Lead Instructor: Dr Claire Kennan - c.kennan@queensu.ca
In Summary:
RSCH 594 is the course code formally used to grant credit towards your independent research study at Bader College. Bader College programmes place an emphasis on primary research, an academic possibility most students do not get to experience until their postgraduate studies. RSCH 594 at Bader College allows you to identify new research questions, apply discipline-relevant methodologies and frameworks, develop thoughtful and compelling arguments and clearly communicate complex knowledge in various settings.
From learning how to undertake archival research, to DNA extraction, writing a literature review or honing your public speaking and debating at the Summer Term Undergraduate Conference, the skills you develop will help you long after the program has finished.
Course Details:
Using our instructors' connections, we will help you in your primary research in places such as The National Archives, The Natural History Museum, The National Gallery and other cultural, political or scientific institutions in London and across the South-East.
Each RSCH 594 project is different, but generally you can expect the following:
- Regular 1-2-1 graduate-style meetings with your supervisor and/or lab supervision.
- Research skills training specific to your subject area.
- The chance to present a paper or lead a workshop as part of the Bader College Summer Term Undergraduate Conference.
- The opportunity to write an academic paper of between c. 4,000 and 6,000 words with expert guidance and coaching.
To give you an idea of what you could research at Bader College, some previous RSCH 594 projects are listed below:
- UNFCCC NDC Environmental Justice Engagement
- “Anyone who thinks we’re normal needs to look again”: Ontological (In)Security in Post-Brexit Northern Ireland
- The Klein Hollandia: The Fine Line between Piracy and Imperialism
- Death Depicted in Medieval Art: An Exploration of Symbolism and Spiritual Significance
- Early Medieval Kingship: Fact vs Fiction in the Reigns of Alfred the Great and Charlemagne
- Identification of medically interesting bioactive lectins in sea urchin venom.
- Reproductive isolation and evolution of the gamete recognition protein Bindin and its receptor in sympatric species of Echinothrix from the Indo-Pacific.
- Mineral Composition of Sea Urchin Pedicellariae
To identify a potential supervisor, please look at the Bader College faculty profiles . Please note that it may not be possible to work with your preferred supervisor, but we will endeavour to identify an alternative supervisor who meets your research interests.
Important Information
When you submit your application for Summer Term at Bader College you will be asked to indicate which three courses you intend to study, and one of these may be RSCH594/3.0 Independent Study. The RSCH may be any course code (e.g. ENGL, POLS, etc.) in Arts and Science.
Participants wishing to enrol in Research 594 must be level 3 or higher by the time the program starts. Students wishing to take the 594/3.0 option this summer must declare their interest to the Castle's Research Co-ordinator (c.kennan@queensu.ca) by 1st February 2024 and fill and return this Independent Research Form (Word Doc, 76KB). Your Independent Research Registration Form needs to be approved by the Chair of the relevant department on main campus by 1st April 2024 for you to enrol on RSCH 594 at Bader College.
RSCH 594 Checklist for Students
- Expressions of interest sent to Dr Claire Kennan, Research Coordinator (c.kennan@queensu.ca) by no later than 1st February.
- Work with Dr Kennan to identify a potential supervisor at Bader College within your area of interest.
- Work with your assigned Bader College RSCH 594 supervisor to complete the Independent Research Registration Form .
- Submit the completed Independent Research Registration Form to the Undergraduate Chair of the relevant department on main campus cc’ing in your Bader College supervisor. This form needs to be approved by 1st April so remember to allow plenty of time.
- Once your registration form has been approved, please send it to Bader College’s Senior Academic Administrator (Jennifer.winter@queensu.ca) so you can be enrolled onto the course.
- Keep in touch with your Bader College supervisor ahead of your arrival at the castle so you can hit the ground running with your research project!