Department of English

Most of the Department's scholarship aid is awarded to first-year students, but some merit-based scholarship aid is available for second-year students. In the spring of their first, students year may apply to the Director of Graduate Studies for funds for the following year.

Many general scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding applicants. In addition, in several specialized programs, the English Department offers stipends (attached to full- or partial-tuition scholarships) to support first-year graduate students. Applicants who have related work or academic experience, or who feel that they would be uniquely qualified to receive one of the following stipends, should address their qualifications in their Academic Statement of Purpose.

1. for assisting with the Community Scholars Program, which provides opportunities for exceptional undergraduate students from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds and often first-generation college students. The graduate students selected to work with the Community Scholars Program work for all four semesters of their matriculation; they receive stipends of $5,000 per semester. In the fall semesters, each is paired with a teacher of HUMW-009. They attend and assist with the class, prepare for class, collaborate with the professors in reading, discussing, and evaluating papers, and conduct individual tutoring sessions. In the fall they work an average of 13.5 hours per week in these different capacities. In the spring semester, they do not attend class but continue 6.5 hours per week of individualized tutoring with students in the Community Scholars Program under the direction of the Director of the Program. The average workload for both semesters is 10 hours per week. During the summer, Community Scholars graduate students work at Georgetown in the summer “bridge” component of the Community Scholars Program. They are on campus for four weeks, 5 days per week, and attend classes two hours per day. Their duties also include preparing for class and holding tutorials. The average workload for summer is thus 20 hours per week, and they receive a stipend of $2,333 for this four-week period. Contact Professor Elizabeth Velez for more information.
   
2. for assisting in the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS). CNDLS is responsible for a number of projects relating to faculty and graduate student professional development, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and teaching with technology. The graduate assistant will help with the overall operation of CNDLS and work on a variety of projects with pedagogical and scholarly resources. The position does not require high technical skill, but some basic technical competency is important. Fifteen hours per week; stipend of $7,000 per semester for one academic year. Students are required to enroll in 3 courses (9 credits) per semester during their first year. Contact Professor Randall Bass for more information.
   
3. for assisting with the teaching of first year students, as part of the Writing Center Associates Program. Each year, the English Department selects four graduate students to serve as Writing Center Associate Fellows for the Writing Program. They are awarded scholarships based on the quality of their academic credentials. They are selected for participation in these particular programs because in addition to their achievements and potential as scholars they come to Georgetown both to study and to practice the teaching of critical reading and writing in the context of literary and cultural studies. The teaching, mentoring, conferencing, and grading that they do are activities that are supervised by Georgetown faculty members, integrated within their graduate program of studies, and central to the academic careers they seek. The Writing Center Associate Fellows receive stipends of $5,000 per semester for their work in first-year English courses; ordinarily these stipends are awarded for work during their first year of graduate study. In a typical semester, each graduate student is paired with a faculty member teaching a specially designated section of Critical Reading and Writing (HUMW-011). They prepare for, attend, and assist with class, hold conferences with students, and collaborate with the professor in reading, discussing and responding to students’ written work. On average, they work 10 hours per week in these different capacities. Throughout this process, their work is mentored by the Director of the Writing Program. In the fall they enroll in Approaches to Teaching Writing, a graduate seminar offered every year in the department. In the spring, they continue to meet (for about an hour, every other week) with the Writing Program Director. Contact Professor Norma Tilden for more information. 
4. for assistance with the activities of the Lannan Program at Georgetown. These activities, funded by the Lannan Foundation, include a series of poetry readings and seminars, a program of community outreach, and an on-campus symposium in the spring. The student who holds the Lannan stipend will be expected to work two semesters, on average 15 hours per week, under the supervision of the faculty director of the Lannan program. The assistantship pays a stipend of $7,000 per semester for one academic year. Students are required to enroll in 3 courses (9 credits) per semester during their first year. Duties will include providing general clerical and administrative support to the ongoing activities of the program, assisting with the community outreach initiative, and contributing to the planning and organizing of the spring symposium, whose topic will be in the area of contemporary writing and social issues. Contact Professor Mark McMorris for more information.
5. for assisting with the teaching of students in the School for Continuing Studies, as part of the Writing Center Associates/SCS Program.  Each year, the English Department selects three graduate students to serve as Writing Center Associate/School for Continuing Studies Fellows for the Writing Program.  They are awarded scholarships based on the quality of their academic credentials.  They are selected for participation in these particular programs because in addition to their achievements and potential as scholars they come to Georgetown both to study and to practice the teaching of critical reading and writing in the context of literary and cultural studies.  The teaching, mentoring, conferencing, and grading that they do are activities that are supervised by Georgetown faculty members, integrated within their graduate program of studies, and central to the academic careers they seek.  The Writing Center Associate Fellows receive stipends of $5,000 per semester for their work in varied positions available through the School for Continuing Studies.  These positions range from working with professors to deepen the rigor of their writing assignments and of students' responses to these assignments; working with program administrators to offer workshops and seminars appropriate to non-traditional students and to students who are returning to college after a period of years; and, working with the SCS Writing Program Director to expand the writing services offered in SCS.  Ordinarily these stipends are awarded for work during the first year of graduate study.  On average, students work 10 hours per week in these different capacities.  Throughout this process, their work is mentored by the Director of the Writing Program.  In the fall they enroll in Approaches to Teaching Writing, a graduate seminar offered every year in the department.  In the spring, they continue to meet (for about an hour, every other week) with the Writing Program Director.  For more information, contact Professor Kathryn Temple.