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Honors and undergraduate research, undergraduate research, undergraduate research scholars program, explorations: the texas a&m undergraduate journal, workshops and events, grant, proposal, and project assistance, other capstones, honors fellows curriculum, maintaining honors status, honors student services, services for all students, graduation with honors.

LAUNCH promotes student success by providing high-impact educational experiences and challenges motivated students in all academic disciplines to pursue an enriched, intellectually-stimulating curriculum. LAUNCH joins the university community in making Texas A&M a welcoming environment for all individuals. We are committed to helping our students understand the cultures that set us apart and appreciate the values that bring us together.

LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research promotes, coordinates, creates, and assesses undergraduate programs involving creative scholarship, inquiry, and research in all academic disciplines at Texas A&M. As a recognized “high impact practice,” undergraduate research experiences increase undergraduate student learning and success, not only while students are at Texas A&M, but long after graduation.

In terms of professional and intellectual development, being involved in undergraduate research allows students to participate in a scholarly community of students with common interests, to learn more about their future professional field, and to develop a close working relationship with acclaimed faculty. Research experiences make students more competitive for scholarships, internships, jobs, international opportunities, and admission to top graduate and professional programs. Perhaps most importantly, engaging in undergraduate research allows students to experience the excitement of working collaboratively to create new knowledge, solve cutting-edge problems, and communicate more effectively—life skills that are increasingly valued in our world.

Campus-wide programs coordinated by LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research include the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, the Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, and the publication of Explorations: the Texas A&M Undergraduate Journal . The office offers workshops for undergraduate students on getting started in research, finding summer research opportunities, developing research presentations, and organizing thesis writing, as well as workshops for faculty and graduate students on mentoring undergraduate researchers. LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research also works with groups across campus to promote and facilitate activities that support undergraduate research opportunities, such as Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences, National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs, the LAUNCH Undergraduate Research Expo, and the LAUNCH Undergraduate Research Scholars Symposium. Lastly, the office provides assistance for developing externally-funded proposals and implementation of funded projects that have undergraduate research involvement, such as National Science Foundation REU, Beckman Scholars, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Education grants.

Completion of the Undergraduate Research Scholars program confers a stand-alone, university-level Honors distinction upon graduation regardless of whether the participant is a member of a departmental or college Honors program, or the University Honors program. Any junior or senior student with a cumulative Texas A&M GPA of 3.0 or above may apply to the Undergraduate Research Scholars program. Check the program website for additional eligibility requirements. Groups of at least two students collaborating as a team on a single project may also apply. The Undergraduate Research Scholars program requires independent research during the Fall and Spring semesters supervised by an eligible Texas A&M faculty advisor that culminates in a written, scholarly product. The scholarly product may be a traditional research thesis, a professional report approved by the faculty advisor, or an accepted article in a professional journal. Theses may also include documentation of an exhibit, a performance, or other product as determined by the faculty advisor in collaboration with the LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research Office. Undergraduate Research Scholars are also required to do a public presentation of their work, such as at the Undergraduate Research Scholars Symposium, Student Research Week, or other venues. Participants are selected for this program based on the quality of their project proposals and their academic records.

Explorations is an interdisciplinary, student-led journal guided by faculty and administrators that selects and publishes student-authored research, scholarly, and creative pieces of general interest in any area. Explorations is composed of an editorial board made of students that work to accomplish the many facets of editing, publishing, and marketing the journal while representing departmental diversity, critical thought, and creativity. The call for new board members is early in the fall semester each year. The call for submissions begins in the fall semester and extends into the early spring semester. 

Manuscript submissions go through a two-stage, double-blind, peer-reviewed process. First, synopses of prospective manuscripts are reviewed by faculty-student teams; second, full-length manuscripts are evaluated in another round of peer review. Authors of accepted pieces are paired with student board members who provide editorial assistance and formatting guidance. Explorations hosts a journal release event every fall to recognize all who were involved in the making of the latest volume.

