Each semester, the Department of English offers 5-7 UPREP projects for undergraduate English majors. The Undergraduate Professional and Research Experience Program (UPREP) allows students the opportunity to work alongside a faculty member on a research project outside of the classroom. Student involvement can range from working as an editorial or research assistant to aiding in the preparation for an academic conference. In order to apply, students must be full-time undergraduates majoring in English.
Students who are selected to work on a UPREP project will:
- serve as a project assistant for a faculty member for up to 100 hours throughout the semester
- gain invaluable practical experience in an area of interest for future academic or career plans
- submit an evaluation report of her/his experience at the end of the term
- have the opportunity to earn academic credit in the form of an ENGL 485 contract
- receive a $750 stipend at the end of the semester when all duties are completed
In order to apply, please complete the UPREP Application and email to engl-undergraduate-office@lists.tamu.edu or drop off a hard copy of your application to LAAH 352 by the deadline. Students may apply to more than one project, but will need to complete a separate application for each one.
All student applications for Fall 2024 are due on April 1, 2024 by 5:00pm. Students will be notified of a decision by April 16.
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Description: This UPREP will introduce an undergraduate student to Open Educational Resources (OER) and to the English 203 libguide, both of which are living documents and require regular attention. For the OER, we will continue to revise and expand chapters during the Fall 2024 semester. For the 203 libguide, we will continue to gather data on frequently-used texts in literature classes and ensure that reputable copies of those texts are included, whenever possible according to copyright law, in the libguide. In addition to work on these existing resources, we will also begin to compile material to expand the “Writing and Research” chapters of the 203 and Sci-Fi OERs into a standalone “Writing about Literature” handbook OER. Finally, we will also find a professional conference to attend together, the registration (and any additional) fees for which will come out of my UPREP bursary. Because time is short, we will probably attend a virtual conference, but an in-person conference such as 4Cs should not be ruled out, depending on the student’s availability and interest. We will meet weekly to make plans and discuss progress.
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Project Description: The Beowulf's Afterlives Bibliographic Database (BABD) is the most comprehensive record of texts, representations, and adaptations of Beowulf from 1705 to the present, in all languages, genres, and media forms. It contains over 1000 entries and is growing continually. Work developing its content is ongoing, and a UPREP student may contribute both to this aspect of the project and to enhancing the data it already contains, as described below.
Student Involvement: The student’s work is expected to include information-gathering, cataloguing, and fact-checking, but a major part of the student’s duties in this semester would be locating authoritative URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) for persons listed in the database, using such tools as VIAF (the Virtual International Authority File) or Wikidata, and applying these to existing database entries.
Required Skills & Interest: The primary needed qualifications are diligence and attentiveness to detail, and all who have these characteristics are encouraged to apply. No experience with URI application is expected (training will be provided). Prior interest in medieval literature is helpful but not necessary. An enhancing qualification might be competence in one or more non-English languages.
Benefits to Student & Faculty: The benefit to me is help with aspects of this project that I can share out and manage while I focus primarily on the aspects that require more advanced academic expertise. The student will benefit from direct engagement with ongoing research, gaining a firsthand look at a type of faculty research that is not always readily visible from a student perspective.
Use of Abbott Funds: If this proposal were selected for the John Paul Abbott Grant, the funds might be used toward access to rare materials that need to be seen for us to catalog them appropriately. If the student completes a 485 project of suitable quality, I would work to arrange an opportunity for him or her to present on this research jointly with me at a neighboring Texas university, in which case some of the funds could offset modest travel expenses for a day trip to Houston, Austin, or Huntsville.
Comments: Description for website:
I seek an assistant for the ongoing development of the Beowulf's Afterlives Bibliographic Database (BABD), which is the most comprehensive record of texts, representations, and adaptations of Beowulf from 1705 to the present in all languages, genres, and media forms. The work will include information-gathering, fact-checking, and locating the correct Uniform
Resource Identifiers for persons listed in the database (for this, training will be provided). The UPREP may be paired with a Directed Study (ENGL 485) for course credit.The minimum qualifications are diligence and attentiveness to detail, and all who have these characteristics are encouraged to apply.
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Project Description: The prospective UPREP student would help with promoting and advertising creative writing events, speakers, clubs, and other relevant activities.
Student Involvement: The student would help use social media and other strategies for connecting with the A&M community to help inform students, staff, and faculty about creative writing at A&M, especially activities organized by the English Department and assisting the Creative Writing Coordinator. Designing flyers that feature creative writing events and contests would be part of the expected involvement.
Required Skills & Interest: Effective English communication and social media tools familiarity and interest in creative writing--also some degree of competence with designing flyers for print and digital sharing.
Benefits to Student & Faculty: The UPREP student's contribution will help increase attendance and participation from students and overall student, faculty, and staff awareness of the English Department's creative writing impact at A&M. It's also an opportunity for the student to gain experience with effective communication for promotional purposes in education and to stay informed about and to help encourage development of the creative writing community for Texas A&M.
Use of Abbott Funds: To help fund any software or hardware devices that might assist the UPREP student with the promotion and advertising of creative writing activities, speakers, and events.
Comments: Interest and enthusiasm for creative writing at Texas A&M is key for this position, as well as commitment to ongoing outreach to the A&M community to increase the audience for creative writing events and activities.