Deadline: February 20 (priority), rolling through April 20, 2023
The Duke University Provost’s Office, in collaboration with the Office of Durham and Community Affairs, supports professional development opportunities for current Duke Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding. A number of experiential internships with external organizations are available by application, along with other internship and research assistant opportunities with Duke units across campus.
Interested Ph.D. students should review the opportunities to match both skills/background and research interests. You may apply to a maximum of two positions (this could be two external or two Duke internships, or one of each).
The priority consideration period is through February 20 at 9:00 a.m. Applications received through that time will be processed and shared with internship hosts. Hosts will begin a review of applications by March 2 and may reach out to applicants of interest for interviews. Applications received after the February 20 priority deadline will be considered on a rolling basis through April 20.
All interns will be required to take the experiential workshop, GS950, during Duke Summer Session I or II.
Please see the FAQ section below and contact the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies at ovpis@duke.edu if you have questions.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted through this Duke portal:
https://dukeinterdisc.formstack.com/forms/duke_phd_summer_internship
You will be asked to provide the following:
- Letter of application for each opportunity
- Brief CV (2-page maximum)
- Letter of support from your department DGS, indicating how the proposed internship(s) will enhance your intellectual trajectory.
Provost Internships
Browse, search or sort alphabetically by any column. Click on the link in the Internship Focus column to access more information. Please do not contact the host directly.
| Organization or Duke Unit | Internship Focus | Brief Scope of Work |
| American Historical Association | Research & Publications OR Teaching & Learning | Conduct research on an agreed-upon topic such as research in support of teaching & learning initiatives or with Racist Histories & the AHA initiative |
| Diaper Bank of NC | Period & Adult Incontinence Product Distribution Programs | Contribute to process evaluation of DBNC's distribution program for free period products to local public schools; activities include conducting and analyzing key informant interviews with community members involved in the period product distribution; OR Document local retail options for individuals seeking adult incontinence supplies in low-income census tracts; activities include quantitative analysis of community characteristics, mapping or creating other visual representations of local retail options |
| Duke Bass Connections | Pedagogical Models for Project-Based Learning | Help design & conduct symposium for higher education administrators on approaches to fostering project-based learning |
| Duke Center for Computational Thinking | Ph.D. Computational Fellowship | Participate in Summer Bootcamp: Introduction to Data Science; give short oral presentation of research question, exploratory data analysis and findings as a final project |
| Duke Faculty Advancement | Evaluating Excellence in Teaching & Mentoring | Conduct landscape analysis of new approaches to teaching & mentoring effectiveness, to inform faculty tenure & promotion reviews |
| Duke Forum for Scholars & Publics | Public Scholarship Community Programming | Conduct internal & external research to inform strategies for collaborations; develop, promote & manage international online public events |
| Duke Graduate Liberal Studies | Master’s Student Capstone Project Experience Models | Develop differentiated set of capstone options for Liberal Studies master’s students |
| Duke North Carolina Leadership Forum | Public Policy: Civic, Business & Political Leaders in Constructive Engagement | Conduct literature review; collect & analyze data; contribute to two planned writing projects related to NCLF’s founding, mission & impact |
| Duke Science & Society (AE+) | Applied Ethics+ Project Teams | Guide & mentor 2-3 student teams throughout 10-week intensive program for undergraduates; participate in program management & assessment |
| Duke Social Science Research Institute | Equity & Community-Partnered Research | Develop academic manuscript from data analysis & reporting; develop practice-oriented guidance |
| Duke Social Science Research Institute | Mentoring in AIDS Research Training Program for Clinical & Basic Science Investigators | Help evaluate newly implemented programming for AIDS researchers designed to improve mentor/mentee communications within different cultural backgrounds, activities to include data collection, analysis & development of recommendations |
| Duke Social Science Research Institute | Program Evaluation & Applied Social Science Research | Inform development of graduate certificate by landscape analysis of similar programs at other institutions |
| Duke Story+ | Project-Based Research in Humanities, Arts & Interpretive Social Sciences | Develop structures & best practices for team project management & mentoring for cultivating community across teams; support professional development for program participants; help facilitate symposium |
| Duke University Press | University Press Finances | Conduct analyses of book production costs over time and of revenues compared to associated costs, to help inform future directions for publishing program |
| Durham Arts Guild | Education for NC Artists | Collect feedback and data from local art community and Durham Art Guild membership base to formulate an accessible and equitable educational program for adult artists with a focus on real world business skills |
| Durham Arts Guild | Impact of the Arts & DAG on Durham | Research & collect information from Durham Arts Guild's 75 years to determine impact of the organization, & the arts in general, on Durham's growth & commercial development |
| Durham Technical Community College | Educational Programming for First-Generation Students | Assist in developing targeted programming for first-gen students by researching data methods, best practices & funding support |
| Durham Technical Community College | Foreign Language Curriculum & OER Development | Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation) |
| Durham Technical Community College | English/Communications Curriculum & OER Development | Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation) |
| Durham Technical Community College | Social Science/Humanities Curriculum & OER Development | Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation) |
| Durham Technical Community College | Graphic Design Curricular Program Development | Conduct landscape analysis of existing graphic design programs; collaborate with Durham Tech leadership & partners to explore creation of graphic design program for Durham Tech |
| Durham Technical Community College | Interventions for Equity Gaps in Student Success Rates | Conduct literature review to identify interventions that reduce equity gaps in student success rates; work with instructors to adapt & implement |
| Justice Matters | Literature Review of Trauma-Informed Legal Services | Conduct a literature review that will examine the public health benefits to providing trauma-informed legal services |
| Society of St. Andrew | Hunger & Food Rescue Issues | Research hunger & food rescue issues to help define impact of SoSA's work & strategize best practices |
| Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine | Team Science & Research Administration | Assist in developing & delivering educational materials for undergraduates; engage with computational labs & applied field training experiences; plan & facilitate summer programming |
FAQ: Summer 2023 Provost Internships
Are master’s students or professional students, including professional doctorates like Th.D. students, eligible to apply for these opportunities?
