Undergraduate Research Grants

These grants are primarily meant to support IR major senior thesis research, though other relevant or meaningful research in other seminars, courses or independent studies that would apply to IR major credit will be considered. Thesis research will be given priority in making awards.

Research support will be awarded in accordance with the following principles:

• Preference will be given to proposals involving theoretical research or research with practical applications.
• Projects having no other funding source are particularly encouraged. When other funding sources can be identified, shared costs or matching funds will be encouraged whenever possible.  See the Center for Undergraduate Research for a complete list of alternative funding sources, in particular, the Nassau and Rose Funds.
• Each project must have a faculty advisor.
• Funds may be requested to support research during the academic year or during the summer. Normally, awards will not be granted in excess of $1000 per student though exceptional projects will be considered.  Typical awards will be $500.
• Examples of what may appropriately be requested in a budget include: research supplies, travel, computer time, computer software, and capital equipment. Items costing $500 or more with a useful life of one year or more must be purchased with a University purchase requisition and will remain the property of the University. Salaries, benefits, and overhead are not to be included.
• Exclusions:  duplicating, printing, binding or photocopying, with the exception of on-site archival photocopying; no book purchases; no business class or first class travel or hotel arrangements (economy travel only).

Proposals

Proposals should take the following form:

1. Completed Application Form
2. Short abstract (one page; no longer than 100 words)
3. Objectives and Methodology (500 words maximum)

• State the objectives and relevance of the proposed work.
• Explanation of how the research supports thesis or other relevant research in international relations.
• Describe the design and procedures to be employed and provide a timetable and implementation plan for completion of the project.
• If the work is to have practical application, describe the impact and usefulness.

Budget (one page). List each budget item in order of priority and justify in terms of the work proposed. (In a few instances, travel may be an appropriate use of funds if warranted by the project.)

Faculty Endorsement The faculty advisor must endorse the proposal and their willingness to supervise the research certifying the feasibility of the project and the adequacy of the student's preparation to undertake it by signing the Application Form.

Submission Procedure

Submission Procedure

An original hard copy of the proposal must be submitted to the International Relations Program Office by October 1, 2015 for the Fall Term and February 1, 2016 for the Spring Term.  Simultaneously an electronic version should be submitted to Dr. Frank Plantan at fplantan@sas.upenn.edu.

 

Research involving animal or human subjects or hazardous materials must also be submitted for approval by the relevant University oversight committees at the same time. Students should consult with their advisors to correctly complete these forms.