National Academy of Education/Spencer
Dissertation Fellowship Program
DESCRIPTION
The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. These $25,000 fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.
This highly competitive program aims to identify the most talented researchers conducting dissertation research related to education. The Dissertation Fellowship program receives many more applications than it can fund. This year, up to 600 applications are anticipated and about 20 fellowships will be awarded.
The application for the 2012 program has closed. Applications for the 2013 program will open in late summer.
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS
- Fellows will receive $25,000 for one academic year.
- Fellowships must begin during the 2012-2013 academic year.
- Fellows will be included in professional development retreats with members of the National Academy of Education and other senior scholars.
- Approximately twenty dissertation fellowships will be awarded in 2012.
- Selection will be made by a committee of NAEd members and other senior scholars.
QUALIFICATIONS AND GUIDELINES
The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program is open to all eligible applicants regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation.
- Basic selection criteria are as follows:
Importance of the research question to education
Quality of the research approach and feasibility of the work plan
Applicant’s future potential as a researcher and interest in educational research
- Applicants need not be citizens of the United States; however, they must be candidates for the doctoral degree at a graduate school within the United States.
- Fellowships are not intended to finance data collection or the completion of doctoral coursework, but rather to support the final analysis of the research topic and the writing of the dissertation. For this reason, all applicants must document that they will have completed all pre-dissertation requirements by June 1, 2012 and must provide a clear and specific plan for completing the dissertation within a one or two-year time frame.
- Applicants should have a demonstrated record of research experience in education.
- Proposed project must be an education research project. NAEd/Spencer funds studies that examine the efficacy of curriculum and teaching methods, however, we do not fund the initial development of curriculum or instructional programs.
- Applications will be judged on the applicant's past research record, career trajectory in education research, and the quality of the project described in the application.
- Fellows may not accept employment other than as described in the application, nor may they accept other awards without prior approval (including awards from NAEd or Spencer) that would provide duplicate benefits.
- Applications must be made by the individual applying for the fellowship; group applications will not be accepted.
DEADLINE
Awardees for the 2012 program will be notified in May 2012.
The application deadline for the 2013 program will be sometime in October 2012. Awardees for the 2013 will be notified in May 2013.
To be notified when the fellows are announced, please join our mailing list.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
- Online application form
- Dissertation abstract
- Project description and work plan
- Example of past research relevant to education
- Graduate transcripts
- Two reference letters
- Personal statement
IMPORTANT LINKS
Dissertation Fellowship Guidelines (pdf)
Dissertation Fellowship Frequently Asked Questions
The Art of Writing Proposals
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information on the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program, please e-mail pperrin@naeducation.org, or call 202-334-2093. You may also write to:
National Academy of Education
Dissertation Fellowship Program
500 5th St, NW
Washington, DC 20001 
|
