UW-River Falls

Two Year Academic Component

The McNair Scholars Program structure includes an academic year component and a summer research/scholarly activity internship. After application to and acceptance in the program each scholar will enter a mentor relationship with a participating faculty member in the appropriate field of study.

First Academic Year (Junior)

During the academic year participants will attend monthly seminars on a variety of subjects related to doctoral study preparedness. In the Junior Seminars the Scholars focus on preparing a research plan and discussion topics include the scientific method, library and electronic research skills, and research methodologies appropriate to the various disciplines. Throughout their first year participants work to conceptualize and plan a directed research project and in the seminar at the end of spring semester they will present their proposals for summer scholarly activity.

Summer Research Internship

During the summer internship the scholars will receive a stipend for the internship and room and board, allowing them to work closely with their project supervisors (not necessarily their mentors) to implement the proposed research activity, having intensive contact with faculty in the laboratory or in the field and meeting weekly to review their progress and experiences. This summer research project is central to acculturating the McNair Scholars to academic life and the world of scholarly research.

Second Academic Year (Senior)

For the Senior Scholars who have completed their research projects seminars provide an introduction to teaching techniques, ways of organizing presentations, attending and participating in professional conferences, the graduate school application process, and life as a graduate student. In their second year in the program students will present their project results publicly, either on campus or at a regional or national conferences. They will also identify and, where possible, visit appropriate graduate schools, prepare for and take the GRE, make successful applications to doctoral programs, and conclude the year with additional preparatory seminars.

Most applicants will come from the major programs that typically send students into doctoral studies, including: Agronomy, Animal Science, Art, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Communicative Disorders, Conservation, Counseling, English, Geography, Geology, History, Horticulture, Journalism, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Music, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Soil Science, and Speech Communication.