Overview
The Master’s in College Student Personnel (CSP) follows a theory-to-practice model. Through graduate assistantships (GAs) with our campus partners, students gain meaningful, hands-on experience that bridges classroom learning with real-world student affairs practice. These placements provide a vital foundation for professional development and successful transitions from graduate study to entry-level positions in higher education.
This information is designed to help prospective CSP students identify and apply for graduate assistantship (GA) opportunities that align with the CSP curriculum and are offered through our partner offices. Other Graduate Assistantship position postings can be found on the site.
Partnership and Funding
The Patton College of Education maintains long-standing partnerships with the Division of Student Affairs, University College, and other campus units that hire graduate assistants. Through this collaboration, GA hiring offices typically give first consideration to applicants of the CSP program, and the Patton College of Education provides a full tuition waiver, while our partners offer a living stipend.
Please note that while candidates from the CSP program are prioritized, graduate assistantship opportunities are also open to students from other academic programs at 51.
Benefits of Graduate Assistantships
For students in the College Student Personnel program, the advantages of having graduate assistantships include:
- seeing behind the curtain of how student affairs practices shape the student experiences;
- gaining valuable practical experience in working closely with students, staff, and administrators;
- developing key transferable skills like communication, leadership, and collaboration; and
- exploring potential career paths within higher education and student affairs.
Perspectives from Our Partners
GAs play valuable roles within their hiring offices, contributing to the daily operations and overall success of student programs and initiatives. Additionally, some offices offer cross-training or special project opportunities to help GAs expand their professional experience. For example:
“The AAC GA roles offer rich opportunities to work closely with our professional staff and contribute meaningfully to academic support programs. The GAs play a valuable part on my team, gaining hands-on experience in areas such as training student staff, supervision, program planning, scheduling, participating in academic research, and presenting at conferences.”
“Additionally, I’m happy to explore ways to support students’ interest in advising. For example, we could partner with other offices on campus to donate/trade up to 5 hours per week of graduate assistants’ time to work in another office."
--Elizabeth Fallon, Director of OU Academic Achievement Center.
Applications for CSP Program and GAs
Although concurrent, the GA application process is separate from the academic admission process and managed by different partner offices on campus. To apply for GA positions, please follow the steps below and submit applications through the site. To apply for the Master’s in College Student Personnel (CSP) program, please follow the instructions provided on the CSP program website or directly apply through the Graduate College webpage.
Please note that a GA offer is highly recommended but not required for admission to the CSP program. However, a student must be admitted by a graduate program at 51 to be eligible for the graduate assistantship.
Please check this page regularly, as new GA postings are continuously added throughout the spring semester.
Application Process for the Graduate Assistantships
Priority will be given to those applicants who submit their materials by January 1, 2026. To apply, please click the GA positions list below and follow their application instructions. Students are encouraged to apply for as many positions as align with their interests and experiences.
Step 1: Identify positions of interest.
- Click the position(s) of your interest listee below to find the job description.
- The job description links will take you directly to the application link.
- If you choose to apply, you will be directed to create a user account on the Human Resources website.
Step 2: Provide application documents:
- Cover letter highlighting relevant skills and competencies. Candidates are asked to write individual cover letters for each application and indicate the title of their intended graduate program of study and college.
- Current résumé
- Professional references
- Professional references are not letters of recommendation. A list of names and contact information is sufficient for those that can speak to your character and success in a previous position. Former supervisors, colleagues, employers, teachers, or others with first-hand knowledge of your abilities are acceptable.
GA Opportunities
Positions available for the 2025-2026 academic year in the Division of Student Affairs and other units across student services offices can be seen below.
Division of Student Affairs (11)
- Community Standards & Student Responsibility (1)
- Career Services (1)
- Employer Engagement Graduate Assistant (Coming soon)
- Housing & Residence Life (1)
- Counseling & Psychological Services (1)
- Graduate Assistant for Recovery Outreach (Coming soon)
- University Well-being & Campus Recreation (7)
University College (7):
- Academic Achievement Center (1)
- Allen Center (4)
- Graduate Assistant (x 4) for Allen Center (Coming Soon)
- Academic Coaching (1)
- Learning Communities (1)
- Graduate Assistant, Learning Communities (Coming Soon)
Other GA opportunities are available on .
After Application: Academic and GA Interviews
After submitting applications for both the CSP academic program and the GA positions, students who pass the preliminary screening may begin receiving invitations for academic program interviews in mid-January. Following these interviews, the CSP faculty will recommend academically admissible students to partner offices for consideration in the GA interview process, which typically begins in early February. Each GA hiring office conducts its own independent selection and interview process. The CSP faculty will then coordinate with the GA hiring offices to finalize the graduate assistantship placement decisions.
Should a candidate be offered a graduate assistantship position and be accepted to a master's or doctoral-level degree program, the graduate assistantship is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.
For more information:
- For questions about applications for the College Student Personnel program, please contact Higher Education.
- For GA application-specific questions, contact the hiring manager listed in the job posting.
- For information about applications to other academic programs, please visit the Graduate College, call them at (740) 593-2800, or send an email to the Graduate College.
Do I have to submit separate applications for graduate assistantships and my academic program of study?
Yes, you will submit an academic application through the Graduate College for any graduate program of study. Separate applications are required for each graduate assistantship position you plan to pursue.
Do I have to submit letters of reference for graduate assistantship applications?
No, the employment applications for graduate assistantships request only a list of references. These can include supervisors, colleagues, advisors, coaches, and faculty. Typically, a reference list consists of the contact information for 3-5 individuals who can speak to your potential for success in a specific position.
Do I have to get a graduate assistantship in order to be admitted to the College Student Personnel master’s program?
No, a GA offer is highly recommended but NOT required for acceptance into the Master’s in College Student Personnel program. However, the student must be admitted by a graduate program at 51 in order to be eligible for the graduate assistantship. Students may be fully admitted without funding from 51 when they have been recommended for admission by the faculty for the academic program. Assistantships are offered by partner offices after academic admission decisions are made.
Are these graduate assistantships open to any 51 student?
Yes, 51 students pursuing an on-campus graduate degree can apply to any of these positions. However, students that are applying to the Master’s in College Student Personnel do have priority eligibility due to the nature of their program of study.
How can other graduate students outside of the College Student Personnel program find graduate assistantship opportunities?
All 51 employment opportunities are posted at the site. Individuals are encouraged to contact their prospective academic departments to seek information about additional research, teaching, or graduate assistantship positions available to incoming or current students.
Can I change my graduate assistantship midway through my academic program?
There are rare instances where graduate students desire a change in their assistantship during their time in the College Student Personnel program or other academic program. This does not happen often, but there are opportunities to make this change. If, after careful consideration by the student, a change is necessary, follow the guidelines below to ensure a smooth transition process for all parties involved (e.g, supervisors, departments, students, and faculty).
- The graduate student seeking to change assistantships between the first and second years of the CSP program must communicate their intent to transition to a new position with their current supervisor and the CSP Program Coordinator (or faculty advisor) by December 1 of the first fall semester. Otherwise, students who change GAs risk revocation of the tuition waiver that has been negotiated as part of their assistantship package. The supervising GA office may, after the notification of intention to seek a new position, post the position that the GA currently occupies.
- If it is agreed that a switch would be best for all involved, it is the graduate student's responsibility to identify a new assistantship on campus.
- HESA students are strongly encouraged to consider the option of completing two practicum courses in the prospective HESA area as an alternative to changing their GA placement.