Research Fellowship Applications

The Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Dissertation Completion Fellowship, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is intended to enable an advanced PhD student to devote full-time work to the final year of dissertation research and writing. The Fellow must be prepared to complete her or his dissertation within the period of the Fellowship.

Applications are welcomed for projects in any methodological discipline of the humanities (e.g., art history, history, philosophy, or theology), or for projects emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach including but not limited to those of gender studies, postcolonial studies, or postmodern studies as well as other contemporary theoretical methods of inquiry. Proposals are encouraged for projects of any chronological period or geographical region so long as the primary subject of investigation relates to a critical examination of some aspect of the history, thought, or culture of Orthodox Christianity.

The recipient of the Fellowship will receive a stipend of $30,000 (which includes the costs incurred for the residency requirement) and will be expected to be absolved of any service or teaching responsibilities at his or her home institution. The Fellow will not be required to reside full-time in New York City, but they are invited to participate in Center activities and will be offered the opportunity to deliver a public lecture related to his or her research. The recipient of the Fellowship, by policy of Fordham University, must provide proof of health insurance. If health insurance is needed, the Fellow may buy in to the Fordham University health plan at a discounted rate.

During the Fellowship year, the Fellow will have access to all of the resources of Fordham University. Through existing relationships with other New York City institutions, the Fellow will be able to take advantage of neighboring universities (Columbia University, New York University, and others), seminaries (St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, and General Theological Seminary), and the many cultural institutions that New York City offers. 

Application Requirements

The following five (5) required items must be collated together, in the following sequence, as one (1) PDF file and saved as: 2024_NEH_DCF_APPLICANTLASTNAME_APPLICANTFIRSTNAME and submitted electronically as an attachment via email to [email protected] with the subject line “Dissertation Completion Fellowship.”

• Personal Statement (500 words or less) addressing the dissertation’s contribution to the field of Orthodox Christian Studies broadly conceived as well as to the specific field of the applicant’s specialization; including a proposal of how the Fellowship year will be conducted in terms of research and writing.
• Timeline (1 page) outlining expected completion of dissertation writing during Fellowship year.
• Curriculum vitae
• Verification Statement from the dissertation mentor assessing the status of the dissertation research and providing an honest appraisal of the probability of dissertation completion during the Fellowship year.
• Sample Completed Chapter of Dissertation

In addition, two (2) letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the dissertation mentor, should be emailed separately by the recommenders to [email protected]. Emails from recommenders should include applicant's name in the email subject header. All recommendation letters must be received for an application to be considered complete.

The Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Dissertation Completion Fellowship is funded with support from a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Dissertation Completion Fellowship program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

The Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Faculty Fellowship, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is intended to support a current full-time college or university faculty member to pursue research and writing on some aspect of Orthodox Christian Studies broadly conceived. The Fellowship is open to faculty of all academic ranks.

Applications are welcomed for projects in any methodological discipline of the humanities (e.g., art history, history, philosophy, or theology), or for projects emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach including but not limited to those of gender studies, postcolonial studies, or postmodern studies as well as other contemporary theoretical methods of inquiry. Proposals are encouraged for projects of any chronological period or geographical region so long as the primary subject of investigation relates to a critical examination of some aspect of the history, thought, or culture of Orthodox Christianity.

The recipient of the Fellowship will receive a stipend equivalent to one half of his or her current salary, up to $50,000, which will be paid directly to his or her home institution. The Fellowship can be awarded for either one semester or one year of full-time research and writing, and in either case, the Fellow is expected to be released from all teaching and administrative responsibilities for the duration of the Fellowship. Priority will be given to those projects expected to be completed during the Fellowship period. There is no residence requirement, but the Fellow will be invited to deliver a public lecture at Fordham University on his or her research project. During the Fellowship period, the Fellow will have access to the resources of Fordham University and will be welcome to participate in Center activities.

Application Requirements

The following three (3) required items must be collated together, in the following sequence, as one (1) PDF file and saved as: 2024_NEH_FF_APPLICANTLASTNAME_APPLICANTFIRSTNAME and submitted electronically as an attachment via email to [email protected] with “Faculty Fellowship” in the email subject line.

• Statement of Intent (500 words or less) addressing the project’s contribution to the field of Orthodox Christian Studies broadly conceived as well as to the specific field of the applicant’s specialization. Please offer a short explanation of how the Fellowship will be used in connection with other forms of support, including sabbatical leave from one’s home institution and/or other external awards. Please specify whether you anticipate one semester or one year of full-time research and writing and provide a brief timeline for completion of the project during the specified period.
• Brief description of the research project (1000 words or less) stating clearly the significance, objectives, methodology, and originality of the project, especially as it pertains to the field of Orthodox Christian Studies.
• Curriculum vitae

The Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Faculty Fellowship is funded with support from a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the Orthodox Christian Studies NEH Dissertation Completion Fellowship program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.