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Our department offers strong financial support to doctoral students on a competitive basis. Our PhD students may apply for teaching assistantships that allow them to work closely with faculty members for the benefit of familiarizing themselves with cutting-edge approaches to in-class and online teaching. The twelve-months-per-year financial support plan includes tuition waivers and contributes to our students' consistent progress toward degree completion.

Additional fellowships and grants are available through the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, the University Graduate School, and other institutions at FIU.

History graduate students in the Latin American concentration have been successful in competing for fellowships offered through the Latin American & Caribbean Center from various sources, including the Mellon Foundation, the Foreign Language and Areas Studies program of the Department of Education, and the Organization of American States, among others.

Further sources of financial support include a limited number of graduate fellowships and financial aid. Waivers of out-of state tuition charges may also be available. Inquiries regarding these sources of support should be addressed to the Graduate Program Director.

Assistantships

Students wishing to be considered for an appointment as a teaching assistant (TA) should complete the application form as a part of their application for admission. Please see the University Graduate School's website for more information about the formal elements of a graduate assistantship.

First-time teaching assistants must complete the department's Supervised Teaching course in the first semester as a TA. This multifaceted course is designed to introduce new assistants to the teaching resources available at FIU, and teaching and learning methodologies that have proven successful in the historical profession.

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Eligibility

Graduate assistantships are awarded competitively. Normally, the assignment takes the form of a teaching assistantship. To be considered for graduate assistantships, students must fulfill all the following criteria:

  • Be fully admitted (Special Student status does not meet this criterion)
  • Be degree-seeking
  • Have full-time status (requires 9 graduate credits in Fall and Spring and, in the case of doctoral students, 6 graduate credits in Summer)
  • Be in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 3.0 each semester)

Coverage

Graduate Assistantships for Doctoral Students normally include two elements: partial tuition coverage and a stipend. Fees are not covered. These are calendar-year-round graduate assistantships for twelve months.

Tuition waivers are provided from state funds unless the graduate student has external grant funding that covers the tuition. Tuition waivers do not include student fees.

Stipends are the bi-weekly salaries that graduate assistants receive for their assigned work. Assignments for graduate assistants are carried out by the Graduate Program Director. In most cases, the assignment consists of a teaching assistantship. TAs assist History faculty members in teaching and evaluating students who take lower-division courses. Graduate assistants may also be assigned as research assistants and Writing in History tutors.

Re-appointments depend on meeting annual evaluation criteria. The annual evaluation is conducted by the Graduate Program Director based on input provided by the supervising faculty regarding students' academic merit as well as their performance as assistants.

Teaching assistants are expected to become familiar with the university's policies regarding course administration, grading policies, student academic misconduct, grievances, etc.

The university's comprehensive graduate policies and procedures manual is available from University Graduate School.

Teaching assistants and TA supervisors

Departmental TA Evaluation Form: Graduate Teaching Assistants will be evaluated using this form, which will become part of their departmental record and career dossier.

Fellowship opportunities

The Department of History has various fellowship and small grant opportunities available by means of a competitive application process.

  • Darden Pyron American Cultural History Fellowship

    The Darden Pyron American Cultural History Fellowship supports undergraduate or graduate research in history, especially American/Southern Cultural history, Queer history, and/or Biography. History majors or minors, and MA/PhD students in History, are invited to apply. The award of up to $350 can be used to cover research-related expenses, including non-electronic supplies, books, travel, data acquisition, and data transcription. Funds can cover research for a class project, offset the costs of an internship, or otherwise be used to fund a research endeavor. Applications are generally due annually during the spring semester.

    Instructions for applying: Applicants submit a proposal of approximately 250 words, a CV or resume, and a budget detailing how the funds will be used. Entries must be typed and double-spaced and include the applicant’s name and FIU email address. They should be sent to salondon@fiu.edu with the subject heading: “Darden Pyron Fellowship entry.”

    Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, April 6, 2025

  • Cook Scholarship for Research on the Colonial Iberian Atlantic World

    In honor of Professor Noble David Cook, a distinguished member of FIU’s Department of History faculty for over two decades, this fund supports scholarships for FIU History PhD students conducting research on the Iberian Atlantic World prior to national independence. Preference will be given to students undertaking research in foreign archives and libraries. Funding may be accessed in two ways. New graduate students may be named Noble David Cook Scholars at the time of their acceptance to the FIU doctoral program; such students receive up to $1,000 per year in research funding for the first two years of their studies. Alternatively, students enrolled in FIU’s PhD program may be named Noble David Cook Scholars for one year and receive up to $1,000 in research funding. 

    Instructions for applicants:

    • Current FIU History PhD Students: Applicants submit a one-page proposal describing their project, a CV, and a budget detailing how the $1,000 research stipend will be used. Awardees have up to one year from the time of notification to make use of the funds and an additional six months to produce a one-page report describing how the Scholarship supported their research activities.
    • FIU History PhD Program Applicants:  Applicants to the FIU Ph.D. program will be notified by the Department at the time of admission if they are being offered a two-year Noble David Cook Scholarship. (Those who wish to be considered may declare their interest in their applications.) Noble David Cook Scholars must use their $2,000 scholarship within the first two years of their studies and produce a one-page report no more than six months after all funds have been spent describing how the Scholarship supported their research activities.

    Submission Deadline: During years when the Noble David Cook Scholarship is available to current History PhD students, calls for applications will generally be announced by April 20 and proposals due by May 20.

  • Henry J. Voegtle Fellowship on the History of Florida or Southern U.S.

    The Henry J. Voegtle Fellowship on the History of Florida or Southern U.S. supports research on the History of Florida and/or Southern U.S. History majors or minors, and MA/PhD students in History, are invited to apply. The award of up to $1,000 can be used to cover research related expenses, including non-electronic supplies, books, travel, data acquisition, and data transcription. The funds can cover research for a class project, offset the costs of an internship, or be used to fund a larger research endeavor. Applications are generally due annually during the spring semester.

    Instructions for applying: Applicants submit a one-page proposal describing the project, a CV or resume, and a budget detailing how the funds will be used. Entries must be typed and double-spaced and include the applicant’s name and FIU email address. They should be sent to salondon@fiu.edu with the subject heading: “Henry J. Voegtle Fellowship entry.” Awardees have six months from the time of notification to make use of the funds and one year to produce a one-page report describing research activities.

    Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, April 6, 2025

  • Aurora Morcillo Memorial Fellowship
     
    In honor of Professor Aurora Morcillo, a distinguished member of FIU’s Department of History faculty for approximately two decades, this fund supports fellowships for FIU History PhD students conducting research on women and/or gender in European history. Preference will be given to applicants studying Spain, or in Spanish archives. Funding may be accessed in two ways. New graduate students may be named Aurora Morcillo Fellows at the time of their acceptance to the FIU doctoral program and retain the title for the first two years of their studies; such students receive up to $2,000 in research funding. Alternatively, students enrolled in FIU’s PhD program may be named Aurora Morcillo Fellows for one year and receive up to $1,000 in research funding. 
     
    Instructions for Applicants
    ·       Current FIU History PhD Students: Applicants submit a one-page proposal describing their project, a CV, and a budget detailing how the $1,000 research stipend will be used. Awardees have up to one year from the time of notification to make use of the funds and an additional six months to produce a one-page report describing how the Fellowship supported their research activities.
     
    ·       FIU History PhD Program Applicants: Applicants to the FIU Ph.D. program will be notified by the Department at the time of admission if they are being offered the two-year Aurora Morcillo Fellowship. (Those who wish to be considered for the Fellowship may declare their interest in their applications.) Aurora Morcillo Fellows must use their $2,000 stipend within the first two years of their studies and produce a one-page report no more than six months after all funds have been spent describing how the Fellowship supported their research activities.
     
    Submission Deadline: During years when the Aurora Morcillo Fellowship is available to current History PhD students, calls for applications will generally be announced in April.

Internships

Internships for graduate students are a requisite component of the Public History MA and students should liaise with the Public History Coordinator, Dr. Rebecca Friedman, for locating institutions and organizations that offer such placements. With our excellent record of cooperation with many local museums, societies and government bodies, the Department may be able to assist with the placement of interns to fulfill certain other graduate course requirements.