Program Information

As specified by the ORC, the goal of the program is to provide meaningful faculty-mentored research experiences for juniors in preparation for a senior honors thesis or Senior Fellowship. This is a two-term program.

The program is intended to prepare students for honors thesis research.

• Student eligibility: Sophomores who fall within the top 40 percent of the class are eligible to apply.
  • GPA cut-off for class of 2028: 3.83 (based on grades at the end of fall 2025).
  • Increases or decreases in your GPA after this point do not impact your eligibility.
• Faculty eligibility: Mentors for this program must be eligible to mentor honors theses in their department or program. Faculty who are not tenure line are responsible for checking with the chair of their department/program to confirm that they are eligible prior to agreeing to mentor a student in this program.
• Project guidelines: Students are not expected to generate their own projects, and the research must contribute to the student's academic development.
  • Definition of undergraduate research and types of projects not eligible for funding.
• Selection criteria: Factors considered in selection.
  • Alignment of the project with the student's academic trajectory.
  • Intention of the student to pursue honors thesis research in senior year.
  • Prior research or academic experience related to the proposed project.

Students apply for the program in the spring of sophomore year.

• Eligible students are notified in winter of sophomore year, and the application deadline is in spring of sophomore year.
• Students contact faculty about research opportunities. Faculty may also approach students with whom they would be interested in working.
• Once the student and faculty mentor agree on a project, students submit an online application. Faculty mentors then confirm the proposed collaboration via an online form.

Students accepted to the program engage in part-time research.

• Students who apply to the program commit to engaging in the research for two academic terms while they are also enrolled in classes.
  • Both terms must be completed during junior year (the first term can be as early as sophomore summer).
• It is expected that students devote the equivalent time/effort to what they would for an academic class.
  • That is estimated to be an average of 10 hours a week during a 10 week term (approximate total of 100 hours during the academic term).
  • This must be completed by the end of the academic term. Extensions beyond that point will not be granted.
• A stipend will be issued at the end of each term, contingent on confirmation by both the student and faculty research mentor.
  • In the second term, students may elect to get independent study credit rather than a stipend, but only if they receive approval from both the faculty mentor and the academic department/program.
  • More information about stipends and the academic credit option.
• Timesheets are not required since payment is via stipend rather than hourly wages, but students should maintain a document tracking the time spent on the research and the tasks accomplished.