Chancellor’s Dissertation Completion Award 

Summary

The Chancellor’s Dissertation Completion Award is given to doctoral students in the final year of dissertation completion. The award is intended to afford doctoral students the resources needed to alleviate teaching and other duties in order to focus on dissertation completion. The award is for one academic year. During the end of the academic award year, awardees will have lunch with the Chancellor and dissertation advisors to present the dissertation projects.

Award Amount: $5,000-$20,000

Award Period: Academic Year

Deadline:

Applications are due at or before 5 p.m. on Friday, January 5, 2024.

Criteria:

Eligibility:

Applicants must be actively enrolled as doctoral students at Rutgers University–Camden, in the final year of their dissertation research, and actively working toward the completion of their degree. They must also not exceed the degree time limits for the Ph.D. or have an approved time limit extension through their graduate director and their dean.

Students who show a history of elongating their dissertation timeline should be prepared to explain their current timeline, action items taken to reach completion, and next steps in tangible form.

Students are not eligible to receive funding from the Chancellor’s Grant for Student Research if they receive Dissertation Completion Award funding.

Dissertation Completion Phase:

The award is intended for students who are actively engaged in the final stages of dissertation research and writing, with a clear focus on completing the dissertation within the next academic year.

Resource Need:

Applicants must demonstrate a need for additional resources to alleviate teaching, research assistantship, or other academic duties in order to dedicate significant time and effort to dissertation completion.

One Academic Year Commitment:

Awardees are expected to commit to one academic year during which they will primarily focus on completing their dissertation. Award funds are only available to recipients for one academic year.

Lunch Presentation Commitment:

Awardees must be willing to participate in a culminating event at the end of the academic award year, which includes lunch with the chancellor and dissertation advisors to present their dissertation projects.

Advisor and Department Support:

Applicants should have the support and endorsement of their dissertation advisors and department. The dissertation advisor's endorsement is an essential component of the application.

The Chancellor's Dissertation Completion Award supports doctoral students during the critical phase of dissertation completion, enabling them to devote dedicated time and effort to their research. Candidates who meet these criteria will be considered for this award, helping them successfully complete their dissertations.

Application Process

The application process for the Chancellor's Dissertation Completion Award at Rutgers University–Camden is designed to facilitate the submission and evaluation of proposals from eligible doctoral students in their final year of dissertation research. The following steps outline the application process:

Step 1: Eligibility Verification

Prospective applicants verify their eligibility based on the criteria outlined in the award description.

Step 2: Advisor and Department Support

Applicants obtain formal support and endorsement from their dissertation advisor and department chair, indicating that they endorse the applicant's commitment to focusing on dissertation completion for one academic year.

Step 3: Application Development

Applicants prepare a comprehensive application package that includes:

• A cover letter expressing their intent to apply for the Chancellor's Dissertation Completion Award.
• A detailed research proposal that outlines the dissertation project, its significance, objectives, and a timeline for completion.
• A statement demonstrating the need for the award to alleviate teaching or other academic duties.
• A financial breakdown that proposes certain line items needed for support, including, but not limited to, cost of living, research materials, and more.
• A letter of support and endorsement from the dissertation advisor and department chair.
• A commitment statement to participate in the lunch presentation with the Chancellor and dissertation advisors at the end of the award year.

Step 4: Application Submission

Completed applications are submitted by the specified deadline.

Step 5: Review and Evaluation

A review committee, consisting of university representatives and experts, assesses the applications. The committee evaluates the proposals based on eligibility criteria, the quality and significance of the dissertation project, the feasibility of the proposed timeline, and the level of support from the advisor and department.

Step 6: Award Notification

Successful applicants receive official award notifications, specifying the award amount, expectations, and funding disbursement details.

Step 7: Lunch Presentation

Awardees participate in a lunch presentation with the chancellor and dissertation advisors in the Spring following classes to present their dissertation projects.

The application process for the Chancellor's Dissertation Completion Award is designed to support and encourage eligible doctoral students in the final stages of their dissertation research. Applicants who meet the specified criteria will be considered for this award, facilitating successful dissertation completion.