The Provost's Undergraduate Research Scholarship (PURS) program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in a semester-long research project under the direction of a UH faculty mentor. Recipients will receive a $1,000 scholarship to conduct part-time research (6-7 hours per week) with their faculty mentor and two points toward the Honors in Co-Curricular Engagement transcript designation. All full-time UH faculty members are eligible to participate as faculty sponsors.
The Spring 2025 PURS online application is now closed. Letters of recommendation for Spring applicants are due Friday, November 8, 2024.
Learn More about PURS
Eligibility
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors from all majors who have at least a 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply. Applicants must have earned at least 30 credits by the beginning of the mentorship period (excluding credit hours earned during high school). Students must enroll in and maintain a minimum of 12 hours in the semester of the award unless they are graduating that semester. Only degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the UH Main Campus are eligible to apply, including students whose programs are housed at the UH Sugar Land campus.
Students who have completed fewer than 12 hours in residence at UH must submit a transcript from the outside institution to verify their GPA.
Previous PURS participants, graduate students, and post-baccalaureate students NOT pursuing a second bachelor's degree are ineligible for PURS. Students may not enroll in a Senior Honors Thesis course or an independent study and receive a PURS scholarship in the same semester.
How to Apply
Students must complete an online application which includes:
- Statement of research objectives and goals (not to exceed 500 words)
- Information on your prior academic and research experience
- Name of the UH faculty member who will serve as your faculty mentor
Additionally, students are required to have their faculty mentor submit a letter of recommendation in support of their application. Letters of recommendation can be sent to the PURS Program Manager, Livia Garza, via email (llgarza9@cougarnet.uh.edu).
Statement of Research
The statement of research should be:
- Composed in consultation with the applicant's faculty mentor
- Written in first person and in the applicant's own words. The statement of research should not be written by the applicant's faculty mentor
- Specific in stating the tasks to be accomplished during the semester. The scope and goals of the proposed research should be clearly defined, including the relative importance of the proposed research within its discipline
- Free of any errors in spelling, grammar or syntax
Letter of Recommendation
The UH faculty mentor letter of recommendation should:
- Describe the student's qualifications
- Identify the area of research, creative or scholarly activities in which the mentor will engage the student
- Describe the faculty member's role as a mentor to the student, including a description of how the proposed research relates to their ongoing research
It is the student's responsibility to inform their faculty mentor of the required letter of recommendation and due date. Faculty mentors should submit letters of recommendation to the PURS Program Manager, Livia Garza, by the specified deadline.
Competitive Applications
Competitive applications generally include:
- A demonstration of strong student academic record
- A research proposal with clear, realistic goals indicating the proposed project will lead to a substantive research experience for the student. Proposals should also be written in the student's own words, within the 500-word limit, and free of any spelling or grammatical errors
- A descriptive and informative faculty letter of recommendation (1-2 pages in length) that specifically addresses the prospects for results in the projected time frame, the value of the research project, and the ability of the student to undertake the project
Please be aware this is a competitive program with finite funding, and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards receives many more strong proposals than it is able to fund. For this reason, UH faculty are required to limit their submissions to 1-2 proposals for student projects.
The staff of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards is unable to share specific information about the assessment of individual applications after the decisions have been made.
Working with Human Subjects
If your research proposal includes working with human subjects, please consult with your faculty mentor regarding IRB approval proceedings prior to initiating your research. For more information, reference the University's IRB policy
Expectations/Workload
- Students admitted to the program must perform at least 6-7 hours of research a week/total of 100 hours per semester under guidance of a faculty member.
- Students are expected to attend the PURS orientation during the first week of the semester and complete three short reflection essays at the start, mid-point and end of the program; PURS students are encouraged to also develop a research poster for Undergraduate Research Day.
- PURS recipients' names, faculty mentors' names, research descriptions and possibly photos may be included in the annual Undergraduate Research Day booklet and in other online and print promotional materials, such as the office's website, brochure and social media accounts.
HCCE Points
PURS recipients will receive 2 points towards the Honors in Co-Curricular Engagement (HCCE) transcript designation. The HCCE transcript designation is awarded to students upon graduation who pursue a broad range of experiential learning opportunities from freshman to senior year. Students can pursue undergraduate research, internships, learning away and abroad, service learning, leadership experience and other academic enrichment opportunities.Questions
Please contact the PURS Program Manager Livia Garza if you have any questions or require additional information.