Human Biology Lab Undergraduate Mentorship *Starting Spring term 2024*
Do you want to learn more about Human Biology research and get involved in undergraduate research opportunities?
Next semester, graduate students of the Human Biology Lab will hold weekly sessions for undergraduates looking for more information about Human Biology and ways to become more involved in research. The goals of this group include graduate student-level support to conduct independent thesis-level research, assisting graduate students in conducting their projects, or just learning more about the ins and outs of labs and professional development. No prior experience is needed. This group is intended to support you as much as you put into it.
Questions can be sent to HumanBioLabUndergrads@office.unc.edu, but no need to email if interested. You just need to show up!
When: Weekly, Fridays 3:30-4:30, Starting on Friday, January 19th, 2024
Where: Alumni Hall Room, 313A
Goals:
- Recruit undergrads to assist graduate research
- Give graduate student support to conduct independent undergraduate research
- Provide insight into available databases
- Learn about conducting human biology research, applying to graduate school, and professional development
- Create a community for undergrads to collaborate and build their skills outside of the classroom
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Undergraduate Honors Theses
To pursue an honors degree and an honors thesis project, you MUST meet certain requirements, including:
- Maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.3 from the spring semester of the junior year through the entirety of the senior year* Secure a faculty advisor who is an anthropologist at UNC.
- Successfully complete the ANTH 691H and 692H sequence
- Receive approval from UNC’s Office for Human Research Ethics prior to the start of the research, for all projects involving human subjects
Process
1) Students considering an honor thesis should first contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Honors Thesis Seminar Instructor, during their junior year (or earlier).
2) Eligible students next should secure an advisor prior to enrolling in ANTH 691H for the fall semester of their senior year. Typically, one’s advisor is a professor they have worked with in classes or faculty with shared interests.
3) In the fall Honors Thesis Seminar, ANTH 691H, students develop their research design and begin to write their thesis.
4) In the spring, students complete an independent study, ANTH 692H, with their advisor, focusing on writing the thesis. Students also form their committee, by adding two additional faculty members.
5) To complete the process, students ‘defend’ (i.e. present and discuss) their thesis to their committee, before submitting it to the university to receive the Honors distinction.
* Further information on the Honors Thesis Program at UNC may be viewed on the UNC Anthropology website.