Dissertation Fellowship

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Click here to view list of current Fellows

About the OHC Dissertation Fellowship Program 

Application period for 2025–26 fellowships is not yet open. PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Oregon Humanities Center (OHC) offers the Dissertation Fellowship in partnership with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. This fellowship program provides the fellow with a one-term research appointment to allow full-time work on the dissertation. Academic year 2025-26 fellowships provide the following, subject to GTFF and Graduate School policies (which are subject to change): 

A one-term Research GE3 appointment in your home department for the fellowship term. As a GE you will receive the following GE benefits: 

  • GE salary equivalent to a GE3 with a .49 FTE appointment for the fellowship term, including salary and associated OPE. Your department will process your GE appointment documents using the OHC’s index to pay your salary. The exact value of the award will depend on the still-to-be-announced GE salaries for FY26. 
  • A one-term tuition waiver (up to 16 credits; you must register for at least 9 credits). 
  • A fee subsidy covering all but $61 of mandatory student fees. 
  • GTFF health insurance eligibility with the university covers 95% of the premium (GE is responsible for 5% of premium). 

When space is available, an office at the OHC during the fellowship term. 

Students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply. 

Overview of the application process (details for each step below)

  1. Read all guidelines, conditions, and instructions completely before beginning to work on your application.
  2. All application materials, approvals, and Advisor’s Statement of Support are due by 4 p.m. PST on Monday, February 3, 2025.
  3. Contact your Advisor to request a Statement of Support. Your Advisor will be prompted to approve your application and upload their Statement of Support at the time that your application is submitted.
  4. Prepare your PDF containing your Abstract, Narrative, and CV for upload.
  5. Complete the online application process, which includes agreeing to all guidelines, providing requested information, and uploading your PDF.
  6. Department Head and Advisor will automatically receive emails requesting their review and approval when you submit your application. Advisor will also be prompted to upload their statement of support. Approvals and statement are all due Monday, February 3, 2025 at 4 p.m. PST.
  7. You will receive confirmation emails notifying you when your Department Head and Advisor approve your application.
  8. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of UO tenured faculty members from various disciplines serving on the OHC Faculty Advisory Board. Applicants will be notified of the decision via email in winter term 2025.

About Statements of Support

IMPORTANT: If the Statement of Support is not received by the deadline, the application will not be considered complete. You are responsible for communicating with your dissertation advisor before the deadline, so they are aware that you are applying and have time to prepare their Statement of Support so it is ready to upload. They will be prompted to upload the statement after you have submitted your application. They will receive an email inviting them to review and approve your application and upload their Statement of Support. 

If the dissertation committee is co-chaired, either advisor may submit the Statement of Support, or it may be co-authored, but only one Statement of Support may be submitted. Make sure to list your advisor who is writing your letter on your application form.

Statements of Support should address: 

  1. Why the applicant and research project are worthy of support. 
  2. Where the applicant is in the dissertation writing process. 
  3. How this fellowship will facilitate the project’s completion. 

Eligibility Guidelines 

  1. University of Oregon doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy at the time of application and are conducting research for and/or writing an approved dissertation in a humanities-related field are eligible to apply. Applicants must be ABD at the time of application. 
  2. This fellowship is intended to be used for work on the dissertation and may not be taken during the term in which the student plans to defend. 
  3. Applicants must expect to defend within one year of the fellowship term. 
  4. Fellows may not teach during the fellowship term. If the recipient holds a GE teaching appointment during the 2025-26 academic year, they must give it up for the fellowship term to hold a GE research appointment for that term. 
  5. Research projects must be humanistic, but applicants may be enrolled in any department, college, or school. The term “humanities” as used here includes literature; philosophy; history; religion; ethics; linguistics; the history, theory, and criticism of the arts; and historical or interpretive aspects of the social and natural sciences and the professions. 
  6. Students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply. 
  7. 2025-26 Dissertation Fellowship applicants are not eligible to apply for the 2025-26 OHC Graduate Research Support Fellowship. 

