VI.A. Regular Academic Year Support
Students may be supported by fellowships (such as the Swiger or Dubois Fellowships), teaching assistantships, research assistantships, practicum placements, or other positions. Students also may be assigned to apply for or to accept University assistantships outside the Department. The particular form of University support a student receives must be approved by their Program Area Training Committee and the Director of Graduate Training, regardless of the source of funding (i.e., Department of Psychology funds, individual grant funds, funds from other departments, etc.).
In January of each year, the Director of Graduate Training solicits information from students concerning their preferred source of funding for the following academic year. The Director of Graduate Training then asks the Program Area Training Committees to consider the appropriateness of the requested funding assignment in relation to each student’s strengths and training goals. Assignment of students to specific assistantships, opportunities for assistantships, and practica takes into consideration students' standing in the program, interests, competencies, and preferences to the extent possible. Based on the Program Area Training Committees’ recommendations and Departmental needs, the Director of Graduate Training will inform students of the source of their funding for the following year. In cases where students request funds that are not controlled by the Department of Psychology (i.e., research assistantships funded by grants, teaching assistantships funded by other departments, etc.), students must obtain approval from the Program Area Training Committee and Director of Graduate Training before seeking and/or accepting such support. Faculty members seeking or obtaining grant funds to support students are advised to check with the appropriate Program Area Training Committee before assuming that a particular student will be available for that support.
Students may hold only one assistantship at a time within the University, and normally should not work at jobs within the university for more than 20 hours per week (see also Section III.G regarding guidelines concerning outside employment). However, students on assistantships are allowed to work up to 100 additional hours per semester for a unit within the University with permission from their Program Area Training Committee and the Director of Graduate Training. Working more than 100 hours per semester for a unit within the University in addition to the assistantship requires permission from the Provost’s Office.
VI.B. Summer Support
Students do not need to obtain approval to accept summer support. However, they must inform the Director of Graduate Training about any sources of support they will be receiving if they request any summer funding from the Department. Departmental summer funding consists of teaching assistantships, practicum assignments, research stipends, and occasionally other forms of funding. The Director of Clinical Training solicits applications for clinical practicum placements that begin in the summer and the Director of Graduate Training solicits applications for other forms of Departmental summer funding in March. Students are assigned to these sources of funding based primarily on their qualifications, and secondarily on their rank, history of prior funding, and progress and standing in their program. To the extent possible, students are not assigned to more than one source of Departmental summer funding.
VI.C. Policy and Procedures Concerning Number of Years of Funding
Students entering a doctoral program in Psychology after completing a bachelor’s degree can expect to receive a stipend and waiver of tuition and most fees for 4 years. Students entering a doctoral program after completing a Master’s degree elsewhere can expect this funding for 3 years if their request for a thesis waiver is approved, and for 4 years if they are required to complete a thesis as part of their program (see Section III.D.2). Students entering the Professional Master’s program in Clinical Psychology are not guaranteed funding, but will be offered support if any is available.
VI.D. Doctoral Student Stipend Enhancements and HERF Awards
University regulations require that HERF Awards be awarded only to students with teaching assistantships. These awards are normally given for only one year, with priority given to incoming students. The Doctoral Student Stipend Enhancements are normally awarded for three years, provided that the student remains in good standing. These also are typically given to incoming students.
VI.E. Research/Travel Funding Resources
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Psychology Alumni Fund
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Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
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William E. Vehse Endowment for Graduate Student Travel
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Office of Academic Affairs and Research - Doctoral Student Research Program
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Office of Academic Affairs and Research - Doctoral Student Travel Program
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WVU Office of Sponsored Programs
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American Psychological Association
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American Psychological Society
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AcademicKeys.com Future Faculty Grants Program
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Sigma Xi
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Government Agencies
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Other Sources
VI.E.1. Psychology Alumni Fund
The Psychology Alumni Fund provides financial support for graduate and undergraduate student research and travel. A request for applications is distributed at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. The maximum amount of a grant depends on the availability of funds; in recent semesters the maximum has been set at $500 for dissertation research, $400 for master’s thesis research, and $300 for other requests. Research requests are favored over requests for travel to professional meetings and research to fulfill dissertation and thesis requirements is favored over other types of research.
A complete description of the program and application forms may be obtained from the Department web site. Applications are due October 15 and April 15 each year.
The Psychology Alumni fund receives contributions from graduates of the Department, present and former faculty members, and other friends of the Department.
VI.E.2. Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
The Eberly College may provide up to $300 for a student’s travel to professional conferences. Further information about this program is available from the College web site. Students should apply for these funds at least 1 month before the travel is to take place.
VI.E.3. William E. Vehse Endowment for Graduate Student Travel
$500-$1000 per year is provided by this fund to support professional travel by Department graduate students. The Graduate Training Committee (GTC) typically selects one student in the spring and fall semesters to receive half of these funds.
VI.E.4. Office of Academic Affairs and Research - Doctoral Student Research Program
The Office of Academic Affairs and Research provides awards up to $800 to assist a student with dissertation research. Guidelines and application forms are available in the Main Office. Deadlines are typically in October, January, April, and May.
VI.E.5. Office of Academic Affairs and Research - Doctoral Student Travel Program
The Office of Academic Affairs and Research provides up to $400 for a doctoral student’s travel to a professional conference. Guidelines and application forms are available in the Main Office. Deadlines are typically in October, January, April, and May.
Students are advised to apply as early as possible during fall or spring semester for these funds, as they are depleted quickly every year. If a group of students plan to attend a conference, they should submit the applications together.
VI.E.6. WVU Office of Sponsored Programs
The Office of Sponsored Programs (886 Chestnut Ridge Road, 293-5967) has a collection of funding opportunity reference material, including detailed directories of funding agencies. Some information about funding can also be obtained from their web site:
VI.E.7. American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association Dissertation Research Award provides $1000 to support dissertation research, with a deadline typically in mid-September. Our Department is a member of COGDOP, which also gives $1000 awards for research, with a deadline typically in May or June. Information about these awards as well as links to many other funding sources for research and travel through APA and other organizations can be obtained from their web site:
VI.E.8. American Psychological Society
See the following web site for information on funding for graduate students available from the American Psychological Society:
VI.E.9. AcademicKeys.com Future Faculty Grants Program
Academic Keys provides grants up to $1000 to support learning activities of graduate students who intend to pursue faculty careers. Deadlines are December 31 and June 30. More information is available at:
VI.E.10. Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi supports a Grants-in-Aid of Research program for graduate and undergraduate students whose advisers are members of the organization. Awards are made in amounts up to a maximum of $1,000. Submission deadlines are October 15 and March 15. Further information is available on their web site:
VI.E.11. Government Agencies
See the following web sites for information on funding (including loan repayment programs through NIH) from two government agencies. Depending on the type of research, other agencies may provide graduate student funding as well.
National Science Foundation:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/education.jsp?org=NSF&fund_type=2
National Institute of Health:
VI.E.12. Other Sources
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the American Association for the Advancement of Science support a biomedical funding data base, GrantsNet, at: