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M.S./Ph.D. Tuition, Expenses, and Financial Aid

Tuition for 2008-2009 is $12,230 per term, which covers instruction, use of instructional facilities, and health care service through the College infirmary. Hospital-care insurance, for students without their own hospital insurance, must be purchased at a cost of approximately $1,600 per year. (See Dartmouth College Health Service for details.)

An average figure for support of a single student, including tuition, books, board, room, and incidentals will be approximately $54,000 for the academic year 2008-2009. Financial aid can significantly lower the yearly cost.

Financial Aid

Typically, an M.S. or Ph.D. student enters Thayer School with a full fellowship award as part of admission into the program. During the first academic term, the student works independent of a research advisor, and the funding is based upon the student being a Teaching Assistant in a class. Once the student has identified a thesis advisor—before the end of the second term in residence—the funding comes from a Research Assistantship.

M.S./Ph.D. Stipends 2008-2009

Fellowship includes tuition plus $1,810 per month
Research Assistantship for M.S. or first-year Ph.D. student includes tuition plus $1,810 per month
Research Assistantship for Ph.D. candidate includes tuition plus $1,910 per month
Research Assistantship for Ph.D. candidate who has passed the oral examination and the oral defense of thesis proposal includes tuition plus $2,010 per month

Fellowships

A limited number of fellowships are awarded to candidates on the basis of demonstrated outstanding ability and promise. Fellowships are normally awarded for three academic terms, and may include a full tuition scholarship, a monthly stipend, and credit toward medical insurance if purchased through the College. Fellows are expected to be in residence full time, including between terms, and to devote full time to their research.

Students who accept academic fellowships may not engage in any additional employment outside or inside Thayer School without prior approval of a graduate program director. Such employment is usually limited to 10 hours per week.

Research Assistantships

Graduate research assistantships, funded by contract research, are available to well-qualified candidates enrolled in degree programs with thesis requirements. Graduate research assistantships normally carry an award of full tuition, a monthly stipend, and credit toward medical insurance if purchased through the College. Partial awards may also be made.

Research assistantship appointments extend over three to four terms and are made on recommendation of the contract principal investigator with the approval of the director of the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Graduate research assistants normally work in the area of their research interests and apply the results toward the thesis requirement.

Graduate research assistants may enroll in no more than two non-research courses in fall, winter, and spring terms. With the permission of the faculty advisor, enrollment in one non-research course is permitted in the summer term.

Graduate research assistants are expected to devote 20 hours per week to research when enrolled in two non-research courses, 30 hours per week when enrolled in one, and essentially full time between terms and when enrolled only for research. They are expected to be in residence full time, including between terms.

Since assistants are not regular employees of Dartmouth College, they do not earn vacation per se. Assistants may anticipate one-half week of time off for each academic term of appointment, to be arranged with their faculty advisor.

Although responsibilities are defined in terms of hours per week, the emphasis is on the quality of the student's performance. Continuation of any appointment into succeeding terms is conditional upon satisfactory performance and progress toward degree requirements.

Students who accept graduate assistantships may not engage in any additional employment outside or inside Thayer School without prior approval of the director of the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Such employment is limited to 10 hours per week.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are available to well-qualified candidates enrolled in degree programs with thesis requirements. These assistantships normally carry an award of full tuition plus a monthly stipend. Partial awards may also be made. Teaching assistantship appointments extend over three to four terms and are made by a graduate program director. Teaching assistants are assigned in areas of their competence, and assist with grading, problem sessions, and lab work.

Teaching assistants may enroll in no more than two non-thesis courses in fall, winter, and spring terms. With the permission of the faculty advisor, enrollment in one non-thesis course is permitted in the summer term.

Teaching assistants are expected to devote 20 hours per week to their teaching assignments, and the balance of their time on either courses or research toward the thesis. Teaching assistants are expected to be in residence full time, including between terms, and to devote full time to their research.

Since assistants are technically not regular employees of Dartmouth College, they do not earn vacation per se. Teaching assistants may anticipate one-half week of time off for each academic term of appointment, to be arranged with their faculty advisor.

First-year assistants are required, for continuation of their appointment into their third term of residence, to have identified a thesis area and a faculty advisor.

Students who accept teaching assistantships may not engage in any additional employment outside or inside Thayer School without prior approval of a graduate program director. Such employment is usually limited to 10 hours per week.

Hourly Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are available to well qualified students. A teaching assistant is paid hourly to assist with grading, problem sessions, and/or lab work. Assignments are made on a term by term basis. Students who also hold graduate research assistantships or fellowships must have prior approval of the Director of M.S./Ph.D. Programs and their research advisors to accept an hourly teaching assistant position (or any other employment inside or outside Thayer School).