Graduate Research Assistantships

The School of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce the establishment of the Graduate Research Assistantship Program. Graduate Research Assistantships are designed to link a graduate student together with a professor in a meaningful research project, which will be one academic year in duration. During the assistantship period, a graduate research assistant will work directly with a professor on a joint project, which will lead to a presentation at a professional conference and/or a joint publication. Graduate Research Assistantships are available in the following areas:

  • Art
  • Educational Leadership
  • English
  • Instructional Technology and Communication Studies
  • Management
  • Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center
  • Movement Arts
  • Psychology

Application

  • Candidates complete the Graduate Research Assistantship Application. Applications are also available in the School of Graduate Studies.
  • Full and part-time graduate students are eligible to apply.
  • Applications are due June 30, 2009.
  • Students awarded research assistantships will be notified in July by the School of Graduate Studies.

Qualifications

  • Candidates for research assistantship positions must be accepted with a clear-admit status into a graduate program before being hired as a research assistant.
  • The student must enroll in at least six (6) credits of graduate course work during each of the fall and spring semester(s) of the research assistantship.
  • The student must be enrolled in the degree program in which the faculty research supervisor teaches.
  • The research assistant must maintain good academic standing during the time of the award.

Duties

  • The research assistant will work directly with a faculty research supervisor for ten (10) hours per week during the spring and fall semesters. This work can take many forms including designing and conducting surveys, assessments, pure library research, laboratory work, interviews, field research, etc.
  • The research assistant will assist the faculty research supervisor in an original joint research project, participate in a professor's existing research project, or embark on an original research project closely related to the supervisor's research interests.
  • The research assistant will assist in the writing or presentation of the research project.
  • The research assistant will present this research project jointly with the faculty research supervisor or individually at a professional conference, one of which should include the annual Graduate Student Research Symposium, sponsored by the state colleges. (The Graduate Student Research Symposium will take place at BSC in April of 2007.)
  • The research assistant, working closely with the faculty research supervisor, will write a scholarly article and attempt to publish the article in a scholarly journal; a joint publication of the research assistant and faculty research supervisor is also an option.

Conditions

  • Research assistants cannot enroll in a directed or independent study with their faculty research supervisor to earn academic credit for the research project.
  • Research assistants can, however, use their research findings in other graduate courses and even in their theses or capstone research projects.

Rate of payment and tuition/fee benefits

  • Research assistants, who must work ten (10) hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, will receive a $2,500 stipend paid in nine (9) monthly installments.
  • A tuition and fee waiver of six (6) credit hours of in-state tuition and fees for graduate-level courses for each fall and spring semester during the period of appointment. This does not include the per credit processing fee for international students. All other costs must be paid by the research assistant in accordance with College policies on tuition and fee calculation and payment.

Pay periods and payroll policies

  • In order to be legally employed and placed on the College payroll, all selected research assistants must report to the Student Employment Office to complete an I-9 form, a W-4 form and an emergency notification card. Also, research assistants must present an original social security card prior to the first day of appointment.
  • Research assistants will be paid once a month during the period of appointment.
  • Checks will be available in the Human Resources Office in Boyden Hall.

Attendance policies and holidays

  • Research assistants are required to work ten (10) hours per week.
  • Research assistants are not eligible for paid leave. Time missed for illness or personal reasons must be made up (this should occur within the same pay month if possible).
  • Research assistants are generally not required to work when the college closes over the Christmas and New Year's holidays (that portion of semester break), or during the two week spring break in March. If a research assistant is required to work during this period due to special circumstances, an equivalent total reduction in work hours should be made during the remainder of the work year.
  • A 20% reduction in work hours shall be made during the weeks in which the following holidays occur:
    • Labor Day
    • Columbus Day
    • Veteran's Day
    • Thanksgiving Day
    • President's Day
    • Patriot's Day
    • Memorial Day

For further information, email the School of Graduate Studies or call 508.531.1300.

Last Modified: June 25, 2009