“Can I teach or research during my Master of Communications studies?” A large number of students ask that question or similar questions every day. They know that earning an advanced degree with help them with their future career goals, but they also want to know if they can gain more experience at the same time that they complete their studies. Most graduate schools offer both teaching and research assistant positions for graduate students.
Teaching Assistant Positions
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 118,000 students worked as graduate teaching assistants in 2011, which indicates a growth of more than three percent. The mean annual wage of those working as teaching assistants was $31,10, and the top earners in the field made more than $49,000 a year. Teaching assistants essentially serve as supportive help for professors working within their majors. Communications teaching assistants often teach introductory and beginner level courses. They also grade papers, administer examinations when needed and help professors develop new programs and assignments for classes.
Research Assistant Positions
“Can I teach or research during my Master of Communications studies?” is a question that some students ask when they more of an interest in research than teaching. In addition to teaching assistant jobs, some graduate schools also offer research assistant positions. Those research assistants help professors administer tests and conduct studies on students, but they also work closely with professors and instructors to develop questions that they hope to answer through their research methods. These positions sometimes pay a little more than teaching assistant jobs do, but students often find that they need to spend more time working on the project.
Perks for Assistants
After graduating from your communications program, you’ll find that there are more people looking for jobs than there are jobs available. You must find a way to make yourself stand out and show why you deserve the job more than the other applicants do. The experience that you gain as a teaching assistant can help you gain employment at a local college, and you might even qualify for open positions at your own school. As a research assistant, you will gain valuable skills relating to forming a hypothesis, testing that hypothesis and summarizing your conclusions. Assistants also receive other perks from some schools, including free room and board and free or reduced price tuition.
How to Apply
If you want to know, “can I teach or research during my Master of Communications studies,” you should know that you can but that you need to apply early. The perks associated with those positions make these jobs some of the best on campus, and you might face competition from dozens of other students. As soon as you find out the due date for your application, get your paperwork together. You often need to explain why you want that job in a short essay, complete the financial application form for the school and gather letters of recommendation from those familiar with your work.
Working as a teaching or research assistant during graduate schools help you gain a better familiarity with different topics and get experience that future employers will appreciate. The answer to the question of, “can I teach or research during my Master of Communications studies” is yes, but you need to apply early and make yourself stand out.
For more information on earning your communications degree, please see 15 Most Affordable Online Communications Degree Programs (Bachelor’s).
