The Graduate College

2010-2011 Graduate College Dissertation Completion Fellowships

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The Graduate College offers Dissertation Completion Fellowships for up to two semesters and two sessions ($19,944 yearly, 2009–10 rates, subject to change for 2010–11) awarded in open competition and on the basis of superior scholarly achievement to assist full-time doctoral students with the completion of their dissertations. The Fellowship also pays the Fellow’s tuition for 1–6 hours per semester and 1–3 hours per session, depending on how many hours of 7300 the Fellow has yet to complete.

Fellowships typically begin in Summer II and extend through the following Summer I, although sometimes half–year fellowships (Summer II and Fall) are awarded. If the Fellow graduates during the fellowship year, the award terminates at graduation.

Eligibility:

Recipients must be full-time doctoral candidates who can demonstrate at the time of application the completion of the following requirements:

• Superior academic achievement
• Appointment of a doctoral dissertation committee and approval of the dissertation proposal by the committee
• Completion of all courses and program requirements except the dissertation
• Completion of all research tool requirements
• Completion of all qualifying or comprehensive examinations
• Completion of the university or departmental residency requirement

Application Process:

Dissertation Completion Fellowship applications will only be accepted online through iWebfolio. Applicants should begin by contacting Ms. Karen Stokes (karen.stokes@wmich.edu) to set up an iWebfolio account and begin an online application.

Completed iWebfolio applications are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. The fellowship applicant is responsible for completing the iWebfolio application, attaching all required documents, and locking the application. The required attachments include:

• A current curriculum vitae.
• A copy of the advisor-approved permanent program of study (may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office).
• The approved dissertation proposal/prospectus as defined by the department which includes a statement of the problem, a description of the research methodology, a summary of the anticipated findings/conclusions, and the working bibliography.
• Table of contents for the dissertation with each section annotated as to stage of completion at the time of application.
• A time schedule for completing the dissertation and its defense.
• Transcript(s) of all graduate work included in the program of study. (The applicant is responsible for ordering and attaching all necessary transcripts.)

If an applicant does not have access to scanning equipment for materials that are in hard copy (e.g., program of study, transcripts), the Graduate College will be able to assist in scanning these items. (It will still be the student’s responsibility to attach the items to the application.) Please contact Dr. Julie Nemire (phone 269-387-8212, email julie.nemire@wmich.edu) for assistance with scanning of hard-copy items.

The applicant must also arrange to have the following items sent to the Graduate College by the application deadline of Feb. 15, 2010 (these materials are not attached to the iWebfolio application but sent separately):

• A letter of endorsement from the dissertation committee chair which addresses the student’s capability for scholarship, the value and relevance of research topic and methodology, the knowledge-advancing dimensions of the dissertation, and the faculty/student mentoring relationship to be fostered by this research endeavor.
• At least two additional letters of reference from faculty who will attest to the student’s scholarly excellence and to the dissertation’s promise of contributing to the body of knowledge and literature in the discipline, through development of a new direction, a new understanding, or a new solution or inference or judgment.

Questions?

Questions about the Dissertation Completion Fellowship, including application procedures, may be directed to Dr. Julie Nemire, Director, Awards and Special Projects (phone 269-387-8212, email julie.nemire@wmich.edu).

Revised July 2009