Acceptance to the journal is highly competitive—less than 20% of submitted synopses result in published articles. Published articles include a wide range of academic fields, including music, creative poetry, forensics, cancer biology, astrophysics, nanomedicine, computer algorithms, business, geosciences, sociology, aerospace engineering, cultural anthropology, and architecture. The target audience includes faculty, staff, and students of Texas A&M University, other institutions of higher learning, as well as parents, former students, and current high school seniors. To review recent volumes and to find upcoming deadlines, visit explorations.tamu.edu .

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors represent LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research at research, recruiting, and outreach events. Undergraduates with an extensive background in research, a GPA of 3.0 or higher, outstanding oral communication skills, and the ability to describe research to a general audience may apply to the program. A cohort of about a dozen Ambassadors are chosen to join existing Ambassadors from multiple disciplines each year. They are trained in presentation and leadership skills and then participate in a variety of activities including meeting with highly-placed members of the University Administration, distinguished faculty, outstanding alumni, prospective students, and parents.

LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research offers informational workshops on undergraduate research for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. Additionally, we coordinate numerous public events that celebrate and promote undergraduate research, providing venues for students to present their research projects, for faculty to recruit new student researchers, and for recognition of research efforts by both students and faculty. Workshops and events are publicized through emails, newsletters, and the LAUNCH website.

LAUNCH: Undergraduate Research provides a wide variety of support services for undergraduate research programs, proposal development, and implementation. Please contact the office directly for more information.

LAUNCH: Capstones offers one year Capstone experiences to any junior or senior with a cumulative Texas A&M GPA of 3.0 or above. A listing of capstone options can be found at http://tx.ag/Capstones .

The Undergraduate Teacher Scholars program allows students to collaborate closely with a Texas A&M University faculty member to create a one-credit hour seminar or to improve an existing course in collaboration with a faculty expert. The Teacher Scholar will have the opportunity to research, design, and arrange the content of the seminar. The Teacher Scholar will be responsible for the presentation of class material under the supervision of the Texas A&M University supporting faculty member.

The Undergraduate Service Scholars program pairs students with community leaders to develop and carry out projects that benefit the greater community. The Undergraduate Service Scholars capstone allows the student to draw upon their undergraduate education to plan, coordinate, and execute a project aimed at improving the community while learning about issues that affect that community.

The Undergraduate Leadership Scholars program enables student leaders in various organizations to refine their leadership skills and methodologies.  In collaboration with their faculty advisor, Undergraduate Leadership Scholars plan and implement improvements to their organization's programming and impact on campus or in the community.

The Undergraduate Performance Scholars program allows students to explore the impact of art on their academic career. Under the supervision of a working artist, students will create a performance project that creatively synthesizes their art and experience.

All capstones require a proposal and timeline, two semesters engaging with the project, supervision by a faculty member or similar expert, a public presentation, regular reflection, and a scholarly project appropriate for the field. Students are selected for participation in these programs based on the quality of their proposals, their academic record and the recommendation of their faculty or community advisor.

Admission to the University Honors Program

Honors Fellows is the university-level Honors distinction offered by the University Honors Program run by LAUNCH: Honors. Students are admitted to the Honors Fellows curriculum on a competitive basis. Incoming freshmen apply as part of their application for admission to the university. Continuing students may apply each spring for entry in the fall prior to completing 60 credit hours at Texas A&M. Transfer students are invited to apply as part of the continuing student application (for summer and fall entrants) or via a transfer student application in the late spring (for spring entrants).

Applications are evaluated on the basis of the student’s record of academic achievement and demonstrated potential for creativity, intellectual ability, imagination, curiosity, willingness to try new things and self-awareness. Once admitted to the Honors Fellows curriculum, students are designated as “Honors Students” and may then access specific privileges and resources, including additional advising, priority registration, contracting non-honors courses for Honors credit, and enrolling in graduate-level courses for undergraduate Honors credit. Honors Students also receive priority for the Honors Housing Community and advising for competitive national fellowships.

Freshmen admitted to the University Honors Program are required to live in the Honors Housing Community and participate in the Honors first-year experience course. To remain in the program, all students (freshman and continuing students) must make progress toward the Honors Fellows distinction and meet minimum co-curricular participation requirements. See the section on Maintaining Honors Status .

