Graduate Research Assistantships and Financial Assistance
All students accepted into the MPA program may apply for a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) position. GRAs must enroll in nine credit hours (three courses) per semester, excluding summer. Tuition and fees are paid for all GRAs and they receive a bi-weekly stipend. In return, GRAs work approximately 20 hours per week in the WSU Center for Urban and Public Affairs (CUPA) where they are assigned to projects in which they may conduct research, apply analytical and problem solving skills to address specific issues, interact with professionals in the field, and gain practical experience with public and/or nonprofit administration.
MPA applicants interested in applying for GRA positions must first be accepted into the MPA program. The deadline for submitting the GRA application and supporting documents is March 31. GRA positions are awarded on a competitive basis and recipients of these awards are notified in June each year. Interested MPA applicants may access the GRA application form here.
Other financial assistance may be available in the form of graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, scholarships, grants, and loans. Information on these funding sources may be obtained from the WSU Office of Financial Aid.