Conditions 

  1. Upon receipt and acceptance of a Dissertation Fellowship, the Fellow must sign an agreement outlining their commitment to make significant progress toward the completion of the dissertation during the fellowship term and their willingness to adhere to all other conditions of the program. 
  2. Dissertation Fellows will be hired for a one-term GE3 appointment in the home department for the fellowship term, with a salary and OPE for the fellowship term totaling the equivalent of a GE3 .49 FTE appointment (GE salaries for FY26 have not yet been announced). All GE requirements apply. (For details see GE Salary and Benefits.) 
  3. Fellows must give a Work-in-Progress talk (WIP) during the fellowship term. 
  4. Fellows must submit a brief fellowship report within two weeks of the fellowship term’s end. 
  5. Fellows must acknowledge the Oregon Humanities Center in any work resulting from research conducted during the fellowship term. 
  6. Fellowship recipients must immediately notify the OHC of any conflicts with the guidelines and conditions of this fellowship program. Fellows who receive another fellowship, doctoral research award, or appointment for the same academic year (September 16, 2025, through June 15, 2026), whether internal or external, must inform the OHC immediately, and may be required to choose between the OHC fellowship and the other opportunity. 
  7. While we recognize that limited travel (maximum of 2 weeks during the fellowship term) may be necessary, we expect that Dissertation Fellows will be in residence in Eugene and/or on the UO campus during their fellowship term, and will attend the fall fellows orientation, a gathering with the VP for Research and Innovation sometime during the fellowship year, OHC WIPs, and, when possible, other OHC events. Dissertation fellows are expected to participate in the OHC intellectual community. 

How to apply

  1. Prepare your PDF file (see below for detailed instructions)

  2. Click here to complete online application form (have PDF ready to upload)

Preparing your PDF application file

The following three elements (Abstract, Narrative Proposal, and CV) should all be combined in a single PDF file with your name at the top. Prepare this PDF in advance of filling out the online application form so it is ready to upload. PDF must: 

  • Be set in 12-point Calibri font 
  • Have one-inch margins 
  • Be jargon free and use language that is clear to readers outside of your discipline 
  • Strictly adhere to specified word counts and page limits 
  • Be named using file naming convention “Last_First” 

Abstract

250 words or less. Abstract should address:  

  1. The problem or question you are addressing in your research project; 
  2. The significance of the project; and 
  3. What you expect to accomplish during the research term. 

Narrative proposal

3 single-spaced pages, including any (optional) bibliographic information, images, etc. you wish to include. 

Narrative proposals must adhere to the format and chronological organization outlined below, using the headings provided. Bibliographic information and images are optional and are included in the page limit. Narrative proposals should address (preferably in this order): 

  1. Conception and definition of the dissertation: Describe the topic of the dissertation, explaining the basic humanistic ideas, problems, or questions to be explored. Make clear the relationship of the project to your own future research objectives. In cases where the humanistic content of the project may not be readily apparent, address this issue thoroughly. 
  2. Significance of the dissertation: Explain its significance and its anticipated contribution to the body of research and writing in the humanities in question. 
  3. Plan of work and methodology: Specifically outline the plan of work, methodology, and schedule for the work to be completed during the fellowship term. Briefly describe any work already completed, the present state of the dissertation, and any stages to be completed after the fellowship term. Be as precise as possible about the activities you plan to undertake during the fellowship period. If you plan to engage in off-campus research or other travel during the fellowship period, you must explicitly address and justify your plans here. 

Curriculum vitae

Abbreviated CV, not to exceed 2 pages.  CV should include: 

  • education, including title of dissertation; 
  • academic honors or awards received; 
  • employment history; 
  • scholarly accomplishments; and, 
  • the names and affiliations of two academic references in addition to your dissertation advisor. 

Application review and notification 

Applications that do not abide by the guidelines may be corrected and re-submitted before the deadline. If you need to revise or re-submit your application, contact ohcapplication@uoregon.edu for assistance. Do not submit a second application. Applications that do not abide by the guidelines but are submitted after the deadline has passed will not be accepted. Extensions will not be granted after the application deadline has passed. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of UO tenured faculty members from various disciplines serving on the Oregon Humanities Center’s Faculty Advisory Board. Applicants will be notified via email by Winter term 2025.  

Questions and FAQs 

Answers to frequently asked questions may be viewed here: FAQ: Dissertation Fellowships Oregon Humanities Center. 

For additional information, contact Jena Turner, Associate Director, at jenap@uoregon.edu or 541-346-1001. 

Financial Aid Notice 

This award may affect your financial aid eligibility. Please visit FAQ: Dissertation Fellowships Oregon Humanities Center and contact the appropriate resources listed below for more information. Federal regulations require students to notify the Financial Aid Office as soon as they know that they will receive any educational resources so that necessary revisions to their financial aid package can be made. For more information about how this fellowship may affect your financial aid, visit the Financial Aid Office website or call (541) 346-3221. The OHC will provide recipients and the Financial Aid Office with supporting documents if required.