Students registered for the URHS are required to complete three semesters of research, creativity, or scholarship (RCS) activities and to present or publish their work in order to receive a designation of Undergraduate Research Honors Scholar on their permanent transcripts. This transcript designation will provide direct evidence of students' achievement and advanced skills to employers, professional schools, and graduate programs.
Proposal and Reporting Forms for Non-Course-Based URHS Semester Experience (Category 1)
At least one semester of a non-course-based RCS experience is required as part of the transcript designation program. These non-course-based experiences may take many forms, including laboratory research, production of artwork or performance, or novel analysis of primary sources. All non-course-based semester experiences require students to propose a project and be approved prior to the semester in which a project will take place, and a post-semester report of the accomplishments during the semester. Both reports require a faculty mentor endorsement.
Below are mentor endorsement forms that includes questions relevant to the pre-semester application and post-semester reporting.
Description: Non-course-based URHS semester experiences should include semester-long projects in research, creativity, or scholarship (RCS). These experiences should include most or all of the following elements:
- At least 135 hours spent in work directly relevant to RCS activity.
- Support and mentorship of a faculty advisor, with regular meetings between advisor andstudent.
- RCS activities in part devised and self-directed by the student. Multi-semester projects should demonstrate increasing independence of the student for attaining project goals.
- RCS activities directed toward an end product, such as a publication, presentation, exhibition, orsimilar demonstration of the student's work.
- Semester experiences that occur as part of coursework (e.g. as part of a senior seminar, course-based independent study, etc.) generally will not qualify for the non-course-based experience.In certain extenuating circumstances, RCS work associated with a CRN-bearing course will beconsidered for the non-course-based requirement. Please contact Eddie Hill at HCUndergradResearch@vaftizo.com to discuss exceptions.
URHS semesters can take many forms, including work in a laboratory, in-depth study and analysis of scholarly sources, development of artwork or performances, etc. In general, these experiences should include a significant element of novel discovery, and development of advanced skills by involved students. Please feel free to contact Eddie Hill, director of undergraduate research, for additional information or assistance in developing RCS experiences for undergraduate scholars.
Forms:
Application Form for Course-Based URHS Semester Experience (Category 2)
Up to two semesters of course-based RCS experience may be applied to the transcript designation. A list of approved "research-intensive" courses is available here. If a student proposes to receive course-based credit toward the URHS transcript designation, and the course is on this approved list, no mentor endorsement is necessary. If the course in question is not on the approved list, application may be made through this form for the course to count toward transcript designation requirements. Courses with significant components of novel discovery and advanced skill development may be designated as research-intensive without modification, or students may complete additional or alternative individualized RCS work as part of a non-research-intensive course to receive credit for the transcript designation. Courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and may be added to the research intensive list if approved.
Description: Course-based URHS semester experiences should include either completion of an approved research-intensive course, or individualized work in the context of a course that displays elements of novel discovery or advanced skill development. In general, approved course-based URHS experiences will include some or all of the following aspects:
- Significant element of novel discovery. Laboratory courses with known outcomes will generally not qualify for this requirement, whereas laboratory work toward novel findings generally will. Similarly, simple literature reviews will generally not qualify, whereas novel analysis of primary sources will.
- Significant element of advanced skills, especially those that will be required for post-graduation employment, or professional or graduate schools.
- Active mentorship by the faculty instructor, with one-on-one interaction between mentor and student.
- RCS activities directed toward an end product, such as a publication, presentation, exhibition, or similar demonstration of the student's work.
Please feel free to contact Eddie Hill, director of undergraduate research at HCUndergradResearch@vaftizo.com for additional information or assistance in determining if a coursebased activity will qualify for URHS credit.
Forms:
Proposal and Reporting Forms for Non-Course-Based URHS Semester Experience (Category 1)
At least one semester of a non-course-based RCS experience is required as part of the transcript designation program. These non-course-based experiences may take many forms, including laboratory research, production of artwork or performance, or novel analysis of primary sources. All non-course-based semester experiences require students to propose a project and be approved prior to the semester in which a project will take place, and a post-semester report of the accomplishments during the semester. Both reports require a faculty mentor endorsement.
Below are mentor endorsement forms that includes questions relevant to the pre-semester application and post-semester reporting.
Description: Non-course-based URHS semester experiences should include semester-long projects in research, creativity, or scholarship (RCS). These experiences should include most or all of the following elements:
- At least 135 hours spent in work directly relevant to RCS activity.
- Support and mentorship of a faculty advisor, with regular meetings between advisor andstudent.
- RCS activities in part devised and self-directed by the student. Multi-semester projects should demonstrate increasing independence of the student for attaining project goals.
- RCS activities directed toward an end product, such as a publication, presentation, exhibition, orsimilar demonstration of the student's work.
- Semester experiences that occur as part of coursework (e.g. as part of a senior seminar, course-based independent study, etc.) generally will not qualify for the non-course-based experience.In certain extenuating circumstances, RCS work associated with a CRN-bearing course will beconsidered for the non-course-based requirement. Please contact Eddie Hill at HCUndergradResearch@vaftizo.com to discuss exceptions.
URHS semesters can take many forms, including work in a laboratory, in-depth study and analysis of scholarly sources, development of artwork or performances, etc. In general, these experiences should include a significant element of novel discovery, and development of advanced skills by involved students. Please feel free to contact Eddie Hill, director of undergraduate research, for additional information or assistance in developing RCS experiences for undergraduate scholars.
Forms:
Application Form for Course-Based URHS Semester Experience (Category 2)
Up to two semesters of course-based RCS experience may be applied to the transcript designation. A list of approved "research-intensive" courses is available here. If a student proposes to receive course-based credit toward the URHS transcript designation, and the course is on this approved list, no mentor endorsement is necessary. If the course in question is not on the approved list, application may be made through this form for the course to count toward transcript designation requirements. Courses with significant components of novel discovery and advanced skill development may be designated as research-intensive without modification, or students may complete additional or alternative individualized RCS work as part of a non-research-intensive course to receive credit for the transcript designation. Courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and may be added to the research intensive list if approved.
Description: Course-based URHS semester experiences should include either completion of an approved research-intensive course, or individualized work in the context of a course that displays elements of novel discovery or advanced skill development. In general, approved course-based URHS experiences will include some or all of the following aspects:
- Significant element of novel discovery. Laboratory courses with known outcomes will generally not qualify for this requirement, whereas laboratory work toward novel findings generally will. Similarly, simple literature reviews will generally not qualify, whereas novel analysis of primary sources will.
- Significant element of advanced skills, especially those that will be required for post-graduation employment, or professional or graduate schools.
- Active mentorship by the faculty instructor, with one-on-one interaction between mentor and student.
- RCS activities directed toward an end product, such as a publication, presentation, exhibition, or similar demonstration of the student's work.
Please feel free to contact Eddie Hill, director of undergraduate research at HCUndergradResearch@vaftizo.com for additional information or assistance in determining if a coursebased activity will qualify for URHS credit.
Forms:
We recognize the considerable effort and dedication that go into mentoring every undergraduate researcher, and we appreciate your dedication and contribution to undergraduate research, creativity and scholarship at ODU. If you have any questions about this transcript designation program or if we can assist in any way, please do not hesitate to contact Eddie Hill, director of undergraduate research, at HCUndergradResearch@vaftizo.com, or the Perry Honors College at perryhonorscollege@vaftizo.com.