Independent Undergraduate Research in the Humanities (IURH)

Program Description

The IURH program offers qualified Harpur college students the opportunity to pursue an independent research project in or about a topic relevant to the humanities. In the context of the IURH program, the humanities are understood broadly to include the academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs that study the stories, ideas, words, and symbols that have been and are being used by people to give meaning to, make sense of, and apprehend some aspect of the human experience and human condition. Students in the program work both in a seminar and with a Binghamton University faculty mentors as they develop their ideas, pursue their research, write a paper, and prepare and present in a poster board session.

Junior Semester:

To be eligible for the IURH Junior Semester:

• A student must have junior standing during the IURH semester, though exceptions will be made in special cases.
• The student must have a declared Harpur college major in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, or fitting interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary program. 
• The student's overall performance and in the student's chosen area(s) of study should be reflected by a 3.6 GPA or better. 
• The student should be serious about pursuing senior honors work after completing the IURH Junior Semester.
• The student should have a faculty mentor.

During the IURH Junior Semester, the students will:

• Be registered for HARP 399 (Junior Honors: Humanities) as well as a one credit independent study with their faculty mentor.
• Meet once a week in the HARP 399 seminar with the other IURH Junior Semester students in order to discuss research, learn about the ethics of research and the importance of multi/interdisciplinarity and a collaborative approach to one's own work, develop a research agenda for the semester and a research paper.
• Meet with their faculty mentors as needed for their own research.
• Present their research in a poster board session at the end of the semester.

Candidates for the IUHR Junior Semester are recruited by IASH or recommended by an academic program or a faculty member at Binghamton University. Candidates will submit an application form that is supplied by IASH. The form should be sent electronically to iash@binghamton.edu.

Sophomore Semester:

The IURH Sophomore Semester is cosponsored by the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

To be eligible for the IURH Sophomore Semester:

• A student must have sophomore standing during the IURH semester, though exceptions will be made in special cases.
• The student must either already have declared or be interested in pursuing a Harpur college major in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, or fitting interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary program. 
• The student should be serious about pursuing research and writing in a seminar format.

During the IURH Junior Semester, the students will:

• Be registered for HARP 279 (Sophomore Seminar: Humanities) as well as a one credit independent study with a faculty mentor.
• Meet once a week in the HARP 279 seminar with the other IURH Sophomore Semester students in order to discuss research, learn about the ethics of research, the importance of multi/interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to one's own work, develop a research agenda for the semester, and write a research paper.
• Meet with a faculty mentor as needed for their own research.
• Present their research in a poster board session at the end of the semester.

Candidates for the IUHR Sophomore Semester are recommended to IASH by EOP. Candidates will submit an application form that is supplied by IASH. The form should be sent electronically to iash@binghamton.edu.

Students completing an IURH Semester (Sophomore or Junior) will receive a certificate as well as a $350 scholarship that will be applied toward tuition or/and books during the following semester or year of their studies at Binghamton University. Faculty mentors receive a $250 research allowance.