University of Essex

Art History at Essex

Postgraduate funding for Art History

Apply for postgraduate study

Travel and research prizes for Art History

Sir Andrew Carnwath Prize for students already on course 2012-13

This prize of approximately £500 is awarded annually to a graduate student at PhD level for the best proposal for travel and research related to his/her thesis. Applicants must submit to Wendy Williams, Graduate Administrator, a proposal of not more than 1000 words outlining a summary of anticipated costs and the name of a referee who is familiar with their work with whom they have discussed their proposal. Applications will be considered by a committee consisting of the Head of School, the Director of Postgraduate Research Studies and the Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies. The committee will consider the student's achievements to date as well as the academic promise contained in the proposal. It may decide to make more than one award. The deadline for applications is Friday of week 24 of the spring term (Friday 15 March 2013) and the award will be tenable either during the Easter or the Summer vacations. The winner will be required to submit a brief report on his/her travel and research to the Head of School.

The Thomas Puttfarken Research Prize

This annual prize fund is generously supported by friends and colleagues of Professor Thomas Puttfarken (1943-2006). The prize is for MPhil and PhD students who require funds to support essential research visits to libraries, museums, archives and artist's studios in fulfilment of the specific needs of their projects, or to present conference papers or attend important conferences. Some of the fund may also be available in some cases to support publications costs, or to assist students with costs associated with the completion of their thesis. Awards to students will typically be around £300, though requests for larger amounts will be considered. The deadline for applications is Friday of week 24 of the spring term (Friday 15 March 2013), to be submitted to Wendy Williams, Graduate Administrator.

The Tim Laughton Travel Fund

A fund has been established in memory of Dr Tim Laughton, a lecturer in the Department of Art History and Theory until his death in February 2009, who specialised in pre-Columbian art and architecture. Generous donations, especially from his family and from the artist Michael Aakhus, have enabled us to offer a bursary of approximately £500 annually. This will be awarded to the undergraduate or postgraduate student in the department who submits the best proposal for travel to Latin America for research related to her or his BA, MA or PhD dissertation. Applicants must submit to Hannah Whiting, Deputy School Administrator, an application of not more than 1000 words outlining the proposed research. This should include a summary of travel plans and anticipated costs, and the name of a referee with whom they have discussed their proposal. Applications will be considered by a committee consisting of the Head of School, the Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies and Professor Valerie Fraser. The deadline for applications is the end of Week 24 of the spring term (Friday 15 March 2013). The award will normally be tenable during the summer vacation. The winner will be required to submit a brief report on his/her travel and research to the Head of School.

The Drake-Lewis Graduate Scholarships

Thanks to a recent legacy, the Department is in a position to offer several scholarships of £5,000 each in order to fund new MA students in Art History. The legacy fulfils the wishes of the late Eleanor Mary Drake-Lewis, a resident of West Mersea, near Colchester, who received her PhD from Penn State University and who was a life-long educator and a dedicated artist. We will be offering a maximum of up to three MA awards, providing that suitable candidates present themselves. The awards are each worth £5000 for the academic year 2012-2013. Please contact the Graduate Administrator, Wendy Williams (wgill@essex.ac.uk) for further information.

Other sources of funding

Funding for postgraduate modules is available from a number of sources. You may find some of the following websites useful:

Last updated: 01 February 2013.