Modes of Inquiry course (IDST195)

A one credit pass-fail course open to all students (no prerequisites). Students learn to “host” faculty speakers who will discuss their original work, how they became interested in the field, the methods they use, the satisfaction they derive (and the difficulties they have faced), and how undergraduates can get involved. Students interview faculty prior to the class, and post a background summary on the course website. Students who are engaged in research discuss the value of those experiences and offer advice about getting started and finding a mentor. This course meets one of the requirements of the Carolina Research Scholars Program (CRSP). Faculty are invited to participate by the OUR, and if you are willing to contribute to the class, we would love to hear from you (our@unc.edu).

Research Methods Courses

Many departments offer courses that include training in specific research methodologies. These courses will teach you the methods that scholars in a given discipline use to ask and pursue research questions. Please consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies in your major department if you have specific questions about courses that teach research methods.

Choose... African and Afro-American Studies American Studies Anthropology Applied Sciences and Engineering Art Biology City and Regional Planning Classics Communication Studies Dramatic Art Economics Education English and Comparative Literature Environmental Studies Exercise and Sports Science Folklore Geography Geology History Information and Library Science Journalism and Mass Communication Marine Sciences Nursing Physics and Astronomy Political Science Public Policy Psychology Religious Studies Sociology Statistics and Operations Research Women's Studies

 

Research-Intensive Courses

Every department offers courses in which over half of class time is devoted to students conducting original research and presenting research conclusions. Many of these courses are numbered 195, 295 or 395 (these course numbers are reserved for undergraduate research experiences). You should review the course catalogue to obtain course descriptions and specifics about any prerequisites for these courses, since each department is responsible for their own course offerings. Each semester, most departments also offer other courses which have a substantial research component, but since the amount of time devoted to the research component can change depending on the particular instructor, those courses are not listed here. Questions about specific courses should be addressed to the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the relevant department (in the College), or to the person in charge of undergraduate studies in the professional school that is offering the course.

Following is a partial listing of research intensive courses that you may used toward earning the Carolina Research Scholar designation on your transcript (visit the CRSP page for more information and to register for the program).

Please choose a department/program:

Choose... African and Afro-American Studies American Studies Anthropology Applied Science and Engineering Art History and Studio Art Asian Studies Biochemistry Biology Biostatistics Business Chemistry City and Regional Planning Classics Clinical Laboratory Science Communication Studies Computer Science Dramatic Art Economics Education English and Comparative Literature Environmental Science and Engineering Environmental Studies European Studies Exercise and Sports Science Folklore Geography Geological Sciences Germanic Languages and Literatures Health Policy and Management History Information and Library Science International Studies Journalism and Mass Communication Latin American Studies Linguistics Marine Sciences Mathematics Music Nursing Nutrition Peace, War and Defense Philosophy Physics and Astronomy Physiology Political Science Public Policy Psychology Radiological Science Religious Studies Romance Languages Russian and East European Studies Slavic Languages and Literatures Sociology Speech and Hearing Sciences Statistics and Operations Research Women's Studies

GRC Courses

Many courses include research experiences, often with a graduate student who serves as a consultant to help you with the research project. These “Graduate Research Consultants” (GRCs) are only there to coach you—they do not grade your work. For course titles and faculty who have taught courses with GRCs, see this list of GRC courses (.pdf).

Request support for your workshop related to student research.

Peer Advisor Training
Are you a former Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) recipient who is interested in becoming a Peer Advisor? If so, you will need to make an important change in perspective from being an effective writer to becoming an attentive reader and responder. Dr. Kim Abels, Director of the Writing Center, will lead an interactive training session which will provide you with effective tools for assisting this year's SURF applicants with proposal development and research guidance. Along the way, you may find that your writing becomes more influential also. The training session is sponsored by the Writing Center and OUR and will be held Thursday, November 12, 2009 from 4:30-6:00 pm in 221 Greenlaw.

Community-Based Research
Learn more about community-based research (CBR) and CBR Fellowships on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 from 7:00-8:30 pm in room 3503 of the Student Union. This workshop is for students who want to work with a community organization and a faculty research advisor to design and implement a research project that addresses a community need. At this workshop, you will be introduced to the CBR methodology, hear from students who have done CBR projects, and learn about the CBR Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) and the resources available to help you develop your project. This workshop is sponsored by APPLES Service-Learning and the Carolina Center for Public Service.

SURF Proposal Development
In this workshop, you will hear from past Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) recipients about how they developed their successful proposals. There will also be a short presentation by the Writing Center on how to develop proposals, and you will have the opportunity to talk with administrators in the OUR about proposal design, and learn more about SURF Peer Advisors who can give you valuable feedback on your proposal prior to your submitting it. This workshop will be held on January 26, 2010 from 5:30-7:00 pm in Room 1005, FedEx Global Education Center.

The IRB Process for Undergraduates Planning to Do Research Internationally in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Are you an undergraduate planning to do research internationally this summer? If your research involves human subjects, including methods such as interviews, surveys and documentaries, you likely will need to apply for and receive approval from the UNC Institutional Research Board (IRB) before you can begin your research. This workshop, which will focus primarily on students doing international research in the Social Sciences and Humanities, will provide a review of the IRB process. The workshop will also provide an overview of ethical issues and IRBs, and guidance about ways to help determine in advance if additional review might be required by the host country prior to beginning a research study abroad. The workshop facilitator will be Barbara Davis Goldman, PhD, IRB Consultation and Training, UNC-CH Office of Human Research Ethics. The workshop will be held in early Spring 2010: date, time and place TBA.

GO! Global Orientation on Culture and Ethics
This workshop is designed for UNC undergraduates conducting research, service-learning or services in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The GO! Initiative is designed to help students evaluate expectations, anticipate potential challenges, prepare for culture shock, and develop intercultural competencies. In addition, GO! provides an avenue for students to network and interact with others traveling to similar areas of the world. Upon their return, students will have the opportunity at a follow-up workshop to discuss their travels as well as strategies to help them cope with the many conflicting thoughts and feelings that resulted from their experience abroad. The workshop will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 10 am to 3 pm at the FedEx Global Education Center. Pre-registration is required.

Navigating the IRB Process at UNC-Chapel Hill for SURF recipients
If you will be interacting with people for your research, then you must obtain Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to conduct your study. Last year, Dr. Sergio Chavez, a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Sociology Department, led this workshop designed for SURF recipients, and he will do so again this year. He will take you through the steps of the IRB process, explain the rationale behind the questions you need to address, suggest resources, and answer your individual questions. This workshop will be especially useful to students who are doing research or planning to do research in the social sciences, arts and humanities. You'll also have an opportunity to meet other undergraduates who are doing research. This workshop will be held in early April, 2010: date, time and place TBA.

 

• APPLES Community-Based Research Program
  

• Center for Global Initiatives Research Program
  

• Burch Field Research Seminars