To receive the Honors Fellows distinction at graduation, Honors Students must:

• Depth: 12 hours in upper-division (300/400-level) courses or graduate courses taken for undergraduate credit
• Breadth: 9 hours in the Core Curriculum, ICD, or W courses , as specified in the student’s catalog
• Additional honors points to bring the total to 30 points
• Maintain a  3.25 GPA in Honors coursework and 3.5 GPA overall .
• Annually update an ePortfolio
• Practical Application: Complete an Honors Capstone experience .

The University Honors Program works with academic departments across the university to ensure that appropriate Honors courses are offered. Honors courses have limited enrollment and encourage participatory learning. Coursework in Honors courses is intended to provide increased breadth, depth, and complexity, not simply more work or greater difficulty. Honors classes may be special sections of regularly offered courses or courses developed specifically for Honors Students. Students are encouraged to visit regularly with University Honors Program advisors to ensure that their course selection meets Honors Fellows curriculum requirements, as they would confer with a departmental advisor to ensure degree requirements are met.

Honors Students are afforded other avenues to earn Honors credit in addition to regularly offered Honors courses. Honors Students may contract for Honors credit or take graduate courses that count toward undergraduate degree requirements. Honors Students should consult with University Honors Program advisors about these opportunities.

Honors Students are expected to annually reflect in an ePortfolio on how their long-term goals are connected to their values and how their education, both in and out of the classroom, is preparing them to meet those goals. For more details, see http://tx.ag/ePortfolio . 

To complete Honors Fellows curriculum requirements, Honors Students must complete a capstone experience. The requirement may be met by engaging an academic research project in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, by preparing and teaching a seminar or adding enriching material to an existing course as part of the Undergraduate Teacher Scholars Program subject to approval by their college 1 , by undertaking a community service project as a participant in the Undergraduate Service Scholars Program, by developing an enhancement project for a student organization through the Undergraduate Leadership Scholars Program as part of the Maroon & White Leadership program, creating an artistic performance through the Undergraduate Performance Scholars program, or by completing a capstone project designated by their home department that meets expectations described at http://tx.ag/Capstones . Students should consult with a University Honors Program advisor in the planning stages to seek approval for their capstone experience. Students should register for UGST 497 (0 credit, unless it can satisfy a degree requirement), both semesters of their capstone.

To remain in the Honors Fellows curriculum, Honors Students must:

• Maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA,
• Maintain a 3.25 GPA in honors coursework,
• Make progress toward curriculum requirements by taking at least 6 Honors credits per year,
• Freshmen: Live in Honors Housing Community (or obtain a waiver) and participate in the Living Learning Program course (UGST 181 Honors Family Meeting), and
• Continuing Students: meet participation requirements defined by Honors Student Council.
• All: Prepare or update an ePortfolio on an annual basis.

Honors Students who fail to meet any of these requirements will be given a semester of probation to correct any deficiencies. Honors Students who fail to meet requirements after a semester of probation will be dismissed from the program.

To graduate with the Honors Fellows distinction, students must be in good standing with the university at the time of graduation distinction audit and through graduation, must not have an F* on the transcript and not have been found responsible for an Honor Code violation as an Upper Division student. Upper Division status is defined as having earned 60 or more credit hours (including transfer hours and advanced placement credits) on the date of the violation. This sanction is automatic upon a finding of responsibility and is imposed without regard to the severity of other sanctions imposed by the Aggie Honor System Office. (see Student Rule 16 ).

1  As of Fall 2022, students are not allowed to pursue the Undergraduate Teacher Scholars capstone option of preparing and teaching a seminar course in the College of Arts and Sciences.  They may still develop enriching material for an already existing course with faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Honors students have access to numerous special services and programs. Throughout the academic year, LAUNCH: Honors coordinates recreational and community-building events, lectures and workshops. Honors students are invited to engage in leadership opportunities and contribute to the development of the University Honors Program through Honors Student Council and as members of the Honors Housing Community.

