Each year the Department of Foreign Languages has a limited number of teaching assistantship positions available for qualified individuals to teach introductory language courses at USM (French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian or Japanese, and possibly Chinese) or in ESOL support programs in area schools.

Teaching assistantships are not available for summer study only, though TAs pursuing degrees during the regular academic-year are eligible for possible summer appointments. Contact the chair of the department for details.

Teaching assistants receive both a stipend and a 12-month full tuition waiver to pursue work on their degrees. An assistantship might also be assigned to the USM English Language Institute. TAs receive both a stipend and a 12-month full tuition waiver (including out-of-state fees) to pursue work on their degrees.
An assistantship to teach courses at USM generally requires that the TA have completed 18 hours of graduate credit in the target language. Assistantships can be awarded in French and Spanish for a two year period. During the first academic year, assistants are given non-teaching duties and are to obtain the needed 18 hours. In the second year, the assistants are given teaching assignments.

Requirements for an assistantship in a FLEX program include proficiency in the target language and experience in the US educational system. ESOL-support assistantships require proficiency in English, with teaching experience and familiarity with US public school systems preferred.

Teaching assistants must be admitted to the Department's Master of Arts in the Teaching of Languages (MATL) degree program. Within the MATL, students concentrate on one of three possible emphasis areas: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), French, or Spanish. The focus of the MATL is on developing and enhancing knowledge and skills in language, language acquisition, and language instruction, with the program of study organized for direct application to language teaching situations.There may also be assistantships available in other, generally non-academic departments of the University. Those departments should be contacted directly.

Admission to the University of Southern Mississippi requires the submission of an application and appropriate transcripts, along with the reporting of scores for the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test, as well as TOEFL scores if applicant is an international student and a nonnative speaker of English. Because of the time needed between applying for these tests and receiving the scores, individuals interested in the MATL and particularly in an assistantship should initiate the process as soon as possible. A separate letter of interest in an assistantship addressed to the Department is required for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Assistantships cannot be awarded until an individual is fully admitted to the University.
For more information:
Assistantship Information Request
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
The University of Southern Mississippi
Box 5038
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5038
Phone: (601)266-4964 Fax: (601)266-4853
E-mail: foreign.languages@usm.edu

Financial Aid Possibilities for MATL Student
Other types of financial aid are available through the Office of Financial Aid at USM. Contact that office at Box 5101, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 or at 601-266-4774. US citizens considering study in Hattiesburg during the fall and spring semesters are stongly urged to apply for the Graduate Work Study program as alternative to a teaching assistantship.
You may also want to check other sources of scholarships and aid. Websites such as Peterson's , FinAid: The SmartStudentTM Guide to Financial, Aid, and the Financial Aid Resources page at GRE.ORG; They can helpful starting points for scholarship searches.
Many school districts and/or state departments of education may provide reimbursement programs similar to the one described below for Mississippi.

Graduate Teacher Summer Loan/Scholarship Program for Mississippi Teachers
Full-time licensed teachers in Mississippi are eligible for the Graduate Teacher Student Loan/Scholarship Program offered through the Institutions of Higher Learning. This program reimburses teachers for the successful completion of graduate work towards a first master's degree with $125 per credit hour. See the Mississippi IHL Financial page for details and application procedures.
There is a March 31 application deadline.