SSRC Pre-dissertation Fellowship Opportunities

The Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship Program is an interdisciplinary training program that helps early-stage doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences formulate doctoral research proposals. The program seeks students with an interest in learning how their proposals can be strengthened through exposure to the theories, literatures, methods, and intellectual traditions of disciplines outside their own. To that end, the program offers workshops, exploratory summer research, and writing opportunities guided by faculty mentorship and peer review.

Fellowship Terms

Fellows must attend spring and fall workshops led by experienced faculty. The spring workshop prepares fellows to undertake summer exploratory research, while the fall workshop helps fellows draw lessons from their summer research experiences and develop their proposals. Fellows must also conduct at least 6 weeks of summer research and refine drafts of their proposals through an online and interactive writing platform in preparation for the fall workshop.

Students may apply for up to $5,000 to cover summer research costs. Travel and accommodations to attend both workshops, as well as most meals, are covered by the DPDF Program.

Eligibility