STEM Undergraduate Research Scholar Concentration

The information on this page pertains to requirements for students who matriculated in the current academic year. Students who matriculated in a prior year should view historical catalog information here.

Program Overview

The STEM Undergraduate Research Scholar Concentration is a structured, credit-bearing pathway for students to complete faculty-mentored research and research-related coursework. Students combine approved research credits, research skill-building courses, research event participation, and a capstone presentation to demonstrate competencies in research design, analysis, and communication. The concentration is open to students in all majors, recognizes meaningful and sustained undergraduate research engagement, and appears on a student’s transcript.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
4 Research credits from the following courses or other course/research experiences approved by the concentration coordinator. The course/experience must have a research component.		4
BCMB 199	BCMB RESEARCH
BIO 187L	APPLIED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LAB
BIO 196	BIOLOGY INTERNSHIP
BIO 197	UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
BIO 198	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN BIOLOGY
CHEM 148	UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
CS 191	COMPUTER SCIENCE CAPSTONE
CS 199	INDEPENDENT STUDY
ENSS 197	ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
ENSS 198	INDEPENDENT STUDY
MATH 191	MATHEMATICS CAPSTONE
MATH 192	MATHEMATICS SECONDARY EDUCATION CAPSTONE
MATH 195	TOPICS IN MATHEMATICS
MATH 199	INDEPENDENT STUDY
NSCI 190	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN NEUROSCIENCE
PHY 197	RESEARCH I
PHY 198	RESEARCH II
PSY 190	INDEPENDENT STUDY
PSY 198	RESEARCH SEMINAR
6 credits of research-related courses from the following list of courses or other course/research experience approved by the concentration coordinator. At least 3 different courses from this list are required. These courses must be a research/project-based course or a course in which students develop skills important for research (e.g., research methods, statistics, science writing, data analysis).		6
BCMB 137	ADVANCED MOLECULAR LS LAB
BIO 103L	MICROBIOLOGY LAB
BIO 129L	MAMMALIAN PHYSIOLOGY LAB
BIO 133L	KINESIOLOGY LAB
BIO 140	BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND STATISTICAL METHODS
BIO 187L	APPLIED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LAB
CHEM 191	SEMINAR
CHEM 192	SEMINAR
ENSS 026	ETHOLOGICAL METHODS
ENSS 065	GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ENSS 073 & ENSS 074	SOIL & WATER MONITORING and SOIL & WATER MONITORING LAB
ENSS 165	APPLICATIONS OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
HSCI 060	STATISTICS IN HEALTH SCIENCES
NSCI 010	RESEARCH METHODS IN NEUROSCIENCE
PSY 011	INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS
PSY 012	SCIENTIFIC WRITING
PSY 013	RESEARCH METHODS
PSY 120 & PSY 121	CONDITIONING AND LEARNING LAB and CONDITIONING AND LEARNING
Total Hours		10

Attendance at a minimum of 3 on-campus/Drake-related research events OR 2 on-campus/Drake-related events and 1 professional off-campus conference. The on-campus emphasis is intended to foster a culture of research and community of research scholars on campus (e.g., participation in DUSCI events).
Concentration Capstone: In addition to the requirements above, students earning the concentration must present an individual or team research project on campus in a format that is open to the campus community (e.g., DUCURS, department-sponsored research talk) or a professional conference.
- As part of the capstone, the student will submit their presentation materials (PowerPoint talk, poster, or paper) to the concentration coordinator. 
- Students earning the concentration are required to submit a reflection of their research experience to the concentration coordinator and complete an exit interview survey.

Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

STEM Undergraduate Research Scholar Concentration

Program Overview

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