Honors students can take advantage of supplemental advising to help them identify ways to enrich their college experience and complete the requirements for the prestigious Honors Fellows distinction. Throughout their time in the University Honors Program, students are encouraged to take on challenging and enriching experiences such as undergraduate research, study abroad, service learning, capstone experiences, and application to nationally-competitive scholarships and fellowships. This program is uniquely designed to make Honors students good candidates for opportunities coordinated through LAUNCH: National Fellowships. These include scholar programs such as the Rhodes, Truman, and Goldwater Scholarships. They also include other prestigious opportunities such as the Fulbright Program for U.S. Students and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Information about upcoming opportunities for Honors students appear regularly in our email bulletins . 

LAUNCH challenges all motivated and high-achieving Texas A&M students to explore their world, expand their horizons and excel academically. While some services of the office are exclusive to Honors Students, advisors are available to talk with any undergraduate student who is interested in sampling the academic challenge of an Honors course, committing to an undergraduate research project, applying to the University Honors Program or engaging the process of self-discovery entailed in preparation for national fellowships.  Students interested in applying to nationally competitive scholarships like the Rhodes, Marshall, Goldwater, and Fulbright U.S. Student Program should view our list of fellowship opportunities and make note of instructions for our campus application processes.

Continuing students with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA who have not applied or not been accepted to the Honors Fellows program may enroll in honors coursework during their assigned registration time. Students who would like to meet with a University Honors Program advisor may sign up for an appointment through our online appointment system ( h ttp://tx.ag/HonorsAdvising ). All students interested in the services offered by LAUNCH are encouraged to sign up for the Honors weekly email bulletin.

All Honors courses are designated on a student’s transcript demonstrating to future employers or graduate and professional admissions committees that the student has engaged with an enriched, challenging curriculum. Students who complete the Honors Fellows curriculum and/or complete the Undergraduate Research Scholars program have these distinctions noted on their transcripts.

Undergraduates in some academic colleges and departments may pursue additional transcript distinctions (See http://honorsprograms.tamu.edu ). These distinction requirements work in parallel with the Honors Fellows plan but are separate and distinct from the University Honors Program. Many students elect to graduate with multiple distinctions from the university, college, or departmental offerings. In general, all Honors transcript distinctions require that the student complete a substantial body of Honors coursework, hold a minimum cumulative Texas A&M GPA of 3.5, and a cumulative Honors course GPA of 3.25, and meet other program participation requirements. Students are encouraged to work through their college and/or departmental advisor to ensure satisfactory completion of the distinction requirements.

These Honors transcript distinctions are separate and distinct from “Latin Honors” such as cum laude , summa cum laude or magna cum laude  which are conferred by the Office of the Registrar and are based upon cumulative GPA and residency requirements (See http://registrar.tamu.edu/Graduation-Degree-Programs/Graduation-Diplomas/Graduation-with-Honors ).

Undergraduate Studies’ units have modified services available to students enrolled via distance education, at branch campuses, or at other instructional locations.

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Departmental Honors Program in Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics invites motivated students who meet high academic standards to join our Honors Program. The Honors Program provides students majoring in Biochemistry with an enhanced curriculum and advanced research training. Participation in the Honors Program will position graduates to excel in professional and graduate training programs and achieve successful careers in diverse fields, from industry to academia and medicine. Honors students participate in specialized course sections structured around small, interactive groups of students and faculty. The Honors sections provide the students with experiences exploring academic subjects beyond that available in the standard classroom, learning scientific communication skills, and contributing to teaching. Honors students will complete a thesis based on their first-hand laboratory research and use this experience as a platform to communicate their work through a selection of writing and speaking formats such as our Honors Research Symposium. Graduates of the Biochemistry Honors Program will gain the knowledge and experience to position them to become leaders in a diversity of health and life-sciences professions.

Admission to the Honors Program in Biochemistry

Incoming freshmen.

Students are encouraged to indicate their interest in Biochemistry Honors on the ApplyTexas website by choosing “Apply to Any Honors Program.” Students may also apply below.

Application to the Biochemistry Honors Program will consist of a form with questions to assess the student’s motivation and preparation for joining the honors program. If provided, standardized test scores and class rank will also contribute to a holistic assessment of the application.

