Other NSM Research Opportunities
Volunteer in a Lab
Students may participate in undergraduate research on a voluntary basis. Many do this to get an idea what is involved and whether they are genuinely interested in such work. It is a great option if you do not need class credit hours but want to gain meaningful hands-on experience. It is also a good place to start if you think you might want to pursue a senior thesis as your Capstone during your junior or senior year.
- Find a faculty member who is willing to serve as your advisor. See Tips on Finding an Advisor.
- Make sure you are able to volunteer for at least 7 hours a week during normal business hours (8 am–5 pm).
Senior Honors Thesis
The Senior Honors Thesis is a two-semester research course sequence (XXXX3399 and XXXX4399) which is completed under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students conduct laboratory work, field work or other types of discipline-based research, contributing to ongoing real-world work in their departments. The project culminates in writing of a thesis and an oral defense of the work. Students do not need to be a member of the Honors College to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. Minimum requirements are a 3.25 overall GPA and a 3.5 GPA in your major. The Senior Honors Thesis meets the Capstone requirement for all NSM undergraduate degrees.
- Review the guidelines and details provided on the Honors College website.
- Find a faculty member who is willing to serve as your advisor. See Tips on Finding an Advisor.
- Submit the thesis Verification of Eligibility Prospectus Approval Form to the electronic submission portal. The form is due no later than the end of the semester prior to enrolling in thesis coursework. Forms can be found here.
- Register for the course (BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC3399) by filing a General Petition in the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office (an advisor will enroll you into the course). The “Explanation of Request” must have the project title, a one-sentence explanation of what will be done, and a request to be enrolled in the appropriate course. The thesis advisor must sign the petition. The petition should be submitted to the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office a minimum of one week before the start of classes.
- Link to General Petition.
- An additional petition for BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC4399 must be filed for the second semester course a minimum of one week before the start of classes.
Senior Research Project
A Senior Research Project is intended to be a substantial library research paper but may include field or laboratory data. Students work under the direction of a faculty member researching, summarizing and analyzing the literature regarding a mutually agreed upon topic. The research paper is submitted upon completion of the two-semester course sequence. Students conducting a Senior Research Project must complete BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC3396 and 4396 in consecutive semesters. The Senior Research Project may be used to meet the NSM Capstone requirement but cannot be used to meet both Capstone and Elective requirements. Check with your advisor to see if your degree plan allows use of the Senior Research Project toward your upper-level electives in your major.
- Find a faculty member who is willing to serve as your advisor. See Tips on Finding an Advisor.
- Register for the course (BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC3396) by filing a General Petition in the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office (an advisor will enroll you into the course). The “Explanation of Request” must have the project title, a one-sentence explanation of what will be done, and a request to be enrolled in the appropriate course. The thesis advisor must sign the petition. The petition should be submitted to the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office a minimum of one week before the start of classes.
- Link to General Petition.
- An additional petition for BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC 4396 must be filed for the second semester course.
Special Problems Course
Special Problems Courses range from 4198 to 4498 and credit varies with the effort that is expected of the student. Students taking these courses typically take 4198, 4298 or 4398. The student is expected to work in the lab or field conducting scientific research. Check with your advisor to determine if credit for Special Problems courses will meet upper-level elective requirements for your major. The course is acceptable towards free electives in all majors (up to a maximum of 4 credits).
- Find a faculty member who is willing to serve as your advisor. See Tips on Finding an Advisor.
- Register for the course (BIOL/PHYS/GEOL/MATH/ or COSC4198, 4298, 4398, or 4498) by filing a General Petition in the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office (an advisor will enroll you into the course). The “Explanation of Request” must have the project title, a one-sentence explanation of what will be done, and a request to be enrolled in the appropriate course. The thesis advisor must sign the petition. The petition should be submitted to the NSM Undergraduate Advising Office a minimum of one week before the start of classes.
Work Study
Are you eligible for federal work study? If so, you may be able to get paid to work in a research lab. Discuss the possibility with your faculty advisor to see if arrangements are possible.