Many Liberal Arts departments offer a course credit option for students pursuing research. In most cases, students register for an upper-division conference course in their chosen major and use that time to pursue their research project.
There are some majors within Liberal Arts that require research as part of their degree requirements. For example
Plan II students are required to complete a thesis project prior to graduation.
Students in European Studies must complete an independent research project as part of their degree plan.
Women's and Gender Studies has an option for research or an internship in their degree plan.
Psychology offers PSY 357, a structured opportunity for undergraduates to obtain firsthand, supervised research experience in psychology.
The undergraduate research course credit opportunities available in degree plans and within departments can change, so please check with your department for what they currently offer.
Students in the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program take L A 331 R, which offers credit for assisting a faculty researcher. Another route for students is the Bridging Disciplines Program, where students gain course credit through the pursuit of an interdisciplinary certificate that integrates classroom, research, and internship experiences. Students in the Texas IP gain credit through a six-course interdisciplinary plan, culminating in a senior year Capstone Seminar rooted in a research project.
Students may also be eligible to earn credit hours through one of two Undergraduate Studies (UGS) courses: UGS 310 and UGS 320.
To claim credit, students must either find a faculty member they can assist on a faculty research project or one who can provide guidance on the student's independent research project. The only difference between the courses is the prerequisite. Freshmen and sophomores can take UGS 310; juniors and seniors can take UGS 320.
The Office of Undergraduate Research requires a signed contract by both the student and the faculty supervisor prior to allowing the student to register for the course. The purpose of the signed contract is to acknowledge and clarify the responsibilities of both parties and allow students to articulate what they hope to accomplish through the project.
Please see the Office of Undergraduate Research for the form and more specific information.
