Applications call for Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art

ACLS invites applications for Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art, which are designated for graduate students at any stage of PhD dissertation research or writing. Eight fellowships are available for a non-renewable, one-year term beginning between June and September 2021 for the 2021-22 academic year. The fellowships may be carried out in residence at the fellow’s home institution, abroad, or at another appropriate site for the research. The fellowships may not be used to defray tuition costs or be held concurrently with any other major fellowship or grant.

Stipend/Benefits

The total award of $42,000 includes a stipend and additional funds for travel and research. This program is made possible by funding from the Henry Luce Foundation.

Eligibilities

• Be a Ph.D. candidate in a department of art history in the United States.
• A student with an appropriate project whose degree will be granted by another department is eligible only if the principal dissertation advisor is in a department of art history.
• Students preparing theses for the Master of Fine Arts degree are not eligible.
• Have a dissertation focused on a topic in the history of the visual arts of the United States, including all facets of Native American art.
• Projects should be focused foremost on the art object and/or image and employ an art-historical or visual studies approach.
• Although the topic may be historically and/or theoretically grounded, proposals whose emphases are predominantly socio-historical will not be considered.
• Have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation before beginning fellowship tenure.
• Have not previously applied for this fellowship more than once.
• Be a US citizen, permanent resident, or DACA recipient.

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted online and must include:

• Completed application form
• Proposal (no more than five pages, double spaced, in Times New Roman 11-point font)
• Illustrations (no more than three pages) [optional]
• Bibliography (no more than two pages)
• List of publications, exhibitions, and/or presentations (no more than two pages) [optional]
• Two reference letters, one of which must come from the applicant’s dissertation advisor
• A statement from the applicant’s institution (preferably from the applicant’s department chair, director of graduate studies, or dean).

Evaluation Criteria

Scholars asked to review applications in this program are instructed to use the following three criteria:

• The quality of the proposal with regard to its methodology, scope, theoretical framework, and grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
• The potential of the project to advance the field of study in art history, both generally and in the specific field(s) it engages.
• The applicant’s record of scholarly engagement and potential for scholarly achievement.

Fellowship FAQ