As part of its commitment to building the field of public diplomacy, CPD facilitates research opportunities through its CPD Research Fellowship Program, Visiting and Contributing Scholars, Research Internship programs and Dissertation Grants.

Each year, CPD will typically select one or two doctoral students with dissertation topics in the area of public diplomacy. The CPD Dissertation Grant of $2,500 per awardee is intended to recognize and support the work of emerging scholars from around the world engaged in cutting-edge research on public diplomacy.

To see a list of grant awardees, click here.

Eligibility
To be eligible for a CPD Doctoral Dissertation Grant, doctoral candidates must be enrolled in an accredited university anywhere in the world.

The grant may be used for:

• Visiting archives, libraries, or other relevant institutions

• Conducting interviews, surveys, or other fieldwork

The grant may not be used for:

• Conference participation

• Research that could be conducted in residence at USC

• Equipment purchases

Application Procedures
1. Applicants must fill out our online application form here.

2. Applicants to the CPD Doctoral Dissertation Grant must also submit the following electronically to cpdresearch@usc.edu with "ATTN: Dissertation Award Application" in the subject line:

• A curriculum vitae

• A summary of the dissertation project, including timeline, not to exceed 6 pages

• A dissertation abstract no longer than 250 words summarizing the topic and its relevance to public diplomacy

The application period for the grant cycle will open in May of each year (deadline: August 1). Selection will be made by the end of September.