Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry

Join us! Online Research & Creative Inquiry EXPO 2023

Live the week of May 11th

Students are encouraged to undertake independent research, such as an Honors Thesis or research under the supervision of a faculty member. Students can also work with a faculty member for pay or for credit.

Why write an undergraduate thesis?

follow a passion and become an “expert” in a specific topic
build your credentials and create a favorable impression on future employers and graduate schools
strengthen writing and research skills and foster relationships with faculty members
expose yourself to the research process and enhance your abilities as a consumer of research
earn departmental honors, an additional distinction on your diploma

The two-semester course sequence (6001/6002) counts toward your 10-honors course requirement. Many majors allow the thesis to count as a major elective. See the undergraduate Bulletin for your discipline/department for more information. An interdisciplinary thesis option (IDC) is also available.

Resources for writing an Honors Thesis

Honors Thesis Guide which includes how to write your proposal/prospectus and the prospectus form.
- Spring start: Thesis writers who wish to begin their projects in the spring semester must submit their proposals to their advisors and the committee by November 1 of the semester prior to enrolling in 6001H and officially beginning their project. Suggested changes may be made by the mentor and/or the committee and these must be completed and the proposal re-submitted to the Undergraduate Honors Committee, NO LATER than December 1.
- Fall start: Thesis writers who wish to begin their projects in the fall semester, must submit their proposals to their advisors and the committee by April 1 of the semester before they enroll in 6001H and officially begin their project. Suggested changes may be made by the mentor and/or the committee and these must be completed, and the proposal re-submitted to the committee, NO LATER than May 1st.
Final Proposals go to David Rosenberg, Chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Honors (theses).
Research librarian/Honors liaison, Stephen Francoeur can assist with research and finding examples of prior theses; the library thesis guide offers guidance from start to finish.
the Writing Center offers consultations for thesis writers
Ebook: How to Write a BA Thesis: A Practical Guide from your First ideas to your Finished Paper available from the Newman library
Creative Inquiry Day! Present your project to the Baruch community and learn from other projects!
Learn more about ICUR International Conference of Undergraduate Research & check out a highlight video of the event. The 2022 conference took place Sept. 28th – 29th. See the schedule of presenters here. Undergraduates conducting research this year in any field may submit 250-word abstracts to present at the 10th Annual ICUR in September 2023. The call for abstracts will come out in the spring semester with an early June deadline. For more information, feel free to contact Provost Innovation Fellow for Cross-College and Undergraduate Research and Baruch’s ICUR Coordinator Katherine Pence at Katherine.Pence@baruch.cuny.edu.
Thesis Info Session: Check out our most recently recorded information session below

Honors Thesis Guide which includes how to write your proposal/prospectus and the prospectus form.
- Spring start: Thesis writers who wish to begin their projects in the spring semester must submit their proposals to their advisors and the committee by November 1 of the semester prior to enrolling in 6001H and officially beginning their project. Suggested changes may be made by the mentor and/or the committee and these must be completed and the proposal re-submitted to the Undergraduate Honors Committee, NO LATER than December 1.
- Fall start: Thesis writers who wish to begin their projects in the fall semester, must submit their proposals to their advisors and the committee by April 1 of the semester before they enroll in 6001H and officially begin their project. Suggested changes may be made by the mentor and/or the committee and these must be completed, and the proposal re-submitted to the committee, NO LATER than May 1st.
Final Proposals go to David Rosenberg, Chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Honors (theses).
Research librarian/Honors liaison, Stephen Francoeur can assist with research and finding examples of prior theses; the library thesis guide offers guidance from start to finish.
the Writing Center offers consultations for thesis writers
Ebook: How to Write a BA Thesis: A Practical Guide from your First ideas to your Finished Paper available from the Newman library
Creative Inquiry Day! Present your project to the Baruch community and learn from other projects!
Learn more about ICUR International Conference of Undergraduate Research & check out a highlight video of the event. The 2022 conference took place Sept. 28th – 29th. See the schedule of presenters here. Undergraduates conducting research this year in any field may submit 250-word abstracts to present at the 10th Annual ICUR in September 2023. The call for abstracts will come out in the spring semester with an early June deadline. For more information, feel free to contact Provost Innovation Fellow for Cross-College and Undergraduate Research and Baruch’s ICUR Coordinator Katherine Pence at Katherine.Pence@baruch.cuny.edu.
Thesis Info Session: Check out our most recently recorded information session below

Independent Study

Research Assistantships

Macaulay Sponsored Research Assistantships
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
LSAMP The NYC Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NYCLSAMP) provides academic scholarship support to CUNY students majoring in the STEM disciplines. For additional information contact Guerry A. Perez by email at Guerry.Perez@baruch.cuny.edu.

Contacting a Professor to be your mentor

Learn more about faculty interests through their department website.
Select the area of study that interests you most.
Write an email that is no more than 4-5 sentences that indicates:
- Your major, class year, and a clear statement of why you are writing the email (e.g., I’m a first-semester junior Psychology major and I’m wondering if you have any research opportunities in your lab this semester)
- Why you are contacting that particular professor (e.g., the description of your research on work-family issues resonates with me, both because of what I’m learning in my class and what I’m experiencing personally),
- Why you want to get research experience and what you hope to get out of it (e.g., I’ve really enjoyed reading about research studies in my classes and want to get more direct experience with the research process itself. I’m trying to figure out whether a research career/PhD might be right for me after graduation)
- If you have any past experience or relevant skills, personality traits and classes (e.g. I haven’t worked in a lab before, but I did well in PSY 3001 (A/Pinto) and I’ve taken classes relevant to your lab (list here). I’m also familiar with Excel, SPSS, and have had experience with retail so I’m used to working with customers and explaining things carefully, which I think could help with running subjects).
Your email must address the professor by name as Dear Dr. [last name] (not Hey prof! or Hi Jennifer!)
The email can add “hope to hear from you soon” – it’s okay to sound a little eager, but don’t go overboard.
Attach a CV/resume if you have one.

Getting published

Kamelia Kilawan, “Does Kali Devotion Empower Urban Women in Hindu Diaspora?”

Kamelia Kilawan: research from the student’s perspective

Kamelia concentrated on Journalism and Religious Studies. Her research question began with her curiousity about the thread that binds the City’s ethnic communities and wanted to use her thesis to strengthen her research skills as a journalist. She won the CUNY Thomas Tam Prize, the Susan A. Locke Outstanding Honors Student Award, and attended Columbia’s graduate journalism program.

Stevie Borrello: Journalism thesis “The Modern-Day Migrant Worker: The Life of a Filipina Domestic Worker in New York City”

Stevie prepared an inspiring multimedia expose on the social, political, and migrant status of domestic workers in the U.S. told through the life of Nene Abellanosa, a Filipina domestic worker in NYC. He was awarded the Kanner Prize for Outstanding Baruch Honors Thesis and received mentorship from Professor Bridgett Davis, of Journalism and the Writing Professions.