Advising Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I enroll in electives outside the SSW?

1. 1. Most outside departments require approval from the faculty instructor. You can find out whether instructor permission is necessary for course registration by visiting the Course Schedule, finding the course, and reading the instructions for enrolling (if any). You will need to contact the department’s course enroller so that they may register you for the course (so long as your registration has been approved by the faculty instructor).

2. Can I be nominated for other fellowships if I’m currently on a fellowship?

1. 1. Yes.

3. How many CR/NC courses can be taken within the program?

1. 1. Up to 20%, or 9 credit hours, included on the Program of Work can be taken as CR/NC. This DOES INCLUDE Colloquium and Area Specialization Seminar. This DOES NOT INCLUDE Dissertation or Research in Social Work. 

4. How do I get a TA/AI/GRA position?

1. 1. For TA positions: GPC sends out an email to PhD students soliciting interest in being a TA. Students who are interested in being a TA should respond and provide the names of faculty to whom they would like to be assigned. All efforts are made to assign students to their requested faculty, but this cannot be guaranteed. Students are usually notified by May about summer TA positions, and by July for Fall TA positions.

   2. For AI positions: GPC sends out an email to PhD students soliciting interest in being an AI. GPC provides a list of available courses and an AI interest form for students to complete. Students must fill out the interest form and send it to the GPC along with an updated CV. Students are usually notified by May about AI positions for fall.

   3. For GRA positions: students independently seek out GRA positions. ALWAYS inform the GPC as soon as you have secured a GRA position.

5. What are the AI/TA/GRA pay rates?

1. 1. All student employment positions are paid out monthly.

   2. Pay rates change often. Current pay rates for at 20-hour assignment are:

      1. AI rate is$11,399 in fall/spring (AI assignments are not available during the summer semester).

      2. Current TA/GRA: $10,132 in fall/spring, $6,756 in summer.

6. What are the AI/TA/GRA TRB (tuition reduction benefit) amounts?

1. 1. Students who work a minimum of 20 hours per week in a student employment position (TA, AI, or GRA) are entitled to a tuition reduction benefit for 9 credit hours in fall/spring and 3 credit hours in summer.

i. Please be aware that graduate assistant (GA) positions are not eligible for the tuition reduction benefit.

7. Who are the points of contact for questions pertaining to AI/TA/GRA positions?

1. 1. Monica for general questions

   2. Kamar Nassor for AI/TA questions regarding rates and appointment letters (i.e., contracts)

   3. Karen Pate for GRA questions regarding rates and appointment letters

8. How do I apply health insurance?

1. 1. Insurance information for graduate students on fellowships: https://hr.utexas.edu/student/insurance-graduate-student-fellows

   2. Insurance for academic student employees: https://hr.utexas.edu/student/student-employee-insurance-benefits/academic- graduate-student-employee-insurance-options

9. When are comps usually defended?

1. 1. Most students defend their comps in the summer after the second year or fall of the third year.

10. What form is needed to update a course from letter grade to CR/NC?

1. 1. You need to submit the “Add Drop” form. The Graduate Advisor needs to approve and sign the form. The GPC then emails it to Diana Larkin for approval/processing.

11. When are dissertation proposals defended?

1. 1. The dissertation proposal defense can be defended after the comps has been defended.

12. Does the dissertation proposal have to be defended before or after advancing to Candidacy?

1. 1. You do not have to be in candidacy to defend your dissertation proposal. It can be defended either before or after advancing to candidacy, so long as the comps has been defended.

13. When is the best time to do the dissertation proposal defense?

1. 1. You should strive to complete their dissertation proposals as soon as possible to ensure as much time as possible to complete the work.

14. When do you enroll in dissertation hours?

1. 1. A student may not enroll in dissertation hours until after they have been approved for Candidacy.

   2. Note that this does not mean that you cannot begin work on their dissertation prior to candidacy. A student may enroll in “Research in Social Work” to work on their dissertation prior to candidacy.

15. What do I do if I’m not getting what I need from my faculty mentor?

1. 1. The best thing to do is have a frank discussion with your mentor about what needs are not getting met and problem-solve with them to find a solution. It is best to make sure all student and faculty expectations are documented on the Individual Development Plan at the beginning of the year so that all expectations are clear from the start and the student can reference this document during this type of conversation.

16. How do I merge emails (utexas vs austin.utexas)?

1. 1. Please contact our IT Specialist, Rogelio Bautista, for any email or other IT related questions.

17. Do I have to register in a summer course?

1. 1. Summer registration is not required by the program. However, it may necessary for some students depending on their individual circumstances (e.g., if you are on a fellowship that requires summer enrollment or an international student needing to maintain student status). Summer enrollment is also required in order to be eligible for graduate student employment. Summer enrollment also helps you complete all coursework by fall of your third year.

18. What is the difference between the Writing Practicum, Research Practicum and Conference Course?

1. 1. Please see the written guidance on the respective forms for these courses. Dr. Castro can help you determine which course is more appropriate for the work you seek to conduct.

19. Are purchasing business cards included in the professional development fund?

1. 1. Professional development funds may only be used to defray the cost of presenting research at a conference. On a case-by-case basis, Dr. Castro may allow these funds to be used for trainings/workshops, but this is rare.

20. What is required for international students to maintain their Visa over the summer?

1. 1. F-1 and J-1 students are not required to enroll in summer to maintain their visa status. The ONLY exception is if summer is their first or final semester of their program, in which case they need to enroll full-time.

   2. As long as an international student has a valid I-20 or DS-2019 visa, the student is required to be enrolled in Health Insurance for summer. This is true even if the student does not take courses during the summer. For that reason, the summer International Student Health Insurance Plan (INTL SHIP) is automatically added to the student’s spring tuition bill.

   3. If the student is employed by UT over the summer and is eligible for health insurance benefits, then the student will be able to apply their insurance waiver online.