Current or Transfer Students

Current or transfer students with a cumulative TAMU GPA of 3.5 may apply below. The form will consist of several questions to assess the student’s motivation and preparation for joining the honors program. When applying, students should keep in mind that they will need to fulfill all honors requirements. It is recommended that current or transfer students meet first with the Honors Program Coordinator to determine whether they can satisfy all requirements.

Participants in the University Honors Program

Biochemistry students earning the  University Honors distinction  are encouraged to join the Biochemistry Honors program. The coursework required for Biochemistry Honors can be used to satisfy course requirements for the Honors Fellows distinction, and the Biochemistry Honors research requirement prepares University Honors students to participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars honors capstone.

Biochemistry Honors Requirements

Successful completion of the Biochemistry Honors program requires both Honors classes and undergraduate research under the mentorship of a faculty advisor. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative Texas A&M University GPA of 3.5 with a minimum of 3.25 in Honors classes. Students falling below these standards will be placed on probation for the next semester. Students unable to meet these standards for a second consecutive semester will be dismissed from Biochemistry Honors. To count towards Biochemistry Honors credit, Honors classes must be completed with a grade of A or B.

Students wishing to pursue honors distinctions in Biochemistry must earn 18 credits in Honors courses which must be completed as follows:

Cornerstone Biochemistry Courses (9 credit hours):

Students are strongly encouraged to take BICH 440H in the fall and BICH 441H in the spring, when honors sections of these courses are offered.

Additional Honors Courses (3 credit hours):

3 credit hours: Any 100/200/300/400/-level honors course or a 600-level course that is required or elective for the Biochemistry major, excluding non-STEM core curriculum and elective courses.

Non-honors sections may be contracted for honors credit if an honors section of the course is not available in the same semester

Additional Course Requirements:   Because the field of biochemistry is increasingly reliant on Big Data (e.g., analysis of large data sets or molecular modeling of protein structures), Honors program students must select at least one quantitative or computational biochemistry elective. These courses include BICH 419, BIOL 350, BIOL 451, BICH/GENE 464, STAT 446, and VTPP 438. Students may petition the Honors Program Coordinator to determine if other courses meet this requirement. If students have already taken or plan to take a different honors or graduate course (such as a 100- or 200-level biology or chemistry honors course), this elective can be taken for regular non-honors credit.

AP and IB credit may not be used towards Honors credit

Research Option (6 credit hours):

Research and Teaching Option (6 credit hours):

Descriptions

BICH 491H Research:  Honors students can enroll in research hours in any lab in the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department or labs in other departments conducting biochemical research. Biochemistry Honors students are strongly encouraged to start BICH 491H no later than their sophomore year. Students are also encouraged to participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars program. BICH 491H has additional expectations beyond non-honors BICH 491. One requirement is to attend an Honors Symposium at the end of each year, in which students completing BICH 491H-W will present their research. Second, students must complete an additional activity that differentiates their Honors research from non-Honors 491. This activity must be described on the registration form for BICH 491H. Examples of additional activities are:

• An oral or poster presentation at a national or international meeting
• An oral or poster presentation during Student Research Week
• Development of novel shared research resources such as software programs, laboratory protocols, new apparatus, or analytical procedures
• Applications for scholarships, including Goldwater, Astronaut, NSF
• Lab leadership, including responsibilities for training and coordinating personnel
• Students, in consultation with their research advisor, may propose other activities to the Honors Program Coordinator for approval.

BICH 491H-W:  The final credit of BICH 491H will be a writing-intensive credit, in which students write a paper describing research they conducted over multiple semesters of BICH 491H research. In addition, they will present their research in the Biochemistry and Genetics Honors Symposium, which will be held in April each year. The research paper will be replaced by an Honors Thesis if students participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program.

BICH 485H : Students who have a strong interest in developing teaching and communication skills may replace up to 2 credit hours of BICH 491H with a teaching-intensive BICH 485H – Directed Studies. Students who select this option will be mentored in course design, development, and instruction by a Biochemistry or Genetics instructor. Specific activities will be determined in consultation with the instructor, but they may include conducting small group discussions, lecture design and delivery, problem-solving sessions, and individual help sessions. The courses are limited to 400-level lecture courses and above. Students must have completed the course to which they are assigned and receive approval from the instructor.

