Learning pedagogical skills is an important aspect of graduate study in musicology, especially for Ph.D. students. Toward this end, we offer the following teaching assistantships for our students:

  • There is one teaching assistantship within the musicology division, awarded annually on a competitive basis to assist in the first two semesters of the three-semester undergraduate music history survey (MUS 325 and 326). During the assistantship, the TA hones his or her teaching skills in music history by working closely with two different faculty members. Responsibilities include grading, working with students on a one-on-one basis, running review sessions for exams, and occasionally teaching lectures. The assistantship is awarded to either a Ph.D. or MA student, with priority given to Ph.D. students. Priority is also given to continuing (i.e., not first-year) students, though especially qualified entering students should feel free to inquire about the position. For consideration for the position, please send an email to Dr. Andrew Weaver by no later than April 1 of the year prior to that in which you hope to hold the position. The assistantship pays a modest stipend.

  • There are also teaching assistantships in the music theory division, which are also awarded on a competitive basis, to assist in various capacities with the undergraduate music theory and ear training curriculum. Click here for information on these assistantships, or contact Dr. Stephen Gorbos, head of composition and theory.

  • Graduate fellowships are also available through the First Year Experience in the School of Arts & Sciences. Students who hold these fellowships teach their own courses (one per semester), typically “Classics in Conversation” (HUM 101, a literature course that also incorporates music and the other arts) and a music appreciation course for non-music majors. These fellowships, which offer both tuition remission and a stipend, are awarded on a competitive basis and are typically reserved for Ph.D. students who have finished their comprehensive exams. The application process is in two parts: students first submit a formal written application, and those who pass the first round then interview with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. If you are interested in this fellowship, please discuss it with your adviser, who will provide you with the contact information for obtaining information about the application.

In addition, there are occasionally research assistantships available to qualified graduate students, including one to serve in the Latin American Center for Graduate Studies in Music. There is no regular application process for these assistantships; announcements are made to the CUA musicology community when they become available.

The Dean of Graduate Studies offers a fellowship for master's and doctoral students with working knowledge of statistics and statistical analysis software. The fellowships offer tuition remission and a stipend, in return for which the student works for the Assistant Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research in the https://ir.catholic.edu/. For more information, please speak to your adviser.

Click here for information on additional sources of financial aid for graduate students.