Undergraduate Research: What is it, and how do you get involved?

What is it? According to the Council on Undergraduate Research, Undergraduate Research is: “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate students that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to a discipline.”

What is it? Individual enrollment courses (Tutorials, Independent Study, Bachelor’s Essay) or volunteer. For-credit opportunities during the academic year, often summer research is not for credit, but is likely paid. Students that conduct research over multiple semesters or more than one summer often present their research at a professional conference and possibly publish their work.

Why is it beneficial? You experience the life of a professional in your discipline & find out if that career is the right fit for you. You learn to “practice” the discipline you are interested in, which is different than learning about the discipline in a classroom. You deepen your engagement in your chosen discipline through independent inquiry & mentorship. Undergrad research increases your chances of getting accepted to graduate/professional school and landing your first job (75% of graduate students have had some kind of undergraduate research experience)

How do you get involved? Freshman Year: Lay the foundation and look ahead to the summer. Make connections! Get to know your professors and advisors. Build these relationships. Email and meet with faculty. Identify opportunities: Be proactive about research opportunities—follow up with postings on the URCA Facebook Page and the Hub; Seek out opportunities both on and off campus; Identify faculty members who are working on research questions that sound interesting to you.

Looking ahead to summer: Considerations Do you … want to stay in Charleston? want to work with a CofC faculty, or someone else in the community? need/want to get paid? need/want academic credit? Have you… identified potential opportunities? researched deadlines and application processes?

Resources Honors HUB Department or School Websites Faculty/Advisors/friends Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Online: http://urca.cofc.edu/ Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/urcacofc Pathways to Science Online: www.pathwaystoscience.org/index.aspx Career Center COMING SOON: Student Opportunity Center