Undergraduate Research Experiences

Website: https://our.research.uiowa.edu/

Undergraduate Research Experiences (URES) courses enhance research and creative scholarship experiences for undergraduate students. These courses are administered through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), which seeks to provide a broad range of research and professional development opportunities for undergraduates and their mentors.

URES Independent Study Courses

URES independent study courses provide opportunities for students to earn academic credit or transcript recognition for their research/creative scholarship involvement. These courses are intended to promote recognition of ongoing research participation. They are available to all undergraduates in any academic session other than winter session.

Collegiate and department-based research courses also may be available. Students are encouraged to consult their mentors or academic advisors regarding which option is most suited to their circumstances.

First-Year Seminars

First-Year Seminars (FYS) designated as research-focused are offered through URES. Research-focused FYS introduce students to research in an instructor's field. These courses often involve visits to research sites, hands-on projects, and exposure to disciplinary-based research. These are typically 10-week courses that meet for 75 minutes per week. An optional poster session is held during the last week of the course for students to display what they have learned during the semester.

Summer Research Programs

Many University of Iowa summer research programs enroll students for 0 s.h. in courses that provide transcript recognition of participation in the program. These are available to both current University of Iowa students and students who visit from other institutions to develop their research skills; see Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates in the catalog for more information.