Graduating with Biochemistry Honors

To graduate with the Biochemistry Honors distinction, students must achieve the following:

• Complete the Biochemistry Honors course requirements with a minimum cumulative Texas A&M University GPA of 3.5 and a minimum of 3.25 in Biochemistry Honors Courses.
• No grade lower than a B in courses counting towards Biochemistry Honors. (If a student receives less than a B in an Honors course they will still receive credit for that course towards Biochemistry Honors. However, they must take a different course to fulfill their Honors requirement with a grade of B or above).
• No F* (academic dishonesty) on the transcript.

All honors courses will be denoted as honors on students’ official transcripts. Furthermore, students completing the Biochemistry Honors Program will have the Biochemistry honors distinction, as well as any earned university or college distinction, noted on the official transcript.

Dr. Margy Glasner,  Director of Honors in Biochemistry and Genetics [email protected]

Biochemistry Undergraduate Program Biochemistry Building (BICH) Room104 979-458-1136 [email protected]

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Engineering Honors Research Opportunities

Undergraduate research is a hallmark of Texas A&M University's Craig and Galen Brown Engineering Honors (EH) Program. All EH students will participate in it prior to graduation.

See a list of some of the research opportunities currently available for EH students.

Areas of Research

• Computer Science and Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering

Computer Science and Engineering Opportunities

Graphblas: graph algorithms via sparse matrix operations on semirings  .

• Faculty Member: Tim Davis
• Applicable Classification(s): Juniors and Seniors
• Applicable Major(s): ENGR, AERO, BAEN, BMEN, CHEN, CVEN, CSCE, ECEN, ESET, ENTC, IDIS, ISEN, ITDE, MSEN, MEEN, NUEN, OCEN, PETE, RHEL
• How to Apply: Open to students in any major, as long as they have the necessary background (C, graph algorithms, linear algebra, data structures and algorithms, well-disciplined software development); email Dr. Davis at [email protected] .

Shipwrecks and Computers: Interdisciplinary Research in Computer Science and Nautical Archaeology

• Faculty Member: Richard Furuta
• Applicable Classification(s): Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
• Applicable Major(s): ENGR and CSCE
• How to Apply: Contact Dr. Furuta, [email protected] .

Building a More Secure Google Chrome Web Browser  

• Faculty Member: Jeff Huang
• Applicable Major(s): AERO, CSCE, ECEN, ESET, ENTC.
• How to Apply: Email Prof Huang at [email protected] with the title "aser: EH undergrad opportunities."

Event Detection from Microblogs and Emotion Classification of Microblogs

• Faculty Member: Ruihong Huang
• Applicable Major(s): CSCE, CEEN, ITDE
• How to Apply: Please email at [email protected] .

Coding Theory, Parallel Computing and Machine Learning for Data Storage Systems

• Faculty Member: Anxiao Jiang
• Applicable Major(s): ENGR, CSCE, ECEN, ESET
• How to Apply: Students with strong programming skills and a strong background or interest in mathematics are preferred. For details on our research, see our website . To apply, please email Prof. Anxiao (Andrew) Jiang at [email protected] .

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)

• Faculty Member: Jyh-Charn (Steve) Liu
• Applicable Classification(s): Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
• How to Apply: Please send Dr. Liu an email to [email protected] about your technical background.

Knowledge Mining for STEM Publications  

Systems, networking, graph algorithms, data mining  .

• Faculty Member: Dmitri Loguinov
• Applicable Major(s): CSCE
• How to Apply: Please contact Dmitri Loguinov via email at [email protected] .

Civil and Environmental Engineering Opportunities

Environmental biotechnologies for water, soil, and energy.

• Faculty Member: Kung-Hui (Bella) Chu
• Applicable Classification(s): Sophomores, Juniors
• Applicable Major(s):  BAEN, BMEN, CHEN, CVEN, EVEN, MSEN
• How to Apply: Email your resume (including the courses you've taken at A&M) and a statement of your interests to [email protected] .

