College of the Liberal Arts

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College Dissertation Support Competition

Funding Available

Approximately 15 awards each semester of up to $2,000 each for research-related expenses OR $4,000 for release time. (note that students in humanities Ph.D. programs are welcome to apply for a release, which would be in addition to the release they already receive as part of the Humanities Initiative)

Purpose

For support of research-related expenditures associated with a dissertation, such as:

• travel to specialized locations/collections (e.g., archives, libraries, interview sites)
• payments to subjects/informants
• photocopying or microfilming costs at archives or libraries
• phone and/or postage expenses necessary for the research (e.g., surveys)
• lab or other expendable supplies unavailable through departmental resources
• special software unavailable through university resources (e.g., foreign language word processing packages, specialized statistical packages)
• specialized texts unavailable at Penn State or through inter-library loan
  
  OR
  
• For release time from regular teaching assistantship responsibilities for one semester (Fall or Spring).
  
  Funding will not be provided for purposes of a stipend, tuition payments, dependent support, or for typing or reproduction of the dissertation itself.

Eligibility

Candidate must have an approved dissertation proposal (i.e., must be ABD) by the end of the semester in which the application is made, and, normally, must be in residence.

Application Guidelines

Electronic Dissertation Proposal Grant Request Application Link

The sections of the Dissertation Proposal Grant application are as follows:

• General Information - competition semester, purpose of support (research or release time), student name, email address, director of graduate studies
• Dissertation Information - title and semester the proposal approved
• Narrative - description of the thesis, accessible to non-specialist readers, limited to 1000 words
• Work plan - 500 words or less
• Research Expenses - (for those not applying for release time) an itemized budget is required
• Funding from other sources
• Proposed timing of requested expenditures
• Listing of any past or pending financial support
• Vita - limited to 500 words (approximately 2 single-spaced pages)
  
  Special Note : Given our limited funds, requests for release time will be considered only in those cases where proposals show evidence of the quality typically seen in successful applications to external funding agencies by new junior faculty.

Please advise your director of graduate studies after you have submitted the electronic request so it may be reviewed.

Funding Decisions

A committee of the directors of graduate studies in the College will evaluate requests; funding decisions will be announced by the end of the semester.

Deadlines: November 1 and March 15

Should any deadline fall on a weekend or holiday, proposals will be due on the next business day. For example, should March 15 be a Sunday, proposals will be due on Monday, March 16.

Special Note

As a condition of receiving a dissertation release, students must participate in the following spring Graduate Research Exhibition.