You’ve proposed your research idea to a potential Research Mentor and they are interested.
Next, you and your Research Mentor will work on answering the following questions:
- How will this experience ensure you are provided the opportunity to engage in independent and original Research?
- What are the objectives of the Research project?
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How will your Research Mentor guide you through the project?
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What are the shared expectations about check-ins, communication and assessment?
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In what term(s) will you engage in the Research activity?
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How many hours of Research per week and in total for each term?
Use this document to help you compile answers to these questions with your Research Mentor.
The answers to these questions must be defined on your application form in the next step.
Time & Cost factors
Next, you and your Academic Advisor will need to consider the following:
Use this questionnaire to help with considering the factors listed below.
Review your Degree Requirements
- Experiential Learning Requirement (3 credits);
- All CEOAS majors can use Research/Thesis to meet the 3-credit Experiential Learning requirement
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ENSC majors have other additional options that can fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement (e.g. Study Abroad, Field-Based Course).
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GEO majors do not have the Experiential Learning requirement but can use it to fulfill elective credits.
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GIS certs can use Research to meet up to 4 elective credits requirements.
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Any major can use Research to meet the 60 upper-division credit requirement.
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Any major can use Research to meet the 180 total credit requirement.
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Any major can do Research as non-credit at no cost if they do not need to apply the experience to remaining degree or certificate requirements.
Decide amount of credits or non-credit
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You can register for 0 (non-credit) to 16 credits of Research in a given term.
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1 credit equals 30 hours of work in total.
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You can earn Research credits in one single term or in multiple consecutive terms.
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Any major can do a Research as non-credit (e.g. ENSC 003) at no cost. You might consider this option if you want your Research experience to be transcript visible and you do not need the experience to meet any remaining degree or certificate requirements.
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You can earn Research credit regardless of whether the experience is paid or volunteer.
Decide which campus for your Research course section
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Students who are enrolled as Ecampus students can only register for Ecampus course sections and can only pay Ecampus tuition rates.
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Students who are enrolled as Corvallis campus students can choose to register for a Corvallis or Ecampus course section and should be aware of the Corvallis tuition rates and the Ecampus tuition rates.
Consider impact on Financial Aid and Scholarships
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Does your financial aid or scholarship eligibility require minimum credit registration that Research credits could help meet?
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Does your scholarship allow for Ecampus course enrollment? If not, then you would need to register for the Corvallis section.
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For tuition purposes, are you a Resident (includes WUE) or Non-Resident student? This may impact whether you register for an Ecampus or a Corvallis course section.
Are you an International student?
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As part of applying for a Research experience, you must also complete a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) application.
Understand Summer Term and Cost of Attendance
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Corvallis campus students enrolling in the Summer Term need to consider the following:
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Both resident (includes WUE) and non-resident students pay the in-state Corvallis campus tuition rate if they register for Corvallis campus courses in Summer Term.
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If you are planning to take zero on-campus courses in Summer while doing a for-credit Internship, then you would benefit from registering for the Ecampus course section to potentially save on credit cost since you would not be charged Summer Term mandatory student fees, or,
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If you are planning to take even 1 credit of on-campus courses in Summer Term while doing Internship, then you would benefit from registering for the Corvallis course section to potentially save credit cost on your Internship since you will already be charged Summer Term mandatory student fees.
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Once you’ve defined the expectations with your Research Mentor and reviewed the above time and cost factors with your Academic Advisor, you are ready to apply!