The Directed Reading Program (DRP) at UIC is a program hosted in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science (MSCS) in which undergraduate students are paired with graduate student mentors and pursue independent reading projects over the course of the semester. Each semester culminates with students giving presentations on the topic they have read over the course of the semester with their mentor.
The Fall 2025 edition of the DRP will be starting soon. Potential mentors are listed HERE. The application for undergraduates is available HERE.
Undergraduate students are not expected to propose their own project, but they are welcome to if they so desire. A list of texts to consider, compiled by the DRP at The University of Texas at Austin, can be found here.
Undergraduate students interested in a first experience with mathematics outside the classroom, as well as undergraduate students who may have undergone challenges throughout their journey with mathematics as a result of their identity or life circumstances, are highly encouraged to apply.
The timeline for fall and spring iterations of the DRP is as follows:
Week 3, Monday: Program begins, students are paired with mentors
Week 4, Monday: Project proposals due
Week 9, Friday: Project updates due
Week 13, Friday: Titles and abstracts due
Week 16, Friday: Presentations
This program is co-organized by Yijia Chen, Nick Christo, Clay Mizgerd, and Michael Gintz. Questions regarding the program can be directed to Yijia Chen at ychen548@uic.edu.