Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF)

The Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF) is organized to help early-stage graduate students in the humanities and social sciences formulate effective doctoral dissertation proposals. Fellows participate in two workshops, one in the late spring that helps prepare them to undertake pre-dissertation research on their topics; and one in the early fall, designed to help them synthesize their summer research and to draft proposals for dissertation funding. Fellows are eligible to apply for up to $5,000 from SSRC to support pre-dissertation summer research. In general, DPDF seeks to fund identifiable research fields, not simply research problems. Students in the humanities and social sciences undertaking doctoral dissertation research may apply for one of the five annual research fields named. Students who have completed their comprehensive/general/qualifying exams are eligible as long as they have not had their dissertation proposal formally approved by their department. For more information on the application process and for a list of current research fields, please see the fellowship website.