The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has opened applications for the Hannah and Edward W. Carter Postdoctoral Fellowship for the 2026–2028 cycle, a two-year research position designed for early-career scholars in early modern European art history. The fellowship is especially focused on applicants whose work connects art history with ecological, environmental, and global systems of exchange.
This postdoctoral opportunity places fellows within UCLA’s Department of Art History and affiliated research centres, offering access to one of the most active humanities research environments in the United States.
Fellowship Focus and Research Direction
The Carter Fellowship is not a general art history appointment. It is specifically oriented toward scholars whose research reinterprets early modern European art through broader global and environmental frameworks.
Key thematic areas include:
- Early modern European art history (Renaissance to Baroque periods)
- Environmental and ecological approaches to art history
- Global trade, exchange systems, and material culture
- Interdisciplinary methodologies linking humanities and environmental studies
The fellowship aligns with UCLA initiatives such as Making Green Worlds: Early Modern Art and Ecologies of Globalization, reflecting a growing academic interest in environmental humanities and global art histories.
Fellowship Benefits and Appointment Structure
The selected fellow will receive:
- A two-year postdoctoral appointment at UCLA
- Salary based on UCLA postdoctoral scholar compensation standards
- Access to university research facilities and academic networks
- Participation in departmental seminars, workshops, and research programmes
- Opportunity to teach up to one undergraduate course per academic year (if required)
- Collaboration with affiliated research centres such as the Center for 17th- and 18th-Century Studies and the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
Unlike fully funded scholarships that cover all personal expenses, the fellowship provides institutional employment benefits. However, fellows are responsible for their own housing, relocation, visa processing, and living costs in Los Angeles.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a PhD completed between 1 January 2019 and 30 June 2026
- Specialise in early modern European art history
- Demonstrate strong research output or publication potential
- Show evidence of interdisciplinary or innovative methodological approaches
International applicants are eligible to apply.
Application Requirements
Applicants are expected to submit:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
- Research proposal (approximately two pages)
- Dissertation abstract
- Writing sample (up to 35 pages)
- Proof of PhD completion (or expected completion date)
- Contact details for referees
Selection Criteria
The selection process prioritises candidates who demonstrate:
- Strong scholarly research trajectory
- Innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to art history
- Engagement with global, ecological, or material culture frameworks
- Potential contribution to UCLA’s academic community
The fellowship is highly competitive due to its focus on a narrow and emerging research niche within humanities scholarship.
Fellowship Duration
- Start date: 1 October 2026
- Duration: Two years (2026–2028 cycle)
Application Deadline
The last date to apply for the UCLA Carter Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027 cycle is 1 June 2026.
Application Link
- UCLA Department of Art History Fellowships Page: https://arthistory.ucla.edu
- UCLA Graduate Division Funding & Postdoctoral Opportunities: https://grad.ucla.edu/funding
- UCLA Academic Jobs / Postdoctoral Listings: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu
For scholars working at the intersection of early modern art history, environmental humanities, and global cultural systems, the UCLA Carter Fellowship offers a rare opportunity to develop research within a leading U.S. academic institution while contributing to emerging interdisciplinary directions in the field.
