Graduate Studies Scholarships/GTAs

    Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)


    Each year, the SIAS offers two or three 0.5 FTE Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA). Responsibilities include twenty (20) hours per week to the School of International and Area Studies. The specific assignments will be made at the beginning of the fall semester and will help support the teaching mission of the School.


    The GTA benefits include:

    1. A stipend paid during the term of appointment, which is end of August thru middle of May.
    2. SIAS also applies on the student's behalf a Qualified Graduate Assistant Tuition Waiver. This award includes a seven (7) hour resident tuition waiver and a nine (9) hour full nonresident tuition waiver for the Fall and Spring semesters, and a waiver for the basic student health insurance plan.


    The conditions to receive the award are:

    1. Devote twenty hours per week to your GTA assignment.
    2. Maintain an enrollment of at least nine (9) credit hours per semester.
    3. Maintain good standing in the Graduate College and satisfactory progress towards completion of your degree requirements. For the MA in International Studies, enrollment in nine (9) hours per semester is considered satisfactory progress towards the degree.
    4. Paricipate in a training program for Graduate Teaching Assistants, organized by the Instructional Development Program. This program takes place the week before the beginning of classes.
    5. This award is intended for the support of a full time student in the School of International and Area Studies. Any employment in addition to this Assistantship is incompatible with this intent.


    If you are interested in this opportunity for the Fall semester, please indicate as much in a letter of application. Deadline is February 15. New students as well as current students may apply. The selection of the award recipient will be based on a combination of prior academic achievement, GRE test scores, strong letters of recommendation, and the applicant's statement of purpose.

    Writing Contest for the Thomas W. Adams Best Paper Award

    "Resolving Conflict in the Mediterranean Region"



    The School of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma announces a contest for the best paper that addresses any aspect of conflict resolution, affecting any country that borders the Mediterranean Sea. Any OU graduate or undergraduate student is eligible to compete for the award. Submissions can be prepared especially for this competition, or they can be based on term papers, Honors research projects, or graduate theses.

    This award is named for Thomas W. Adams, a former officer in the US State Department who has published extensively on the conflict between Turks and Greeks on the island of Cyprus.


    Submission Guidelines:

    Submissions should be at least 2500 words in length. They should be typed, double-spaced and include a complete bibliography of cited works. Submissions are due no later than 18 April 2008. Awards will be announced 16 May 2008. All submissions will be evaluated by a committee of faculty. The award recipient will receive $750.00 and a plaque commemorating their accomplishment.


    For questions or inquiries, please contact Dr. Mitchell Smith, Dale Hall Tower 205 mps@ou.edu.


    2007 Recipient: William Caldwell, graduate student in the School of International and Area Studies for his paper titled, "A Critical Analysis of U.S. Foreign Policy Towards the Hizbullah of Lebanon."


    2006 Recipient: Adam Tyner, International Studies major for his paper titled, "Hydropolitics and Conflict Resolution in the Euphrates-Tigris Region."


    2005 Recipient: Mohamed Daadaoui, graduate student in the Political Science department for his paper titled, "The Western Sahara Conflict: Regional Dimensions and the Failure of the Self-Determination Discourse."


    2004 Recipient: Valerie D'Erman, graduate student in the Political Science department for her paper titled, "Will the EU bring peace to Cyprus?."


    College of Arts & Sciences Scholarships



    The College of Arts & Sciences Scholarship Program offers many scholarships for students based on academic performance and financial need. Please contact Susan Bayliss at sbayliss@ou.edu in the Dean's Office at 325-2078 if you have any questions or would like to receive more information about these opportunities. You may also visit the College of Arts & Sciences website at http://casweb.ou.edu/home/students/scholarships/scholarships.html . A more detailed description of all scholarships is in the Guide to Scholarships & Financial Aid booklet available in Prospective Student Services, Admissions, Financial Aid or College of Arts & Sciences.