Admission and funding decisions are made by the Graduate Committee. Files of all applicants who meet minimum qualifications for admission are circulated to faculty members on the Graduate Committee. Each faculty member independently evaluates the application materials considering the applicant's personal statement, academic preparation and prerequisites, past academic performance, test scores, and letters of recommendation. Failure to meet the preferred GPA and lack of prerequisites are the most common reasons for rejection of applications.
A limited number of fellowships and graduate assistantships are available to students. Assistantships are awarded competitively with continuation subject to satisfactory performance in the program and the availability of funds. Research and teaching assistantship stipends for 2008-09 are $17,745 for MS students and $20,392 for PhD students on a 12 month, half-time appointment, and 13,065 for MS students and $15,015 for PhD students on a 9 month, half-time appointment. A half-time appointment requires an average of 20 per week of work under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The standard half-time assistantship includes a health insurance benefit and full tuition benefit for taking up to 14 credits of coursework.
Applicants' qualifications for financial assistance are evaluated as part of the application review process, but admission does not guarantee funding. In early January, the Graduate Committee selects nominees for DOVE, Graduate School, and MacArthur Fellowships. Offers for assistantships are made starting in late February. The Committee uses its aggregate evaluations to select applicants who will be offered Fellowships and graduate assistantships. | 
