American Council of Learned Societies Campuses

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) serves as a central hub for advancing scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences. While not a traditional university with degree-granting courses, ACLS offers a range of fellowship programs, workshops, and professional development opportunities that function akin to advanced academic courses for scholars, researchers, and graduate students. These programs emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, critical thinking, and innovative research methodologies across fields such as history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and cultural studies.

• The ACLS Fellowship Program: This flagship initiative supports scholars at various career stages in conducting independent research projects. Participants engage in in-depth study of topics like global histories, digital humanities, and ethical frameworks in social sciences, often resulting in publications and conference presentations.
• Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships: Designed for PhD candidates, this program provides structured guidance on completing dissertations, including workshops on writing, peer review, and career preparation in academia. It covers diverse areas from comparative literature to political theory.
• ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships: Focused on public humanities, these fellowships train participants in applying scholarly expertise to policy, media, and community engagement, with modules on communication strategies and impact assessment.
• Digital Extension Grants: Scholars learn digital tools for research, including data visualization, archival digitization, and computational analysis, fostering skills in emerging technologies for humanities research.
• ACLS Emerging Voices Fellowships: Aimed at recent PhDs from historically Black colleges and universities, this program offers mentorship and coursework-like seminars on inclusive pedagogy, diversity in academia, and grant writing.
• Program in East Asia: Specialized sessions on Asian studies, including language immersion elements, historical analysis, and contemporary geopolitical issues.
• Humanities Futures Initiative: Explores future-oriented topics like climate change through humanistic lenses, with collaborative projects and interdisciplinary dialogues.

ACLS programs typically span 6 to 24 months, incorporating virtual seminars, in-person convenings at the New York headquarters, and peer networking. Participants gain expertise in grant management, ethical research practices, and disseminating knowledge to broader audiences. These offerings cultivate a global community of scholars committed to preserving and innovating within the humanities tradition. Through these structured experiences, ACLS equips individuals to address pressing societal questions, from inequality and migration to cultural preservation in the digital age. The emphasis on equity ensures access for underrepresented voices, making these programs vital for the evolution of scholarly inquiry. Overall, ACLS's New York-based initiatives bridge academia and public life, fostering rigorous, transformative learning that extends beyond traditional classrooms.