Dissertation Completion Fellowship Selection
| Category | Category Measures |
|---|---|
| Academic Record | Applicant has a strong academic record as evidenced through one or more of the following: publications/presentations; awards/honors, professional experience, grants/fellowships, etc. listed on their CV and/or referenced by the advisor or nominator; scholarly, professional, or community activities that have enhanced their teaching and/or research qualifications; cross-disciplinary research endeavors. |
| Ability to Complete | Applicant's proposed timeline is feasible and supported by previous efforts; Applicant has successfully defended dissertation proposal (if applicant has not successfully defended dissertation proposal, it is scheduled within an acceptable timeframe and applicant, advisor, and nominator all concur on likelihood of approval; fellowships will not be awarded unless the dissertation proposal is approved by the start of the fall semester); Degree completion is achievable within the academic year; advisor and nominator statements demonstrate clear confidence that applicant will complete all degree requirements and graduate within the academic year. |
| Financial Need | Program's nomination and/or advisor's statement indicate there are minimal or no existing departmental resources to fully support the applicant for the upcoming fellowship year; Applicant is likely to assume student loan debt or use personal funds to be able to enroll. If left unsupported, the applicant is at risk of not enrolling or completing their degree. |
| Readability | Applicant's materials are clearly written and understandable to a general audience outside of their field and utilize appropriate use of text, charts, and graphs. |
| Research Design | Applicant's research goals are clearly outlined, explore specific and important questions, acknowledge potential benefits and limitations, and are supported by appropriate quantitative or qualitative methodology; IRB approval has been granted, if necessary. |
| Research Significance | The contribution of the proposed research project to the field is clearly outlined and supported by advisor and nominator; Research question and/or approach is novel and will advance understanding in the applicant's field. |
| Royster Society of Fellows* | The applicant has clearly outlined their intent and suitability to be a successful, involved, contributing member of the Royster Society of Fellows. |
* Category will only be applied to nominees who have indicated an interest in the Royster Society of Fellows on their application and who have provided the required materials.
| Score | Scoring Considerations |
|---|---|
| 1 | Applicant qualifications are evident for all category measures and compelling, relevant, numerous, and clearly-articulated for all measures |
| 1.5 | Applicant qualifications are evident for all category measures and compelling, relevant, numerous, and clearly-articulated for most measures |
| 2 | Applicant qualifications are evident for most of the category measures, but are not as compelling and numerous as a “1” or “1.5” score |
| 2.5 | Applicant qualifications are evident for most of the category measures, but are not as compelling, numerous, and well-articulated as a “1” or “1.5” score |
| 3 | Applicant qualifications are lacking for some category measures or are not as compelling or clearly-articulated as a “2” or “2.5” score |
| 3.5 | Applicant qualifications are lacking for some category measures and are not as compelling or clearly-articulated as a “2” or “2.5” score |
| 4 | Applicant qualifications are insufficient for some or most of the category measures or cannot be assessed because the information provided is poorly articulated |
Overview of Selection Process
Each application will be reviewed by a minimum of three faculty reviewers who will assign a score in each category. Scores will range from 1-4, with “1” representing the strongest score. Half-point scores (1.5, 2.5, 3.5) will be available. Scores will be standardized and averaged to create a composite score for each applicant. All applicants will be ranked according to their composite score, lowest to highest (with 1 being the strongest score).
Selection will first take place for the Royster SOF Dissertation Completion Fellowships. The strongest scoring applicants who submitted materials for Royster SOF consideration will be considered, and a selection will be made for each available fellowship. After that selection is complete, the committee will select for the general Dissertation Completion Fellowship using the composite score until funding is no longer available. In the event of a tie, priority will be based on program ranking and expanding program diversity within the cohort, as appropriate.
Contact Us
Graduate School Fellowships Office
gradfunding@unc.edu