We are sorry; the internships are only available to Ph.D. students.
I am graduating from Duke with a Ph.D. this spring (or, I am coming to Duke this summer or fall). Am I eligible to apply?
No, only currently enrolled Duke Ph.D. students are eligible. Students who will matriculate in the summer or fall are not eligible.
I already have full summer funding, but one of these positions would be a perfect fit for me. May I still apply?
No, these internships are available only to current Ph.D. students without full summer funding.
I have partial summer funding. Am I still eligible?
Interns may receive other Duke summer funding; however, total Duke summer funding may not exceed $9,000.
I would like to apply to several opportunities. Is this allowed?
You may apply to a maximum of two (2) opportunities (two external, or two internal internships, or one of each).
I’m an international Ph.D. student. May I apply?
Yes, so long as you are residing in one of the U.S. jurisdictions approved for Duke employment: Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC. You should consult as soon as possible with Duke Visa Services for assistance with filing applications for Curricular Practical Training and any other visa-related requirements.
I am a Ph.D. student currently in the United States but living outside North Carolina. Can I still apply?
Yes, as long as during the internship you are residing in one of the jurisdictions approved for Duke employment besides North Carolina: Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
What would a strong application for an internship look like?
Beyond submitting all the required pieces of the application, we recommend giving special attention to the letter of application and brief CV. The application letter should explain how the opportunity would enrich or further develop your academic interests. At the same time, internship hosts are particularly keen to identify the best candidates for the job at hand. Help the readers understand how you are well qualified for the position, and give some sense of what distinctive contributions you can make to the position and the organization or Duke unit.
How do I abridge my CV to two pages?
Only include the most important information from your longer CV (key elements of your scholarship; your most important fellowships and teaching assignments; etc.). Highlight details that best demonstrate your qualifications for the position. As an example, for a research-intensive position, you should include evidence of your skills in research and writing, such as publications. For other positions, you may want to offer more information about your experience with collaborative projects, website development and relevant nonacademic work.
How will candidates be evaluated and selected?
You will apply through this Duke portal. Complete applications that are well suited to the positions will be forwarded to the internship hosts. Hosts may or may not reach out to candidates for virtual interviews, which may happen on very short notice. Hosts will make the final decision on candidate selection, but notification letters will come from the Provost’s Office. If you wish to check up on your application status or have questions, please contact the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies (ovpis@duke.edu). Please do not contact the host directly.
What is the timeline for these opportunities?
Hosts will begin review of applications received through the priority deadline of February 20 by March 2. Hosts will then consider additional applications on a rolling basis until April 20, 2023. They should make their decisions by that date. We ask all students to expeditiously confirm their acceptance/decline of offers. Internships will begin no earlier than May 15 and will end no later than August 18, 2023.
When will the internship take place? How many service hours are expected?
Internships may involve six weeks, eight weeks or twelve weeks of engagement, and must take place between May 15 – August 18, 2023 with no more than 19.9 hours/week, leaving time for students to engage with their own research, study and/or writing.
All internship opportunities listed are configured in one of the following formats:
- Three months (12 weeks, 19.9 hours/week)
- Two months (8 weeks, 19.9 hours/week)
- One and a half months (6 weeks/19.9 hours/week)
How much will I be paid for the internship, and how will I be paid?
You will receive a stipend commensurate with the three options for length of engagement:
- Three months: $8,415
- Two months: $5,610
- One and a half months: $4,207.50
Stipends will be paid across Duke’s June – August payroll cycles. Your summer tuition will be covered, and your department will also receive the summer health fee.
I am not eligible to apply, but I would love to collaborate with one of these external organizations in some way. How can I reach out?
This is not the time to reach out unless you’re eligible to fill the organization’s posted position. Please consider contacting Maria Wisdom, director of interdisciplinary mentoring and coaching programs, to discuss a long-term networking strategy.
I will be traveling during the summer. Am I still eligible for an internship?
Though brief travel outside the internship jurisdiction is permitted, you need to be physically residing in the jurisdiction approved for Duke employment for the duration of the internship to be eligible for the opportunity. International students should confirm their visa/residency status with Duke Visa Services.
I am available for less time than the full duration of the internships to which I am applying (e.g., 8 weeks instead of 12 weeks). Will I still be considered?
Your application will still be sent to the host for consideration. Your limited availability may affect selection if timing is important to the host, though you may be able to negotiate timing for the internship if selected for an interview.
I am planning to teach a course in one of Duke’s Summer Sessions. Am I still eligible for an internship?
You are not eligible for an internship if you are teaching a Summer Session course. When offered an internship, you will be required to make a choice — to move forward with plans to teach the course or to cancel the course in order to pursue the internship opportunity. The timing around this decision may be tight (a few days) so it is important to consider your preferences in advance.
