Application
Each year the Society admits five postdoctoral fellows, who are appointed for two-year terms. The fellows pursue research and teach three courses over four semesters, with one semester for full-time research. They are expected to reside in the Los Angeles area during the academic year and to participate in the scholarly life of the Society, the host department, and the university.
The USC Society of Fellows in the Humanities is an interdisciplinary community that supports advanced research by faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students, promoting intellectual exchange and interdisciplinary approaches to research and teaching in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. Fellows meet regularly in formal and informal settings to present and discuss advanced scholarly research. Postdoctoral fellows are affiliated with the Society as well as with a USC department of their choice and have faculty mentors in both. Postdoctoral fellows in the humanities engage with each other as well as humanities departments, institutes, and centers at USC and in the broader Los Angeles area.
Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria: (1) the overall strength of the application, including the applicant’s past achievements; (2) the project’s significance, intellectual merit, and relevance to the research topic; (3) the applicant’s potential to contribute to the intellectual life of the Society of Fellows, their affiliated department, and the community of scholars at USC.
Applicants select a host department where they will be based and teach. The selection of the host department is left to the preference of the applicant and does not have to match their Ph.D. Not all departments and programs participate every year.
Applicants can access the application portal here or by clicking the “Apply” button below. You will be asked to create an account. Please carefully review our Application Materials, Eligibility, and FAQ pages before submitting your application or reaching out with any questions. Once submitted, applications and documents cannot be changed or updated.