Water Purification and Air Pollution

• Faculty Member: Shankar Chellam
• Applicable Classification(s): Sophomores
• Applicable Major(s): CHEN, CVEN
• How to Apply: Email Dr. Chellam at [email protected] with a brief statement of your interests. This will be followed up with an interview.

Autonomous Vehicle and Advanced Driving Assistance Technology

• Faculty Member: Ivan Damnjanovic
• Applicable Classification(s): Juniors, and Seniors
• Applicable Major(s): CVEN, CSCE, CEEN, ECEN, ESET, MEEN
• How to Apply: Send resume and unofficial transcript of courses taken at Texas A&M University to Dr. Damnjanovic at [email protected] .

Urban Resilience to Extreme Events

• Faculty Member: Ali Mostafavi
• Applicable Major(s): CVEN, CSCE, CEEN, ITDE
• How to Apply: Please send a statement of interest and your resume to [email protected] .

Chemo-mechanical Characterization, Simulation, and 3D Modeling of CO2-fluid Rock Interactions

• Faculty Member: Arash Noshadravan
• Applicable Major(s): CHEN, CVEN, CECL, ECEN, ITDE, MSEN, MEEN, NUEN, PETE
• How to Apply: Interested students can send their resume to Dr. Noshadravan via email: [email protected] .

Autonomous Vehicles and Hololens-based Simulator (Smart City Lab)

• Faculty Member: Alireza Talebpour
• Applicable Major(s): CSCE, ECEN, ITDE
• How to Apply: Please send your resume to [email protected] .

Materials Science and Engineering Opportunities

Materials theory, quantum simulation and ai/machine learning.

• Faculty Member: Xiaofeng Qian
• Applicable Major(s): CHEN, CSCE, ECEN, MSEN, MEEN
• How to Apply: Please email a statement of interest and your resume to [email protected] with the title “EH undergrad research opportunities.”

Mechanical Engineering/Aerospace Engineering Opportunities

Optical diagnostics and imaging.

• Faculty Member: Waruna Kulatilaka
• Applicable Major(s): AERO, MEEN
• How to Apply: Please email your resume and a description of your interests to [email protected] .

Mechanical Engineering Opportunities

Low carbon energy and sustainable environment.

• Faculty Member: Ying Li
• Applicable Major(s): CHEN, CVEN, ITDE, MSEN, MEEN, PETE
• How to Apply: Email Dr. Ying Li at [email protected] describing your research interest and attach your resume. A research scholarship may be available.

Petroleum Engineering Opportunities

Geomaterials for geo-energy and geo-environmental sustainability.

• Faculty Member: Sara Abedi
• Applicable Major(s): CHEN, CVEN, ECEN, MSEN, MEEN, PETE
• How to Apply: Please contact Dr. Sara Abedi at [email protected] and Dr. Arash Noshadravan at [email protected] .

English Honors

English Honors is a specialized program designed for highly motivated, curious, engaged students interested in the study of English literature and culture. The curriculum offers an ambitions program of study with our award-winning faculty through one-on-one guided research, experiential learning, and intimate class settings. We invite applicants who exhibit interest and qualities associated with our core components: scholarship, community, creativity, and service.

Incoming freshmen and students in their first year as freshmen English majors at Texas A&M are eligible to apply for departmental honors in English.

Applying to English Honors

Incoming freshmen are eligible for English Honors if,

• You scored at least 1250 on the SAT with a minimum of 570 on the Critical Reading section, or a 28 on the ACT with a minimum of 28 on the English and Reading sections  AND
• You graduated in the top 25% of your high school class. Please be advised that if you meet the SAT/ACT requirements but you are home-schooled or your high school does not rank, you will still be eligible.

To apply, please indicate your interest in English Honors when prompted through ApplyTexas. The English Undergraduate Program Office will contact you via email confirming your notification of interest. Attached to the email will be additional information about our program, including admissions procedures. If you did not notify us through ApplyTexas but still want to be considered for English Honors, please contact us prior to your New Student Conference.

Current freshmen English majors who were not admitted to the departmental honors program in their first semester may still apply. If accepted, you will begin the program in the fall semester of your sophomore year. Current students are eligible if,

• You have a 3.5 GPA overall  AND  a 3.5 GPA in the major at the end of the fall semester of your freshman year.

