Student Research Opportunities

Directed Research/Directed Study Registration
Melendy Summer Research Scholarship
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)   (Pharmacy students who do not have a baccalaureate degree are eligible)
Faculty Research Interests


Directed Research/Directed Study Registration
Under the direction of a faculty member, students may earn Directed Research or Directed Study credits for special projects. Occasionally special topics classes are also offered under Directed Study course numbers.

University guidelines indicate the following expectations for one credit of Directed Research or Directed Study:

• 15 hours/semester of meeting time with faculty director,
• 2 hours/week outside of that meeting time,
• Thus 1 credit = 3 hours/week = 45 hours/semester.

Generally it would be difficult for a student to take more than 1 credit of Directed Research or Directed Study per semester, given the above time requirements.

Directed Research and Directed Study may be taken on the A/F or S/N grading basis. The student and faculty director should discuss which grading basis to use before the student registers.

Students may count Directed Research and Directed Study credits toward the required 10 credits of electives (even if taken on the S/N grading basis).

To register for Directed Research and Directed Study, students need faculty permission. After discussion with a faculty member who agrees to direct the research or study, the faculty member should email his or her permission to Ruth Leathers (Duluth campus) at rleather@umn.edu or Robin Stouder (Twin Cities campus) at stoud001@umn.edu, who will register the student for the Directed Research or Study. The email should also specify the number of credits and the grading basis.

These are the course numbers:

PHAR 6293 Directed Research I 
(prereq instr consent ) 1-5 credits

PHAR 6294 Directed Study I 
(max 5 credits; 5 repeats allowed; prereq instr consent) 1-5 credits

PHAR 6393 Directed Research II 
(prereq instr consent ) 1-5 credits

PHAR 6394 Directed Study II 
(max 5 credits; 5 repeats allowed; prereq instr consent ) 1-5 credits

PHAR 6493 Directed Research III  
(max 5 credits; 5 repeats allowed; prereq instr consent) 1-5 credits

PHAR 6494 Directed Study III 
(prereq instr consent ) 1-5 credits

Samuel W. Melendy/William & Mildred Peters Summer Research Scholarships

A number of Samuel W. Melendy/William & Mildred Peters Summer Research Scholarships are available to students interested in participating in any of the various areas of pharmaceutical research. Each award includes a summer stipend of $5,000. 

1. The prime purpose of these awards is to stimulate students to engage in research during and after completion of the professional curriculum. Applicants may be first-year, second-year, or third-year professional students in the College.
    
2. First- and second-year student recipients begin their research during the summer and are expected to devote a minimum of ten consecutive weeks on a full-time basis to their projects.  They are expected to complete their projects during the following academic year.  Students entering the Pharm.D. IV year must devote a minimum of 400 hours to the research project and can extend their research beyond the summer if necessary.  They must perform this research project outside the time spent in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in the College’s curriculum. They must also be aware that this $5,000 scholarship will reduce the level of financial aid available to them over the summer.
    
3. Interested students consult with the specific faculty member they wish to work with on the research project. After a plan of study has been agreed upon between the student and faculty member, the student writes an application and an organized project proposal and files it with the Office of Student Services.
    
4. Selection of recipients is based on the following criteria:
   ·         Statement of purpose
   ·         Statement of the research question
   ·         Methods
   ·         Significance of the project
   ·         Project feasibility
   ·         Review of transcript

• The Student Affairs Committee will review applicants’ qualifications and select award recipients. 
   
• Students must attend a series of workshops over the summer that serve as an introduction to a career in academia. Please contact Todd Sorensen at soren042@umn.edu or 612-625-8645 for more information.

• Student recipients must file a research report with their faculty advisors within thirty days after completing the project. Upon the faculty advisor’s recommendation, the student may attend a regional or national meeting to present a paper on the research. 

• Students must present their research findings (oral or visual presentation) on Research Day during spring semester.