Funding Opportunities

Research and Graduate Assistantships (RGA)

The SPT program regularly has two Acadia Graduate Teaching Assistantships (AGTA) to award to incoming students with a GPA of 3.0 in each of the last 2 years of undergraduate study (see guidelines here). This competitive process is decided by the SPT admissions after the February 1 deadline. If extra RGA funding becomes after that deadline, it will be distributed by the committee on a case by case basis. 

Three SPT projects are maintained by the RGS funding.:

  • The first is an apprenticeship in the Graduate Student Journal. Your RGA will be as the Assistant Editor and will require that you learn the basics of managing the journal under the supervision of the Journal Editor, the Editorial Board and the faculty Managing Editor.  This RGA will give you concrete professional skills (i.e., Project Organization, Team Management, OJS Publishing, Editing and Reviewing etc.), and make a valuable contribution to the SPT community in Canada that the journal serves.  In your second year, you will be expected to take over as the Journal Editor after you have served as Assistant Editor (not necessarily RGS funded). 
  • The second is as coordinator of the Community Speaker’s Forum. You will be expected to organize a yearlong, monthly speakers series that draws from the community and yet connects to theoretical issues, topics and approaches.   This planning will take in a committee established in the SPT colloquium but maintained by you (as coordinator). This RGA will also give you concrete professional skills (i.e., Project Coordination, Event Planning, Publicity, Discussion Facilitation etc.), and make a valuable contribution to the Annapolis community that the series serves.
  • The third is the organizer of the biennial SPT graduate student conference at Acadia. Every two years the SPT program hosts a conference in the spring that attracts theoretically inclined students from across the region, country and continent. In conjunction with a committee created in the SPT colloquium, you will be expected to create the conference theme, create and circulate the call for papers, plan and organize the conference logistics (i.e. event space, accommodations, travel and keynote). This RGA will again give you concrete professional skills (i.e., Project Coordination, Event Planning, Publicity, Discussion Facilitation etc.), and make a valuable contribution to the SPT community in Canada. 

Faculty Funding:

The SPT program regularly has funds associated with faculty research to award to upper level students (and occasionally incoming students).   Awarding of Faculty Research Awards (FRA) and Research Assistantships (RA) is decided by the faculty member that leads the funded research project.  The value of this funding varies from year to year.  Being in regular contact with the SPT faculty is a great way to hear about funding opportunities. 

SSHRC:

All students who are eligible (first class honours in each of their last two years of their undergraduate) should apply for SSHRC funding.  This applies to incoming students and second year students.  SSHRC funding decisions are made at Acadia for those who have applied for Acadia (or are already here) so the odds are pretty good.  See http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/umbrella_programs-programme_cadre/talent-eng.aspx. The SPT colloquium will have a grant writing workshop for first and second year students.