What Is undergraduate research?

“Undergraduate ‘research’ is an endeavor that complements and enhances the teaching and scholarship efforts of faculty. It is an active collaboration with students to examine, discover or create knowledge or works using methods commensurate with the practices of their discipline.”

(URSCA Definition November 2012)

Undergraduate Research and Creativity Activities (URSCA)

In Business it might mean conducting an in-depth company analysis, conducting a survey or analyzing a business model.

In Science it might mean designing and conducting experiments to answer question or evaluate a hypothesis.

In Math and Computer Science it might mean developing models or creating novel computer applications.

In Education it could mean conducting field research to evaluate teaching methodologies or developing educational materials.

In the Arts it could mean creating a music composition, creating works of visual art or producing a performance.

In the Humanities it could mean examining a collection of scholarly works to discovering new themes.

The possibilities are limitless! Any project that represents an authentic experience of the typical activities of scholars and practitioners in the field will be considered. Ownership of the project outcomes should be shared between mentor and student and their value determined using measures appropriate to the discipline.