To apply, please contact your English advisor before February 1 in order to review your academic standing and confirm your eligibility for English Honors. If you are eligible, you will receive an application packet and instructions from your advisor. Please submit your application packet for review by February 15th.

Program Requirements

English Honors students must complete, with a grade of "B" or better, at least  18 hours of honors courses in the English Department (or courses cross-listed with English). This coursework must include:

• ENGL 303 Honors:  A discussion-based honors seminar taken in the first semester as an English Honors student.
• A minimum of 3 additional Honors-designated courses in English (9 hours).
• ENGL 491 Honors:  A directed study focusing on theory and research methods, and producing a capstone project prospectus. This course is typically taken during the semester prior to graduation (3 hours).
• ENGL 497 Honors:  Thesis hours under the guidance of the capstone chair to produce an original creative or scholarly thesis, or other approved capstone project. This course is typically taken during the final semester (3 hours).

Capstone Experience

Students will design and create a capstone project in literature, rhetoric, or creative writing. The honors thesis offers our students the opportunity to devote sustained attention to a focused research or creative project. Other options include capstone programs coordinated the LAUNCH Honors and Undergraduate Research office. Under the one-on-one guidance of a professor specializing in the field of the student's choosing, students will participate in a year-long sequence culminating in the presentation and submission of their final work.

Students must first take ENGL 491 Honors, a directed study providing a theoretical basis for the capstone project, followed by ENGL 497 Honors, research hours in which the execution and presentation of the capstone project will occur, under the direction of a faculty chair. At the end of the two-semester sequence, the capstone project must be completed in order to graduate with English Honors.  Students who are also university honors must take UGST 497 (0 credit hours) in both semesters of their senior year.

The student must establish a contract with a faculty member in the Department of English who will serve as capstone chair. The faculty chair will supervise the production and presentation of the student's original project. Paperwork for both ENGL 491 and ENGL 497 must be submitted during preregistration in order to enroll in those courses.

Thesis Options

Thesis must be of a substantial length, reflect the years of Honors coursework and study completed, and contribute original work to the creative, performance, and/or scholarly community. Options are as follows:

Literary Studies Thesis:  Thesis must be 20-50 pages in length and involve a presentation component to be decided upon by the student and thesis chair. Topic and form are flexible. Topics and texts analyzed can range from works of literature (both canonical and popular culture) to film, digital media, or material culture. The research component may include archival research, multi-media analysis, or a combination of both; creativity is encouraged. The presentation can be performative, practical, or employ the use of multi-media. An electronic copy, including the cover page form , must be submitted to the English Undergraduate Program Office at least five working days prior to the last class day. Students interested in discourse studies or linguistics research should follow the Literary studies thesis guidelines.

Rhetorical Thesis:  Thesis or project must be 20-50 pages in length and involved a presentation component to be decided by the student and thesis chair. Form is flexible and can incorporate practical application, intensive research, and/or compilation of data. The presentation can be performative or employ the use of multi-media. An electronic copy, including the cover page form , must be submitted to the English Undergraduate Program Office at least five working days prior to the last class day. Special arrangements can be made through the thesis chair for projects that are not print-based.

Creative Project:  Creative projects must consist of a portfolio of original work or a final draft of a longer creative writing project. Genre is flexible and may include fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, or a combination of various genres. Form is also flexible and can incorporate print, multi-media, performance, or practical applications of original writing. An electronic copy, including the cover page form , must be submitted to the English Undergraduate Program Office at least five working days prior to the last class day. Special arrangements can be made through the thesis chair for projects that are not print-based.

The English Honors student is required to maintain a 3.5 GPA overall and a 3.5 GPA in the major to maintain eligibility. Compliance with the GPA requirements will be checked by advisors at the end of each long semester. If the English Honors student fails to maintain a 3.5 GPA overall or in the major, the following probation policy is enacted:

• GPA of 3.25 - 3.49:  Student will be placed on a one-time, one-semester probation. If after one semester, the GPA does not rise to 3.5, the student will be dismissed from the program.
• GPA of 3.24 or below:  Student will be automatically dismissed from the program.