Pre-Doctoral Fellowships for Black Studies Students
2021-22 Pre-Doctoral Fellowships for Black Studies Students
The Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s University is pleased to invite applications for three one-year Pre-Doctoral Fellowships for Black Studies Students.
The Fellowships are open to Black students enrolled in a PhD program and working on doctoral research in the creative arts, humanities, social sciences or natural and physical sciences at an accredited university other than Queen’s University. Candidates must have completed all doctoral degree requirements except the final doctoral project (e.g. dissertation). They will be expected to complete their doctoral project during their tenure as a Fellow to receive their degree from their home institution.
The Fellowship holder is required to relocate to Kingston while completing their research in order to teach one course in the Faculty of Arts and Science and contribute to intellectual life at Queen’s University.
Application deadline: 15 August 2021 Award period: 1 January 2022 through 31 December 2022 Award: $37,000 annual stipend + wages for teaching + funds for research & conferences (see Fellowship details)
An Opportunity to Research, Teach, and Network
For Black PhD students, this is a unique opportunity. Not only will they receive financial support while they complete their degrees, the Fellows will expand their professional network and advance Black Studies, studies of race and Black histories while contributing to intellectual life at Queen's. Perhaps most importantly, the experience will provide Fellows with a competitive advantage in their careers.
For the Fellows' home institutions, this opportunity offers financial support to their PhD students in the final stages of their doctoral work, encourages them to complete their degrees on time, and provides future examples of successful Black Studies alumni.
Queen's, the Fellows' home insititutions, and all Canadian universities will benefit from the scholarly collaboration and advancement of Black Studies that the Fellowhips support. Through this collaboration and engagement with African and Black diasporic students, faculty and communities, the researchers will be able to contribute to relationship-building, knowledge-sharing and Black Studies curricula.
Applications are invited from Black doctoral students enrolled in a PhD program and working on doctoral research in the creative arts, humanities, social sciences or natural and physical sciences at an accredited university other than Queen’s University.
Candidates must have completed all doctoral degree requirements except the final doctoral project (e.g. dissertation). They will be expected to compete their doctoral project during their tenure as a Fellow to receive their degree from their home institution.
Applicants should be committed to advancing the histories and contemporary struggles of African and Black diasporic communities.
The Fellowship holder will be required to teach one 3-unit (four-month) university course in the Black Studies program in the Faculty of Arts and Science, and to contribute to the intellectual life of the university. Candidates are expected to be based in Kingston or its environs through the duration of the fellowship.
The Pre-Doctoral Fellowship provides an annual stipend of $37,000. In addition, the incumbent will be separately appointed and compensated as a Term Adjunct to teach a half-course (3 unit) university course. The Term Adjunct appointment shall be governed by the Queen’s-QUFA collective agreement. In addition, up to $3,000 will be available for research and conference travel. Successful candidates are eligible to request funds in support of relocation.
Application deadline: 15 August 2021 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship award period: 1 January 2022 through 31 December 2022
self-identify as Black persons, including those from Africa or of the African diaspora (e.g. African and Africa descended people from the Caribbean, North America, Europe, or Latin America);
be registered in a PhD program in the creative arts, humanities, social sciences or natural and physical sciences at an accredited university other than Queen’s;
have completed the degree requirements necessary to identify them as in an advanced stage of research or writing on an approved doctoral research topic; and
demonstrate exceptional academic merit and a commitment to advancing the histories and contemporary struggles of African and Black diasporic communities.
Cover letter outlining background, training, and plans, including any work with Black or African communities, groups or organizations;
Doctoral research proposal (approximately 10 pages or 3,000 words) detailing the doctoral research program and proposal and its potential to contribute to the advancement of the histories and/or contemporary struggles of African and Black diasporic communities;
Undergraduate and graduate transcripts;
A letter from the department chair, confirming that the applicant has passed their qualifying examinations and has achieved advanced standing in the program and can be expected to complete their doctoral project during the fellowship period; and
Two confidential letters of support from faculty on the supervisory committee, sent under separate cover, one of which must be from the student’s supervisor, commenting the student’s performance, potential and expected time to degree completion.
Applicants are encouraged to send all documents in their application package electronically as PDFs to Danielle Gugler at danielle.gugler@queensu.ca, although hard copy applications may be submitted to:
Ms. Danielle Gugler Assistant to the Associate Deans Faculty of Arts and Science Main Floor, Dunning Hall 94 University Avenue Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario CANADA K7L 3N6
The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs.
Queen’s University will launch the Minor in Black Studies in 2022. Black Studies an interdisciplinary field, emphasizing the political, creative and intellectual lives of global diasporic communities. With several seminars speaking directly to the field of Black Studies, as well as multiple courses that attend to studies of race, colonialism, resistance, and anti-racism, the Pre-Doctoral Fellows will be working with scholars, students, and staff that are committed to thinking through questions of liberation and social change. Pre-Doctoral Fellows will have the opportunity to teach in Black Studies courses cross-listed in their other fields of strength (English, Music, Gender Studies, Sociology, Economics, History, and so on).
Learn more about the Black Studies Program and initiatives supported by the Faculty of Arts and Science by contacting Katherine McKittrick (k.mckittrick@queensu.ca)
Learn more about the Black Studies Program and initiatives supported by the Faculty of Arts and Science by contacting Katherine McKittrick (
