Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) may be a credit or non-credit activity for students, depending on the research project and the university department that is running the UROP project.

Expectations & Responsibilities

Effort is required from all parties to make UROP a rewarding educational endeavor. Participants should conduct themselves with the same integrity and high standards of conduct expected of all members of the academic community. The City Futures Lab is a growing and diverse network, and the ability to work with others is important.

In all cases, an approved UROP project presumes active and regular communication and oversight between participating undergraduates and their faculty supervisors.

Supervision by Teaching Fellows

As much as possible, UROP students are supervised by faculty members who are also Teaching Fellows. If their supervisors are not yet members of the Teaching Fellowship program, students are requested to refer them to the Teaching Fellows website.

There are two types of supervisors, remote and onsite.

Remote supervisors are usually faculty or practitioners from other universities or cities and guide students through online videos. They help by providing research questions and inputs at the frontiers of what is known, helping increase the relevance of student research. They may provide general feedback to a cohort of students and may not be able to provide one-on-one feedback. 

Onsite or local faculty are based in the same university as the student and provide direct face-to-face guidance. Click here for details on supervision.

Students make some of their most meaningful connections with local faculty through UROP collaborations. As such students should seek out local faculty contact and advice, and faculty supervisors should make themselves available to UROP students at least once per term, if not more frequently.

Students are urged to meet regularly with their supervisors to discuss issues related to their project and research role, specific research practices, expectations, laboratory rules, etc.

Local faculty are expected to be available to students, to answer questions and treat student researchers fairly. Faculty supervisors are mentors and intellectual guides, who play an important role in a student's UROP experience. Faculty ensure that projects meet departmental academic standards and that students satisfy all Institute and departmental safety requirements.

While most UROP projects occur on-campus, in circumstances where a student is conducting university-approved research off-campus faculty supervisors should be prepared and available to provide regular guidance and via phone and online. 

Below are examples of similar student-driven projects.