance subsidies) worth approximately $26,000. Graduate assistants work part-time for a professor or the Department as either a research assistant or a teaching assistant. Graduate assistants are expected to report to the Graduate Director for work beginning one full week before the first day of classes through the last day of finals each semester. Due to the number and quality of the applicants to the program and the limited availability of funds, only about one-third of the candidates approved for admission are awarded funding. Both full and partial funding are possible. Students usually received award letters in April. Assistantships and fellowships are awarded on an annual basis. Students in the Ph.D. programs will normally receive a maximum of four years of funding. Students entering the program with only a BA/BS degree who are awarded funding as a condition of their admission will normally continue to receive funding for four years as long as they maintain at least a 3.5 GPA and make normal progress toward the completion of their degree. If funds are available, after four years of funding, Ph.D. students may be awarded an additional fifth year of assistance for exceptional performance in the program. Five years of assistantship funding is the maximum allowed. Graduate Fellowships Numerous national and international fellowships (and scholarships such as the Rotary Scholarship or Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for International Affairs) are awarded to highly competitive students to support their graduate and doctoral education. Information about these fellowships, which are offered by a variety of private and governmental organizations, can be found in various publications and reference sources dealing with graduate education. The Department of Political Science and the University of South Carolina also offer graduate fellowships. Most fellowships result in a reduction of tuition costs to an in-state residency rate. Graduate fellowships, unlike graduate assistantships, do not involve any obligation on the part of the student to work in return for the recognition and financial award. Like graduate assistantships, due to the number and quality of the applicants to the program, as well as the limited availability of funds, only the most highly qualified and promising candidates are awarded fellowships. Graduate Teaching Ph.D. students also have the possibility of teaching their own courses at the University of South Carolina, which not only helps to defray the cost of education, but it provides valuable professional teaching experience. To qualify as a prospective instructor, a doctoral student should have completed and excelled in course work (and usually successfully passed the comprehensive examinations); completed the University's Instructional Workshop on teaching which is offered each fall; and successfully passed POLI 700 (the course titled "Teaching Political Science and International Studies." Financial Aid and Local Employment The University of South Carolina provides financial support for graduate studies for American citizens and permanent residents through its Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Educational loans and part-time work-study are available. It is also possible for graduate students to find employment on campus. Work-study and University employment not only are a particularly good way to get financial support and gain good practical experience (depending on the University office in which one is employed), but it may also allow the student to pay tuition at an in-state or assistantship rate. Local off-campus employment is also possible throughout the Columbia metropolitan area. Students are advised to check the Graduate School's policies concerning off-campus work responsibilities, especially if one is receiving a graduate assistantship. International students are reminded to check the provisions for work associated with their visas before seeking off-campus employment.
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| Last updated 10/15/2008 Tyler Bledsoe | © 2006 University of South Carolina Board of Trustees |