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Human Rights Fellowship Application (a collaboration between UC Merced's Center for the Humanities and UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center)

Please find more information about the fellowship here. Below you will find the application.

Application Process:

  1. A completed online application, which can be found below (requested documents should also be uploaded to the form).

  2. A curriculum vitae/resume, indicating all experience (academic studies, fieldwork, volunteer work, and paid work) relevant to the fellowship.

  3. Statement of purpose (2–5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font), describing your interest in the award, written in essay format (bulleted sections welcome). This section of the application should address the following questions:

  • What human rights or social justice issues will be addressed during the fellowship? Does an article from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or recent declarations on the right to a clean and healthy environment address the issue and, if not, how do you think the issue relates to human rights? Please note that these UN declarations encompass many social justice, environmental, and civil rights issues. 
  • How will you work with your partner organization to address this issue?
  • How will your fieldwork contribute to the partner organization’s ongoing mission/goals?  
  • Why are you interested in addressing this issue? Do you have a particular interest/expertise/experience in this area? 
  • What are the objectives/goals/expected outcomes of your proposed fieldwork?
  • How will these outcomes be measured or evaluated?
  • How will the fellowship build on your current academic interests?
  • What role will the fellowship play in your long-term career or study plans?
  • Have you spent time in your proposed geographic area and/or working on your proposed topic?  If so, outline your previous experience that specifically pertains to your proposed fellowship work. If not, describe how you will prepare yourself for your proposed fellowship work. Address any issues related to fluency in a language other than English.

4. Two letters of recommendation from persons (at least one UC professor, preferably your advisor if you have one) in a position to affirm your ability to successfully carry out the fellowship you propose, and the value of the fellowship in the context of your academic work and interests. Letters should be sent directly to humanities@ucmerced.edu.

5. A letter of support from the partner organization detailing the mission/goals of the organization and how your proposed fieldwork will contribute to its work. This letter should address the following points:

  • Who will be your main point person at the organization?
  • In which ways will you be supporting the organization?
  • In which ways will the organization be supporting you?
  • What are you expected to accomplish during your fellowship?
  • How will the organization benefit from your accomplishments?
  • What dates and times have you and the organization agreed you will work there? A minimum of 8 weeks of full-time work (at 40 hrs/week) or its equivalent (over more weeks) are required. This can be left unfinalized if need be.

FAQs can be found online at humanrights.berkeley.edu/students/fellowship.

Note on Research Involving Human Subjects

Per the IRB office at UC Merced: "All human-subject research, and all other activities that in part involve human-subject research, regardless of sponsorship/funding, must be reviewed and approved by the UC Merced IRB before initiation. This includes all interventions and interactions with human subjects for research, including advertising, recruitment and/or screening of potential subjects. Additionally, use of state death data records must be reviewed and approved by the UC Merced IRB before initiation."

If you intend to use the fellowship grant to conduct research involving human subjects (for example, that you will include in your thesis or dissertation, present on at a conference, or publish on), you will need to consult with our campus's IRB office for approval. For more information, please speak with your faculty advisor. IRB review can be a very lengthy process. We encourage applicants to start the process as soon as possible.

 

 
1 Start 2 Complete
*Attendance is required at these events in person. To qualify for the fellowship, all checkboxes must be marked.
e.g., different human rights topic, new partner organization, alternate location
Tell Us About Yourself
First name and surname(s)
*Outside funding does not disqualify you for the fellowship.
Name, title, and organization of sender
Name, title, and organization of sender
Partner Organization and Project Information
Tell us about your partner organization and project.
Applicants must plan to spend at least 6-8 weeks full time or its part-time equivalency working with their partner organization to qualify for the fellowship.
Name and Title
Documents
Please upload the following documents:
Indicate all experience (academic studies, fieldwork, volunteer work, and paid work) relevant to the fellowship.
Files must be less than 2 MB.
Allowed file types: pdf doc docx.
Should be 2-5 pages, doubled-spaced, 12-point font. See the Application Procedure above for further questions.
Files must be less than 2 MB.
Allowed file types: pdf doc docx.
Should detail the mission/goals of the organization and how your proposed fieldwork will contribute to its work. See instructions for specific questions to be addressed.
Files must be less than 2 MB.
Allowed file types: pdf doc docx.
To be addressed to Christina Lux and sent to humanities@ucmerced.edu.
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