Teaching Assistantships

The Biology Department offers Teaching Assistantships, each of which includes a stipend of $8000 with a full tuition waiver (value up to $5,000). There are also a limited number of summer stipends of $3,000 awarded to Teaching Assistants.

Teaching Assistants spend 8-9 hours/week as instructors in undergraduate biology laboratory classes and assist their faculty teaching mentor with laboratory preparation and grading. The total time commitment is 20 hours per week.

Research Assistantships - Department of Biological Sciences

Faculty members within the Biology Department offer Research Assistantships funded through extramural research grants. Research Assistantships include a stipend of at least $8,000 during the academic year, a summer stipend and a full tuition waiver.

Research Assistants participate in thesis related research under the direction of their faculty research mentor.

Research Assistantships - United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense

The Department has a cooperative program with the USAMRICD at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Selected students work with adjunct faculty at USAMRICD who serve as their research mentors. Research Assistants at USAMRICD receive a stipend of approximately $21,000 (depending on the amount of time spent in the laboratory), but do not receive a tuition waiver.

Research Assistants at the USAMRICD usually spend 40 hours/week participating in thesis related research under the direction of their faculty research mentor. The USAMRICD laboratories are located approximately 30 minutes northeast of the Towson University campus, near the town of Aberdeen, Maryland.

How to Apply for a Graduate Assistantship

When completing the Supplemental Application, indicate if you would like to be considered for an assistantship, and which faculty members you would be interested in working with. You may read about the research interests of the graduate faculty on this web site. You should also contact faculty members directly to discuss research opportunities.  If a faculty member is interested in working with you, then you should have them provide the Graduate Director with a letter indicating their willingness to have you working their laboratory; applicants not having an identified mentor will usually not be considered for an assistantship.

The deadline for submission of all application materials to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship is:

• March 15 for the upcoming Fall semester
• November 15 for the upcoming Spring semester