The College of Arts and Sciences has several ways a student can become involved in research. There are on-going programs in the college and at the University level; there are courses that have substantial research as part of the content of the course; and there are opportunities for a student to work with a faculty member on a volunteer or paid basis. In fall 2011 for the first time, students who are awarded work-study funding can do research as their work-study job.
College and University-wide Undergraduate Research programs
Research Intensive Courses- As a student and mentor plan research experiences, an important decision is to determine how the research will be documented. The most successful methods are for the research to be done as course credit or as student employment. If credit is to be awarded, a student registers for a course, does research as part of the course, and earns credit hours that contribute to those necessary for degree. Faculty and the students’ academic advisor help in determining the course for which the student will register. Some courses, such as Psychology 491, are regular courses in which a larger number of students enroll. Others are called independent study courses in which a small number of students are enrolled.
Research Employment Opportunities
Payment is the other important way to document research. Students receive payment in accordance with the University’s policies for undergraduate salaries. This method of documenting research is far more prevalent in those disciplines, mainly the sciences and medical areas, in which faculty receive grants and contracts to support their research.