Eligibility

Any full-time Boston University undergraduate who wishes to conduct a research project supervised by a Boston University faculty member is eligible to participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Depending upon the nature of the project, students may participate for course credit, for pay, or as volunteers. All projects must, however, be of a caliber that is worthy of academic credit.

Benefits

UROP students improve their writing and critical thinking skills by creating unique research proposals, considering goals, methods, significance, and budgetary issues. With the advice of their faculty mentors, participants are entirely responsible for the planning and execution of their research, with direct benefits in terms of personal maturity, time management, and the unique skills relevant to each student’s research area. Most importantly, students gain confidence in their own abilities. Students:

• translate the skills and knowledge they gain in the classroom to an applied setting
• gain a “leg up” in applying to graduate programs
• interact closely with their faculty mentors
• obtain stronger reference letters from faculty who are able to comment directly on students’ intellectual abilities, practical skills, maturity, and academic potential
• publish papers in professional journals
• experience the opportunity to try out a potential career path

Recent graduates have gone on to prestigious graduate schools, including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, Stanford University, Northwestern University, Columbia University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Those who have chosen to directly enter the workforce have gone on to careers at Merck, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Raytheon, Massachusetts General Hospital, Pratt and Whitney, Albert Einstein Medical College, the School for Field Studies, Novartis, and Harvard University.

Participation

Academic Credit

• Most academic departments at Boston University have numbered courses specifically for undergraduate research. Consult the Undergraduate Bulletin or contact the office of the department that interests you for a list of credit-bearing research courses. Examples include the Independent Work for Distinction Program in the College of Arts and Sciences or the Senior Design Project in the College of Engineering.
• Students who are enrolled in research for credit cannot receive UROP salary funds, but are eligible to apply for FROGs (Funded Research Opportunity Grants) for research suplies and Travel Awards.
• Students involved in research for credit are encouraged to join the UROP Updates mailing list. Please contact us to be added.

Volunteering

• Students who are interested in conducting scientific research in a laboratory setting are encouraged to contact a professor and obtain permission to simply observe (or participate minimally, if no radiation or animals are involved) until the requisite laboratory skills, protocols, and procedures are learned.
• Students who identify a faculty member in UROP's Faculty Research Interests listings may contact the professor to discuss possible volunteer opportunities.

Funding from UROP

• Students who are seeking financial support for their research projects may apply for UROP funds by submitting an application form by the posted funding deadline. Click here to learn more about applying for UROP funds.

© 2004 Trustees of Boston University • Page last updated on April 24, 2008 10:57 AM