You Secured a Research Position. Now What?

It is common for students to earn academic credit for their undergraduate research experience. When you receive the confirmation from a research mentor to conduct a research project with them there is a general process for having this appear on your transcript, but it can vary between departments.

1. Determine the number of credit hours you will earn by talking with your faculty mentor. Typically, this is based on how many hours a week you will work (~3-4 hours = 1 credit hour).
   
   1. Even if your research mentor for the project is a graduate student, only faculty can provide course credit for your experience.
2. Determine the course number. If your faculty mentor knows the course number, they can provide it. If not, it is typically an "independent study" course number of the faculty member's department.
   1. Faculty can only provide credit in their department or departments where they hold "courtesy" appointments. For example, you will earn biochemistry credit working with a biochemistry professor even as a biological engineering student.
3. Provide your academic advisor this information. Share the faculty member you will be working with, the number of credit hours that were agreed upon, and the course number. If the course number is unknown, your academic advisor can determine the course number based on the faculty member.
   1. A sample email that you can send to your academic advisor while copying your faculty mentor:
      Dear [Advisor's name]:
      I will be an undergraduate researcher with Dr. [Mentor's first and last name], copied to this email, during the [semester and year (e.g., Fall 2024)] semester. We have agreed that I will earn [number] credits of [course number and title (e.g., BIOL 494 Biology Research)] during the semester. Can you help me add this to my schedule?
      Sincerely,
      [Your name]

Some departments have specific processes for adding research credits to your schedule. Be sure to look for those first. These can typically be found by searching for "Undergraduate Research [Department of faculty member]" or looking under "Academics" in the department of the faculty member.

Departmental Examples

AAE | BCHM | BIOL | BME | CHM | COM | ECE | ME | PHYS | PSY | SLHS

All Purdue researchers, including students, are required to complete the online CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) module within 30 days of starting the project and field-specific RCR training (check with your mentor about opportunities) within 12 months of starting the project.

Additional training and certifications may be required based on the project, as highlighted on the Office of Research's "Researcher Training: What Do I Need to Do?" webpage. Your research mentor will know which trainings you need to complete and by when. Common examples include:

• Technical safety certifications
• Human Subjects CITI training (required before starting a research project involving humans)
• Laboratory Animal Research CITI training (required before starting a research project involving vertebrates)
• Biosafety CITI training

It's important to remember that as an undergraduate researcher, your primary role is that of a student. This means that your academic success should always come first, with research being a valuable, but secondary, component of your experience. After all, earning your degree is crucial for your future career, whether in research or another field.

Balancing research with coursework can be challenging. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to managing these responsibilities, but the process of balancing them is a key part of your growth as a researcher and student. Research typically includes a information gathering and open-ended project work that can take up what ever time you give it. Learning to prioritize and manage your time effectively now will serve you well throughout your entire career, no matter what path you choose. Consider the time management video on the resources webpage.

Failure in undergraduate research is a common and valuable part of the learning process. When projects don't go as planned or hypotheses are disproven, it can feel disheartening. However, these moments of failure are critical for growth, teaching resilience, problem-solving, and the importance of persistence. In research, failure often paves the way to discoveries and deeper understanding. It’s not a sign of incompetence; it's a stepping stone towards mastery.

To ensure failure doesn’t diminish your spirit, first, view each setback as an opportunity to learn. Ask yourself what went wrong and how you can approach the problem differently. Second, seek feedback from your mentors or peers—they can provide new perspectives and help you refine your approach. Finally, embrace a growth mindset. Understand that every researcher has faced failure and gained the insights needed to succeed. Remember, research is a journey, and every failure is a step closer to success.