The College of Sciences Distinction in Research (DIR) program offers an opportunity for outstanding students to do advanced study and research under close faculty supervision for two semesters. At the conclusion of those two semesters, students are expected to have produced a high-quality research paper/thesis. Students who successfully complete the requirements earn the "College of Sciences Distinction in Research" notation on their transcript.
The College of Sciences Distinction in Research is housed within the College of Sciences and is not affiliated with the Honors College or COS Honors Program. This means that all College of Sciences undergraduate students meeting the requirements are eligible to participate.
Students who enjoy research, plan to pursue a research-intensive career, or want to attend a STEM graduate program are encouraged to participate in this program. Interested students should contact the College of Sciences Dean's office or their major department with any questions.
To be eligible to pursue the College of Sciences Distinction in Research, students must:
- Be a College of Sciences major
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater
- Have a major grade point average of 3.0 or greater
- Be in or near their last two semesters of coursework
Students are expected to enroll in the appropriate Honors Research course each of the two semesters and must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or greater throughout those courses.
Ultimately, approval for receiving College of Sciences Distinction in Research is based on the student's academic performance, the quality of the research thesis, and recommendation by the faculty of the student's major discipline, the Department Chair, and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Sciences.
