We are committed to the idea that learning is a social process and that one can learn a great deal from one's peers. To encourage such learning, we offer a guaranteed five-year funding package to all students admitted to the joint-program in English and Women's Studies, with competitive funding available for a sixth year. Funding covers applicable tuition costs, health care benefits, and living expenses in the form of direct stipend (year one) and teaching assistantships or pre-doctoral research assistantships (years two through five). For the first year of graduate studies, all students in English Language and Literature and in the joint-program in English and Women's Studies are on full fellowship. In later years, students receive tuition, health care, and living expenses as part-time graduate student instructors (GSIs). The department, in conjunction with the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, is also committed to supporting students' professional activities and pays many of the expenses for research travel and for participation in academic conferences.

Basic package: The basic support package includes a first-year Departmental fellowship and four years of support from a Graduate Student Instructorship. Currently, the first year stipend is $16,000, and the teaching stipend is $14,326 for teaching both fall and winter terms. The appointment provides a full tuition waiver and health care benefits as well.

Other Awards: Each year, the Department and Rackham Graduate School award additional fellowships and prizes to graduate students in English. Among these are the Rackham Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, the Rackham One-Term Dissertation Fellowships, and a number of smaller grants. Summer support is available. Our students often win Rackham grants for dissertation research.

The Rackham Graduate School actively supports interdisciplinary study by making available to joint programs, such as the program in English and Women's Studies, an additional form of support called the Rackham Regents' Fellowships. For doctoral students in English and Women's Studies who win this award, the Rackham Regents' Fellowship includes:

• complete remission of tuition and fees and health benefits for the first year (two full terms)
• a stipend of $16,000 for the first year, with no teaching responsibilities, and one further fellowship term at the dissertation stage
• a Graduate Student Instructorship for the remaining seven terms, with complete remission of tuition, full health care benefits, and an additional fellowship grant to supplement the stipend from teaching.