Undergraduates who become involved in faculty research sometimes receive academic credit for their involvement and learning, sometimes receive pay, and occasionally volunteer their time. What you do should be determined by your personal needs and interests as well as by the preferences and needs of those in the research setting. Following is some basic information on each of the potential options.

Credit

Courses are offered in each CALS academic department that provide an academic framework for undergraduate research. Typically, the department's 499 course is reserved for undergraduate research and the 497 course for individual study. Students should consult with Courses of Study and their faculty advisors to explore this option. Research for credit usually lasts one or two semesters. The number of credits is assigned by the involved faculty member.

Pay

Many research positions are paid. Recent data show that 16 percent of working Cornell students are employed in a research-type position. While the student who is eligible for work/study funding is certainly at an advantage, paid positions that don't require such eligibility also exist. The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment can provide additional information.

Volunteer

A student volunteer would receive neither pay or credit. However, a volunteer position can enable a student to "get a foot in the door." Students, especially underclassmen, must sometimes work their way into an appealing research setting or project or need to develop basic skills that will enable them to become more qualified for the research work they want to do. Volunteering can also be a great way for a student to demonstrate enthusiasm for the research work of a professor.