Program in Survey and Data Science: MS Student Fellowship Opportunities

Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science Achievement Fellowship

MPSDS Achievement Fellowships are structured to assist eligible MS students with four semesters of tuition support, full time enrollment required.  The fellowship is open to newly admitted students who:

  • Have a record of superior academic achievement (e.g., grade point average, honors, or other designation);
  • Are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA);

 And meet one or more of the following criteria:

  1. come from educational, cultural or geographic backgrounds that are underrepresented in survey methodology in the United States or the University of Michigan;
  2. have demonstrated sustained commitment to diversity in the academic, professional, or civic realm through their work experience, volunteer engagement, or leadership of student or community organizations to reduce social, educational or economic disparities;
  3. have experienced financial hardship as a result of family economic circumstances;
  4. have participated in programs in the Rackham application open to students from disadvantaged backgrounds;
  5. are first generation in their families to graduate from a four-year college;
  6. are first-generation U.S. citizens in their families.

A stipulation of being awarded this funding is that the chosen student will be involved in community building within MPSDS.  Community building is all about bringing people together and creating a sense of inclusiveness, something MPSDS values.  To that end, the recipient will be expected to spend an average of 10 hours per month on community building events during the academic term.  The selected fellow will be supported financially to participate in professional development activities related to the field of survey and data science. Continued funding will be contingent on academic success, employment performance, and community engagement.

To be considered, qualified applicants must email a statement indicating how they meet the criteria and why they are a strong candidate for the Achievement Fellowship. Email your statement to [email protected].

Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science Traineeship

The Program in Survey and Data Science will consider all applications to the Program in Survey and Data Science for traineeship opportunities submitted for admitted students. Only MS applicants are eligible for this opportunity.  The traineeship is with the Survey Research Operations (SRO)* unit in the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. 

The Full time study traineeship (FTS) provides support for two years of study. 

  • Tuition coverage for fall and winter semesters for two years.
  • Hourly employment for four semesters, fall and winter semesters for two years, assuming an average of 20 hours per week.
  • The trainee will have an opportunity, but not be required, to fulfil their internship requirement by working full time for 10 weeks in the summer between the first and second years of course work in fulfillment of the MPSDS internship requirement.
  • The trainee will be expected to fulfill two years of permanent employment to begin upon completion of the MPSDS master’s degree program.

Decisions for this traineeship are based on application materials; no separate application is required.

* Survey Research Operations (SRO) is the main data collection unit within the Survey Research Center (SRC). SRO constitutes over half of SRC, and provides a wide range of survey design, data collection and data processing services. SRO staff members work closely with members of the Survey Methodology Program and incorporate cutting-edge methodology and technical systems into their projects. SRO conducts national surveys as well as small-scale, regional, and methodological surveys.