To be eligible for many types of financial aid, you will need to complete a FAFSA. Please complete the FAFSA as early as possible. Submit  your FAFSA starting October1st, whether or not you have been admitted into a program.

Each year the Department of Sociology staff and faculty select or nominate students for many awards.  In addition, we employ students as student assistants, writing tutors, peer mentors, and graduate teaching associates. Join our team!

 Awards from the Department of Sociology

• Sociology/Criminology & Justice Studies Outstanding Undergraduate Achievement Award - The award recognizes outstanding academic achievement and contributions to the community.  The Department is particularly interested in recognizing the success of students who are balancing their academic career with other commitments such as paid work, community service or family obligations.
• Sociology/Criminology & Justice Studies Undergraduate Success Award - The award recognizes improvement in academic achievements as evidenced by improved grades and overall quality of work in Sociology or Criminology & Justice Studies courses. The Department is particularly interested in recognizing the success of students who are balancing their academic career with other commitments such as paid work, community service or family obligations.
• James D. and Sara M. Turner Sociology Scholarship - Dr. James Turner came in 1966 to Cal Poly Humboldt College as Vice President for Academic Affairs.  After serving in that position for 3 years, he returned to teaching in the Department of Sociology and remained with the department and university through 1980.  Dr. Sara Turner served on the faculty of the Department of Social Work during this period.  She remains an active member of the community and has made this scholarship possible through a generous endowment to the university.  The Turners’ commitment to teaching and social justice is a legacy we are proud to honor through this scholarship. The awardee: Demonstrates a dedication to social justice, teaching, or practicing Sociology, is an Humboldt student pursuing a BA or MA in Sociology, with a major GPA of at least 3.25 (BA) or 3.75 (MA), completion of at least 15 hours (BA) or 9 hours (MA) of “SOC” coursework, and financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office.
• Ketly Shakira Sylla Memorial Scholarship - This award was created in memory of Humboldt Sociology student, Ketly Shakira Sylla, who was a 22-year old senior when she passed on Sept. 20, 2019. Ketly was an involved student leader on campus and in the community. She was an Educational Opportunity Program student. She worked with the African American Center for Academic Excellence, the Indian Tribal & Educational Personnel Program, and the Student Disability Resource Center. She was also an active member of the CJS and SOC Club. Her mother, Kenya Oliver, wrote: "Ketly is also known to many as Kel. My daughter was so special to so many people, she was more than a daughter but my best friend. We shared her special desire to help anyone, especially those with a disability. She liked to sing, dance and just have fun. Words can’t explain how much I love her. For anyone who has come in contact with her, witnessed her smile, laugh, and kindness." The department will award this scholarship to a Sociology undergraduate major; enrolled with good academic standing. The award is based on volunteer or paid work, or other autobiographical experiences, that evidence commitment to community. Particular consideration will be given to students that evidence interest and commitment to people with disabilities. The scholarship has been funded by Ketly’s family, friends, staff, and teachers. For more information please visit Ketly Shakira Sylla Memorial Scholarship.
  

University Awards

• Patricia O. McConkey Outstanding Graduate Student Award -The Patricia O. McConkey Outstanding Graduate Student Award is facilitated by the Office of Academic Programs and Undergraduate/Graduate Studies. These awards recognize the outstanding graduating student graduating with a master’s degree from each program. There will be multiple McConkey awards; each program will select an awardee.
• The Outstanding Student Research Awards - Awarded to the research projects selected to represent Cal Poly Humboldt in the CSU Student Research Competition. Written summaries must be submitted to the Office of Research. For more information about the research competition and submission process, click here.  If you are selected to move on to the CSU competition, you will need to provide at that time a digital photo of yourself for the Humboldt awards ceremony.

Awards from Outside Associations

• The Distinguished Undergraduate/Graduate Student Paper Award - Recognizes an undergraduate student or students for a paper of high professional quality. This award includes an honorarium and two nights of lodging at the Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference hotel. To be eligible a paper must be: 1) worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship; 2) written by an undergraduate student or students in the Pacific region; 3) written or substantially revised in the last year; 4) presented at the upcoming PSA annual conference; and 5) in article format but not yet published. Nominations for the award must include a copy of the paper, an abstract, and a minimum of one letter of support.

Paid Employment On Campus

• California Center for Rural Policy (CCRP) - CCRP is a community-driven research center. Collaborating with numerous organizations and other partners throughout rural California, the center aims to conduct rural research that can be translated into policy and easily understood.  For more information about CCRP and projects visit CCRP website.
• Office of Institutional Effectiveness - OIE provides decision support and guidance to many entities on campus with the goal of evaluating the success of academic and co-curricular student-support programs and their role in retention and learning outcomes. OIE responds to data requests from the campus community for compliance, for comparisons, for assessment of current strategies, and for help with formulating goals and objectives, analyzing data, planning and designing processes, and establishing performance metrics and benchmarks.
  
• Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) – Students often participate in the Mid-Semester Teaching Evaluation program run through CTL. Students working in this program have gained valuable skills in group facilitation, aggregation and analysis of qualitative data, and reporting.
• Humboldt Academic Student Employee Opportunities - Students usually have opportunities to work for the Department of Sociology as a Teaching Associate (2-4 students a semester), or an Instructional Student Assistant (multiple positions). The primary responsibility in a Teaching Associate position is classroom instruction, leading discussion sections, and grading assigned work. An Instructional Student Assistant will work directly with course instructors, responsibilities can include teaching, grading, or tutoring.
• Graduate Federal Work Study (FWS) - many faculty are able to apply for funds to hire Graduate Students to assist with ongoing research projects. This is a great way to work with faculty (to qualify for FWS funds make sure you complete your FAFSA to qualify). To learn more about each position, email the Department.
• Humboldt Job Vacancies

Out-of-State Tuition Costs - Waivers and Cost Reduction

• Humboldt Sociology is part of the Western Regional Graduate Program (for Graduate students) and WUE (for undergraduates) which means students with residency in any of the Western states can pay in-state tuition to study Sociology at Cal Poly Humboldt.
• Applicable states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands/Guam
• A very limited number of out-of-state tuition waivers are available to graduate students who are not California residents. With these awards, which are usually for one year only, students pay (lower) in-state tuition. During that year, out-of-state students usually try to establish California residency.

Establishing California Residency to Qualify for In-State Tuition

Out-of-state students usually try to establish California residency by meeting at least three requirements. Out-of-state students should start that process early in the first term. Some out-of-state students may be eligible in their first term for in-state classification. Learn more here.

Paid Employment Off Campus

• Humboldt Career Center
• Craigslist Humboldt County

Cal Poly Humboldt Funding

• Humboldt Graduate Studies Fellowships & Scholarships page
• Humboldt Scholarships page
• Paid Travel for Conferences At the beginning of each school year, a call for funding will go out from the College. If you are scheduled to present (or hope to) at a conference during that school year, you can apply for funding to travel to that conference. If you want to travel to present to a conference in August, you should contact the Department Chair to start the funding process during the summer.

Other Funding Opportunities

• Humboldt Library Grants Guide
• Humboldt Area Foundation scholarships
• GetEd Funding
• National Science Foundation info for graduate students
• Grants.gov