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For Current Scholars

Getting Started

At the start of the research term (and preferably before the term begins), students and their faculty mentors should meet to discuss:

  • Work schedule: days/hours the student is expected to engage in the research
    • Students are expected to 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).
  • Expectations: what the student is expected to accomplish during the term
  • Preparation: required trainings or certifications that the student may need to complete before starting the research
  • Meetings: schedule for the student and faculty mentor and/or other research supervisor to meet
    • This should be at least once a week and all or most of these meetings should be in person
  • Tracking: establish a document or system to track student time spent on the research and the tasks accomplished
    • The tracking document is important in confirming whether students have met the requirements of the program as students do not submit timesheets (students are not paid hourly wages).
    • This is particularly important for international students as these hours may be considered work by the U.S. government
  • Completion: You must complete the requirements of the term of research by the end of the academic term.
    • In most cases, this would be the last day of classes but can be extended to the last day of exams with permission from your faculty mentor and UGAR. No extensions will be granted beyond that.
    • If you have not completed the requirements at that point, you will be marked as withdrawn from the term.
    • Depending on your enrollment and D-plan, that may have implications for your ability to complete the program. You will be withdrawn from the program if you cannot complete both terms of the research assistantship during R terms of your junior year. 
  • Troubleshooting: what to do if the student has questions or difficulty with any of the research tasks or in identifying next steps in the project.
    • For students: it is your responsibility to let your faculty mentor and/or other research supervisor know when you have questions or need help with the research.
    • For faculty: it is your responsibility to provide adequate training and guidance as well as clear feedback about any problems or issues. 

Additional information

Start of term confirmation:

  • Prior to the start of each term of research, you will receive an email with a link to an online start of term confirmation form.
  • You are required to submit this form, whether or not you plan to engage in the research in the designated term.
  • In the term 2 confirmation form, you will be asked whether you plan to engage in this term of research for the stipend OR for academic credit.

Academic credit (only an option for the 2nd term of the assistantship):

  • Students may not receive both a stipend and academic credit for the same term of the Presidential Scholar research assistantship.
  • Independent Study credit must be arranged through the faculty research mentor and approved by the relevant academic department or program prior to the start of the term of research.
  • The faculty mentor ultimately makes the decision as to whether independent study credit is appropriate, and this option generally requires a bigger time commitment from the student than the stipend option.
  • Some academic departments and programs have specific requirements and pre-requisites for approval of research for credit, and students must satisfy these requirements in order to be eligible for independent study credit. 
  • If the independent study is approved by the academic department or program, students must register for the course as they would for any other class. UGAR is not involved in the course registration process.
  • Students whose faculty mentor is in Geisel or Tuck may not have the option for Independent Study credit unless their major department allows this.

Transcript Designation

Transcripts of students who successfully complete both terms of the assistantship will carry the notation James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar Research Assistant.

Students who satisfactorily complete the assistantship and successfully complete the honors program in their major department/program will be designated James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars at Commencement and on their transcripts. The Presidential Scholar research assistantship and the honors program are not required to be in the same department.

Waiver Information

This is an academic program, and close collaboration between the student and faculty-mentor on the research is required.

Students must be on campus during both terms of the assistantship

  • This requirement will not be waived for any reason.

As specified in the ORC section on Presidential Scholarships, research assistantships "must be completed during R (residence) terms when both the student and faculty are on campus." Students may submit a petition to engage in the research during a leave term in specific circumstances. Petitions will only be considered if both the student and faculty mentor will be on campus during that term AND if one one of the following is true:

  • The student does not have two R terms during the junior year.
  • The faculty mentor will not be on campus during the student's junior year R terms. Note that the student and faculty mentor must both be on campus for at least one of the two terms of the research assistantship.

Additional information about waivers:

  • The waiver form must be submitted BEFORE the start of the research term. Both the faculty mentor and UGAR must approve the waiver.
  • It is frequently the case that students do not complete assistantships conducted during off terms and end up discontinuing the program. Those that are successful have a clear plan established before the start of the term and maintain regular contact with their faculty mentors. 

Link to the waiver form:                                               

Research Video Competition

Consider submitting a 3 minute video about your research for a chance to win cash prizes! Short videos are a great way for you to share your research with the broader Dartmouth community. The MAD (Made At Dartmouth) Research Video Competition is jointly sponsored by UGAR and the Jones Media Center (JMC) in Baker-Berry Library. Check out the website for information about the competition and deadlines.

The Jones Media Center can help with your video by providing loaner equipment as well as tips and advice about shooting footage and editing your video.