Applications for LMC 4701 and 4702 are now OPEN for SPRING 2025.
Students interested in participating in the Research Option should read the following information carefully. The minimum program requirements necessary for graduation with the Research Option designation are provided. As the exact requirements for completion of the Research Option vary by academic school, some schools may have additional requirements.
Students who are not yet ready to take LMC 4701 and begin writing their thesis, should indicate their interest in pursuing the Research Option by completing this Research Option Interest Form. Those who complete the form will receive communications about the RO, including planning RO classes, registration processes for LMC 4701 and 4702, and other important information to prepare you for pursuing the RO.
Completion of at least nine credit hours of undergraduate research.
Research hours should span at least two terms, but three terms is preferred. Research may be for either academic credit (2699/4699) or pay (2698/4698). In order for paid research to count toward the required RO hours, students must sign up for the free, audit course (2698/4698) within their mentor's school. See the note¹ below for more information. At least six of the nine required hours should be on the same project. This research must be done with an approved Georgia Tech faculty member.
Completion of LMC 4701.
At the latest, students must take LMC 4701 (Undergraduate Research Proposal Writing, one credit hour) the semester prior to their final semester of undergraduate research. Students who have already completed their research project and do not intend to continue the research cannot enroll in LMC 4701. In this class, students will complete a research proposal outlining their research topic and project for the thesis.
The research proposal must be signed and approved by the student's faculty research mentor and one additional faculty member. Once approved, the signed proposal should be uploaded via the portal labeled "Research Option Proposal Upload" found in the menu on the left of this page, or here. All proposals must be approved and submitted, at the latest, before the student takes LMC 4702 and their final term of research. We would prefer that you complete and submit the signed and approved proposal upon completion of LMC 4701. An approved proposal is required for admission to LMC 4702. Please note that this course is a pre-requisite for LMC 4702.
Completion of LMC 4702.
In this class (Undergraduate Research Thesis Writing, one credit hour), students will construct an undergraduate research thesis or other substantial written report based on their findings. Once the thesis or other substantial written report is finished, it must be approved and graded by the student's faculty research mentor and one additional faculty member ("second reader").
Submission of signed certification form.
Certification forms and contact information for Research Option Coordinators for each school are located here.
Students must get all required certification form signatures from:
- the faculty research mentor,
- the second faculty reader, and
- the school's Research Option Coordinator.
A copy of the completed and signed certification form must be submitted, at the latest, via the submission portal "Thesis Approval Form Upload" located in the menu on the left side of this page, by the Reading Day following the last day of classes in the student's graduating semester.
Thesis archival in Georgia Tech's ETD Submission System.
Students must upload their completed thesis to Georgia Tech's online thesis database (or appropriately embargo the thesis for one year) by the Reading Day following the last day of classes in the student's graduating semester.
Interdisciplinary projects
Students may plan to work on projects which are either multi-disciplinary in nature or are in areas outside their declared degree major. There are two ways in which to participate:
(1) Complete the Research Option in a School Outside Your Major - Students may complete the research option in any school that offers it, provided the school approves the student's participation and research proposal, and the student is able to find a faculty mentor within that school. Contact that school's undergraduate coordinator to inquire.
(2) Develop a Multi-Disciplinary Project - Students may, with the assistance of a faculty mentor or possibly a co-mentor from another school, create a project that is multi-disciplinary in nature.
For additional details on requirements for interdisciplinary projects, please read the memo to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
¹If research for pay is chosen, an equivalent number of hours of electives in your major must be taken in order to meet general degree requirements. For example, if you take three hours of the 4698 course in your major, then you would need to substitute three hours of a typical elective course within your major in order to graduate. Please discuss this with your academic adviser.