What is a Research Intensive Course?

Research Intensive (RI) courses actively engage students in research and scholarly practice as a pedagogical approach to teaching skills and content. RI Courses are one mechanism through which students can participate in undergraduate research and the scholarly process.

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as “a mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge.” Undergraduate research can take many forms, including co-curricular research and course-based research. Course-based Research Experiences (CUREs) are research, scholarly, and creative projects in the curriculum (Hensel, 2018b). Nuanced in structure and disciplinary content, CUREs include five elements of authentic research: 1) engage students in disciplinary scholarly practice; 2) emphasize collaboration; 3) examine broadly relevant topics; 4) expose students to the process of discovery by exploring novel questions; and 5) integrating the iterative process of scholarship, so students see how they can contribute to the process of discovery (Auchincloss et al., 2014). 

Considering a RI Course Designation

Classes and courses that seek a Research-Intensive Course Designation should integrate undergraduate research as a major part of the coursework and learning experience. To be considered Research-Intensive, a class or course must include the following: 

1. At least 30% of the work and class grade should involve research that the student completes under the supervision of their instructor, either individually, in pairs, or as a part of a group effort. 
2. The coursework should include at least one form of dissemination of the research, which could include authoring a report or paper, designing and holding presentations, engaging in critique, exhibiting and/or performing. The dissemination piece should engage individuals and groups beyond the classroom, as appropriate in a discipline (examples include, but are not limited to, presenting at SSD, inviting external audience members to provide feedback, and authoring a report directed toward an external agency, among others). 
3. Students’ course-based research projects may include fieldwork, data collection, literature reviews, report drafting, performances, creative works or other outcomes, or other forms of scholarly expression as defined by the discipline. 

Designation Application Process

Research-intensive courses will be approved by the Undergraduate Research Council (URC) through two pathways: course-based and section-based. If a unit, department, or program would like to apply for the course to be designated, the department chair must submit the course for Research-Intensive Course Designation approval, indicating that all course instructors will follow the Research-Intensive Designation Requirements. If a faculty member would like to designate their course section as research-intensive, they may do so through the same process. If approved, this means that if multiple sections of a particular course are offered during a given semester, only the approved instructor’s class will receive the Research-Intensive Designation. 

Requests for Research Intensive Course Designation are submitted through SAIL. For the 2025-2026 Academic Year only, requests are due by February 14th, 2025. 

SAIL Process

Frequently Asked Questions

RI Course Development Support

If you have questions about the Research-Intensive Course designation or would like to request a one-on-one consultation, send an email to [email protected].