"DCP is an extraordinary campus resource for grad students. I appreciated the biweekly goal setting and progress check-in meetings, which helped me develop concrete plans and stay committed to those plans throughout the semester. Writing a dissertation can be daunting, and it felt great to have a whole team at the CSSI who were interested in my development as a scholar and cheered me on. I'll always be grateful for the quiet space, the warmth and laughter, and the conversations that deepened my connection with my work."
Program Features & Benefits
Dedicated Workspace
Work within quiet assigned offices to support focused writing and research. Receive full access to the center's meeting rooms, printing stations, and break areas.
Collaborative Learning
Supportive Community
"DCP provides a unique opportunity to connect with scholars from varying disciplines, build professional and scholarly skills, and make significant progress on research projects. The program's support—ranging from research funding and mentorship to dedicated office space—is especially crucial for graduate students who tend to have limited resources. Thanks to this support, I was able to collect original data, stay on track with my dissertation research, and ultimately defend my thesis successfully. I am grateful to CSSI, its staff, and the supportive community that made this experience
How to Apply
Dates & Deadlines
Applications open: August
Application deadline: First week of September. Applicants are notified of application status within two weeks from application deadline.
Program dates: The Dissertation Completion Program begins the first Monday of November and ends the last day of the spring semester.
Eligibility
Applicants must be affiliated with the University of Iowa.
Currently enrolled PhD students who have completed all required coursework for their doctoral program and have passed any required comprehensive exams are eligible to apply. Priority will go to graduate students conducting social science research who anticipate defending their dissertation within one year of the program end.
Instructions
When applications are open, applicants must submit the following information through our application portal below.
APPLICANT INFORMATION
- Applicant name or university ID
- UI Org / College
- UI Department
- UIowa Email Address
DISSERTATION INFORMATION
- Dissertation Title
- Anticipated Defense Date
- Dissertation Overview. Briefly introduce your dissertation research objectives and the methods you will use to achieve your objectives. Include your research design, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. (300-500 words)
- Dissertation Plan and Timeline. Describe the current status of your dissertation and summarize the goals and timeline of participation in the program. What do you hope to accomplish during the program period? (300-500 words)
PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS
- Residency Schedule. Participants in the Dissertation Completion Program are expected to work in residence a minimum of 10 hours per week. Please describe the day(s) and time(s) each week you plan to work in residence if selected for the program.
- Reporting Expectations. Participants are asked to acknowledge CSSI in all publications and presentations supported by participation in this program, and to notify the CSSI communications team of all publications, presentations, and grants related to program work.
ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS
- Curriculum Vitae or Biographical Sketch
- Letter of Support from Dissertation Chair. The letter should specify your current level of progress with the dissertation and anticipated completion date.
- [Optional] Reference List
APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED
2025 - 2026 DCP Cohort
Nicole Breese
Multisystem Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls: A Cross-Species Approach to Neurotoxicity and Molecular Disruption
Chase LaSpisa
Maritime Zones of Contention: The Effect of Offshore Fossil-Fuel Resources on Maritime International Conflict
Abubakar Ibrahim
News, Noise and Power: Disinformation, Nairafluencers and Field Boundary Contestation in Nigerian Journalism
Kendall Riley
Women's Aging in the Shadow of the Carceral State
Past DCP Cohorts
2024 - 2025
Munachim Amah
Journalism of the Oppressed: Professional Ideals, Distress Narratives, and Care Culture in Nigerian Journalism
Nathan Micatka
Socializing Policy Feedback: The Persistent Effects of Adolescent Policy Program Use on Political Behavior in Adulthood
Lisa Nakahara
"And We Need You Now!": Comparative Analysis of Women's Science Education in the U.S. and Japan During World War II
2023 - 2024
Sun Joo Lee
The Effectiveness of Therapeutic Group Singing to Improve Voice Quality and Mood for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease
Pamela Nwachukwu
Impact of Medicaid Dental Policy Changes on Dental Care Access for the Medicaid Population
Tasha Lindo
Engaging in Critical Conversations with Secondary School Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Girls: Conceptualizing Identities in an AAPI Young Adult Book Club
Haofeng Ma
Native Tongues, Language Policy, and Political Attitudes
Chad Rhym
100 Years of the Golden Rule: Interrogating Racialized Norms in Journalistic Objectivity
