Program - University of Houston
Skip to main content

The Honors College

The Frameworks Program

FrameWorks

WHAT IS THE FRAMEWORKS PROGRAM?

The FrameWorks program, founded in 2019, is a collaboration between the the Honors College’s Creative Work minor and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Award. A co-curricular offering, FrameWorks provides sophomores and juniors a supportive community of peers and faculty mentors as they conceive, research, write, present and ultimately publish critical essays that draw on the interdisciplinary humanities. The program culminates every spring with the FrameWorks Symposium at which fellows will publicly present their work. Essays that meet editorial standards will be included in FrameWorks: A Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Interdisciplinary Humanities. The best essay will be awarded The FrameWorks Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research in the Interdisciplinary Humanities.

HOW DOES THE FRAMEWORKS PROGRAM WORK?

The FrameWorks program is a yearlong process in which successful applicants, or FrameWorks fellows, are challenged to write an essay that critically engages the cultural artifact of their choosing in keeping with an annual theme. In 2021/2022, the theme is “Immunity” (“Wall” in 2019/2020, “Unknown” in 2020/2021). Fellows are required to frame their inquiry using the interdisciplinary humanities. Any and all humanities disciplines may be used: from art history to women’s, gender, and sexuality studies; from philosophy to performance studies; from African American studies to literary studies to sociology to history, and so forth. FrameWorks also encourages students who are not majoring in traditional humanities fields to investigate their concentrations through humanities lenses.

Throughout the year, the FrameWorks program will provide support for the writing process in the following ways: 

  • Fellows will meet as a cohort four or five times a semester for writing workshops and peer-review sessions.
  • The FrameWorks program provides clear, achievable scaffolded deadlines to help keep fellows on track through their writing process.
  • Fellows will work with faculty mentors who will advise them in one-on-one meetings, read drafts and provide feedback. Fellows and mentors will meet once every three weeks or so.
  • Faculty experts will model interdisciplinary approaches, addressing the theme in the FrameWorks Speakers Series.
  • FrameWorks incentivizes high-quality humanistic endeavor with the possibility of paper presentation at the FrameWorks Symposium and publication in FrameWorks: A Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Interdisciplinary Humanities.

I’M INTERESTED IN BECOMING A FRAMEWORKS FELLOW. WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

  • The FrameWorks program is free. It costs you nothing but time and effort.
  • You will be a member of a diverse cohort of high-achieving, like-minded, budding intellectuals.
  • You will be personally mentored by committed, talented, and generous faculty.
  • Possible publication in FrameWorks: A Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Interdisciplinary Humanities
  • An opportunity to present your work at a public symposium
  • If you are thinking about graduate school, a FrameWorks Program Fellowship, paper presentation and journal publication will look great on any application. In addition, your article may serve you well as a writing sample.
  • If you are thinking of writing an Honors Thesis in a humanities field, your research and article could serve as a substantial start.
  • Being a FrameWorks fellow means that you will be in a great position to apply for other opportunities for funded undergraduate research opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards (for example, the Mellon Research Scholars Program).
  • THERE’S MONEY TO BE WON FOR THE BEST ARTICLE! You could be the recipient of the FrameWorks Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research in the Interdisciplinary Humanities.

AM I RIGHT FOR THE FRAMEWORKS FELLOWSHIP?

The FrameWorks program is open to all rising sophomores and juniors. MEMBERSHIP IN THE HONORS COLLEGE IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE FRAMEWORKS PROGRAM nor for the support of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards. We are, however, looking for committed, and high-achieving students.

If the checklist below describes you, then you’re who we’re looking for.   

  • You are a rising sophomore or junior.
  • You are very interested in the interdisciplinary humanities.
  • You’re creative, agile-minded, resourceful and detail-oriented.
  • You want to present humanities based academic work at a public symposium.
  • You want to publish a critical article.
  • You are self-driven, deadline responsive and willing to work consistently over two semesters.
  • You have a GPA of around 3.5 and higher.
  • You are willing to attend 6 or 7 weekday evening writing workshops / peer review sessions per semester and the FrameWorks Speakers Series.
  • You are willing to meet with a faculty mentor once every three weeks.

HERE'S WHAT SOME FRAMEWORKS FELLOWS HAVE SAID.

"The FrameWorks program has provided me with an opportunity to explore a topic of my choice in-depth. Prior to this program, I had very little research experience, and this program has been an exceptional introduction into the world of extensive research." – Ayania Hicks (2019-20 Fellow)

"Participation in the FrameWorks program has allowed me to explore my interdisciplinary research interests while also giving me the chance to refine my writing and editing skills. Getting to work with a cohort of talented students from a variety of disciplines has been an amazing experience that led me to consider other perspectives within my own work." – Cristobella Durrette (2019-20 Fellow)

FrameWorks

Contact

If you have any questions, email Max Rayneard.