Pathways to the Professoriate

Apply

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is considering renewing the funding for the HSI Pathways to the Professoriate program. At this time, we cannot definitively confirm whether funds will be available for a continuation of the program; a decision will not be made by the Foundation until March 2020.  At CSUN, we will be going through the application process to select our fourth cohort, and will begin work with that cohort in January 2020.  Assuming funding is renewed, those students will continue as HSI Pathways/Mellon Student Fellows.  If funding is not renewed, the students will be offered professional development towards graduate school applications via their weekly class through the end of the Spring semester.  All applicants should understand that their potential selection to be an HSI Pathways/Mellon Student Fellow is contingent on renewal of funding.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must:

Intend to pursue a PhD in one of the fields listed below and plan to become a professor

  • Anthropology and Archeology
  • Area/Cultural/Ethnic/Gender Studies
  • Art History
  • Classics
  • Geography and Population Studies
  • English
  • Film, Cinema, and Media Studies (Theoretical Focus)
  • Musicology, Ethnomusicology, and Music Theory
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Performance Studies (Theoretical Focus)
  • Philosophy and Political Theory
  • Religion and Theology
  • Sociology
  • Theater (Theoretical Focus) 

Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

Be broadly considered a Junior at CSUN (that is, be on track to graduate in Spring 2021)

Commit to participate fully in all aspects of the HSI Pathways program (this includes weekly cohort meetings during the academic year, a residential six-week summer program, meetings with their faculty mentor and other program personnel, travel to HSI Pathways events, conducting their own research project, applying to at least 8 PhD programs in Fall 2020, etc)

Questions about applying?

Please start by reading our FAQ (pdf).

You might also consider joining one of our virtual Info Sessions, which will be held by Zoom.  These sessions will offer a brief overview of the program and will allow time for Q&A.  To attend an Info Session, RSVP here and you’ll be sent a Zoom link 10 minutes before the Info Session is scheduled to begin.  Dates and times for our Info Sessions will be added to this website on an ongoing basis, and we will hold at last one each week until the Student Fellows are selected.      

UPCOMING INFO SESSIONS:

  • Monday, January 13th at 8:30 am

If you have read the FAQ and attended an Info Session and still have questions about the program, or have questions related to your particular situation, please email our Coordinator at Heidi.Schumacher@csun.edu.  She is available to answer questions by email or to meet in person or by Zoom.

How To Apply

Applying to HSI Pathways is a two-part process.

Part 1:

Start by reading our Application Checklist (pdf), which outlines the many components of the application.  The application will remain open until the 10 slots for Student Fellows in Cohort Four are filled.  In order to complete Part 1, you’ll need the following documents:

Starting December 2nd, the applications received by the priority deadline will be read by current Faculty Mentors and program personnel.  We will continue to read applications as they come in.  You will receive an email confirming receipt of your complete application and informing you of next steps. 

Part 2:

Finalists will be asked to complete a 30 minute timed writing assignment on Canvas, and will be scheduled for an interview.