The GSAS Dean’s Prize for Innovations in Graduate Education is intended to honor an outstanding undertaking by one of Harvard’s PhD programs that has significantly improved a key aspect of program performance – such as the admissions process, the mentoring and advising of graduate students, the curriculum, timely progress through the program, or the effective out-placement of graduates.

To be eligible, an innovative improvement must have been devised and implemented at some point during the three academic years immediately preceding the application deadline by one (or a partnership) of the 52 PhD programs within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. The winning PhD program will be granted $25,000 to spend on graduate education as it sees fit, and its meritorious innovation will be featured and communicated to other graduate programs within and beyond Harvard.

Eligibility

Creative improvements eligible to be nominated for this prize must have been devised by any of the 52 PhD programs within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences – including PhD programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and PhD programs spanning two or more Schools.  The prize may not be awarded for activities previously funded by GSAS (such as activities launched by GSAS Seed Grants for Planned Improvements in Graduate Education).

Nominations and Selection Process

Nominations will be solicited in the fall and accepted each academic year until the beginning of February.Nominations will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Graduate Policy Committee – including members from the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, and from interfaculty as well as FAS programs.  Nominations may come from faculty in a program itself, or from other faculty members, including members of the Graduate Policy Committee. Self-nominations must be made by at least two faculty members teaching and/or participating in the relevant GSAS graduate program. 

The nomination should take the form of a joint letter no more than two pages in length that details the achievements of the innovative undertaking. The nominating letter may be accompanied by two additional letters of support, which may include letters from graduate students who were in residence and participated in the graduate program during at least two of the previous three years.  Should a nomination for the prize come from outside the program designated, the Selection Committee will promptly inform the Director of Graduate Studies in the Program. In the case of both self-nominations and nominations by faculty outside of a program, the Selection Committee may request more information from the designated program.

Applications should be submitted to the GSAS Dean's Office, University Hall, 3rd Floor North, by Friday, February 1, 2008.  Questions and requests for more information may be addressed to GSAS Administrative Dean Margot Gill or Rosemary Schulze at (617) 495-1814, or email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). The winner of the prize will be announced each year about April 15th.