Research and Discovery
Overview
The Research & Discovery (R&D) requirement allows students to immerse themselves in a research project, incorporating reflection and revision to produce and disseminate original scholarship or creative work. This experience will help them reflect upon, deepen, and connect knowledge and capacities. Research & Discovery courses should devote at least 1/3 of the course activities and/or semester grade to open-ended research addressing novel questions/hypotheses.
To help meet the demand of rising seniors needing to complete the Research & Discovery requirement, the Office of Undergraduate Education is providing a special submission process for faculty who would like to offer a Research & Discovery class for the first time in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026.
The Research & Discovery Course Development Guide provides information for faculty who are interested in developing a Research & Discovery course. Additionally, the Office for Undergraduate Research will offer optional support through faculty learning communities in late spring/early summer 2025 (for Fall 2025 R&D classes) and in fall 2025 (for Spring 2026 R&D classes).
Learning outcomes
Syllabi for the Research & Discovery requirement must include the following learning outcomes:
- Frame a topic, develop an original research question or creative goal, and establish a point of view, creative approach, or hypothesis.
- Obtain a procedural understanding of how conclusions can be reached in a field and gather appropriate evidence.
- Evaluate the quality of the arguments and/or evidence in support of the emerging product.
- Communicate findings in a clear and compelling ways.
- Critique and identify the limits of the conclusions of the project and generate ideas for future work.
As with all Gen Ed courses in the IDEAs in Action curriculum, a Research & Discovery course can have other learning outcomes in addition to the five prescribed objectives above.
Submission Process
- Discuss the idea for a new Research & Discovery course with your Department Chair or Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- Submit a Research & Discovery Prospectus Form (see below) to propose a Research & Discovery class to be offered in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, using either a Special Topics number (e.g., 390, 490, 590) or an approved course already in the course inventory.
- Due dates:
- March 7, 2025, for the fall 2025 semester
- October 1, 2025, for the spring 2026 semester
- Attach a syllabus to your submission, including the five R&D learning outcomes.
- Ask your department’s course scheduling officer (i.e., SSM) to schedule the class in ConnectCarolina.
- The Office of Undergraduate Education will review proposals and provide feedback and approvals to instructors soon after the deadline. Upon approval, the Office will add the Research & Discovery Gen Ed attribute to your class in ConnectCarolina.
- Please note that instructors may not request additional Gen Eds through this special process.
- For Special Topic courses (e.g., 290, 390): An approved Research & Discovery class can be offered twice using a special topics number before the course must be submitted in the Curriculum Inventory Management System (CIM) for a permanent number.