After obtaining a PhD, one can continue research through postdoctoral fellowships, which are available in various fields and departments. These fellowships can be paid positions and may lead to a full professor position. The duration and requirements vary by school, and it’s best to ask graduate professors or search online for options.
Most of the time when people get a PhD it is called terminal. This means that it is the highest level one can reach in a field or the end point of studies. However, getting a degree does not necessarily mean that research or studies are over, and in order to continue research, there are many degrees and especially colleges that offer something called a postdoctoral fellowship.
A postdoctoral fellowship can be offered in a wide variety of fields, and often in departments such as the direct sciences and social sciences; however, there are also some scholarships in the humanities. It’s usually a paid position, but not quite the same as a teacher. Sometimes people who want to work at a specific college as a professor will complete a postdoctoral fellowship in hopes of receiving a full professor position later on. Other times, there is just an enticing area of research that the student would like to pursue in more depth and would be difficult to do without some funding.
While research may be the main focus of some scholarships, other students want to do or do something. For example, a student might have developed a way to integrate media into classroom study and wants to try it. Some scholarships are offered more to students who want to teach certain types of classes or participate in think tanks that bring together multiple departments.
There are a fair amount of postdoctoral positions, and at a minimum, people must have completed and received a Ph.D. There may be other requirements depending on the school. The University of California (UC) has some postdoctoral studies limited to students who earned a doctorate at one of its schools, for example. Scholarships are typically not like admission to a graduate program. A department may only award one or two a year, if that. The duration of scholarships can also vary. Some can last four to five years and others last only a few years.
Perhaps the best way to start looking for a postdoctoral fellowship is to ask your graduate professors or advisors which ones they recommend. Searching online isn’t a bad choice either, as this can quickly bring up some options. To limit your search returns, try to search only in areas of interest, otherwise there’s a good chance you won’t be able to wade through all the possible postdoc fellowships out there. People can also look for scholarships internationally if searching in another country makes more sense or looks attractive.
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