Graduate School
Dissertation Completion Grant Awards
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In partnership with the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation, the Southern Miss Graduate School is thrilled to offer competitive Dissertation Completion Grants for the 2023-2024 academic year. These awards are intended to reduce the burden of dissertation-related expenses for students while helping to decrease students’ time to degree. This initiative is open to students in all doctoral programs at Southern Miss. To be considered for a Dissertation Completion Grant, students must have achieved the status of “doctoral candidate.”
Doctoral Candidate Status
- Complete all required graduate coursework
- Obtain a passing score on one’s doctoral comprehensive examinations
- Successfully defending a doctoral project proposal or dissertation prospectus
- Enrolled full-time and be in good academic standing with the Graduate School
- Commit to completing dissertations and degree requirements by the summer 2024 term
Applicants may request up to $2,000 to be used within the final year of their doctoral program. Students may use the Dissertation Completion Grant funds for any expenses directly related to completing their dissertation, including data collection, transcription services, editing assistance, or the purchase of required technology, supplies, or tools necessary for the completion of their dissertation. Travel expenses specifically related to dissertation data collection purposes will also be considered. Students may not spend funds on salary for themselves or for any faculty member or for any expenses not directly related to completing the dissertation.
Completion of a required survey, a budget report describing expenditures, and self-reflection describing the effectiveness of the initiative must be submitted no later than May 1, 2024. Recipients will receive the award in two installments. The first award installment will be issued before the end of the Fall 2023 term. The second installment will be issued upon the submission of the survey, budget report, and self-reflection statement concerning how the funding assisted recipients in completing their degree. Recipients must submit the survey, budget report, and self-reflection by May 1, 2024, to receive the remaining installment of the award. Students who are unable to meet the Summer 2024 graduation date may be ineligible to receive the second award installment.
Application Requirements
- Current curriculum vitae
- Statement describing their dissertation proposal
- Detailed budget and timeline of proposed data collection and data analysis
- Describe how this award would financially impact them
- Two letters of support-- one from applicants’ major professor and one from their School Director will also be required
Application Deadline: Friday, January 26 at 5pm