Undergraduate Research
The Chemistry Department encourages all chemistry majors to do at least one research project during your time at Virginia Tech. Suitable research projects can usually be designed to meet your interests and goals and may continue for one or more semesters. Credit for undergraduate research is obtained by enrolling in CHEM 4994.
Students interested in research should contact a research mentor at least one month prior to the start of classes. The student and research mentor jointly complete the "Independent Study and Undergraduate Research Request Form" (http://www.cos.vt.edu/student/forms.asp). Requirements to enroll in CHEM 4994 include:
- Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Students must have completed 28 credit hours at VT.
- Individual research mentors may have additional requirements or course prerequisites for some projects.
A brief checklist to begin research is as follows:
- Review the list of undergraduate research projects to find a project that interests you.
- Contact a potential research mentor or mentors to discuss the availability of projects.
- After agreeing on a project, complete the IS/UR Request Form.
- Obtain signatures from your academic advisor and the instructor (your research mentor) and give it to Anna Hawthorne in Davidson 301A. She will obtain the Dept Head signature and send it to the College of Science Dean's office for processing. Note that the Dean's office will not process these forms after the "Last Day to Add" deadline of each semester.
- It is not possible to register or make changes for CHEM 4994 on Hokie SPA. See Anna Hawthorne to correct any errors or to make changes before the "Last Day to Drop" deadline of each semester.
Note that no more than 8 hours of independent study and/or undergraduate research combined may be counted toward a degree (students in the honors program may be approved for more than 8 hours). Chemistry majors doing research for 3 or more credits are also required to participate in the end-of-the-semester research symposium.
For more information see:
Last updated: Oct 2006
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