The College Summer Institute (CSI) in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Opportunity Description:
The 2022 College Summer Institute research projects and program application will open in February 2022.
The College Summer Institute in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences provides selected undergraduates the opportunity to undertake intensive intellectual training and research with accomplished scholars across humanistic disciplines at the University of Chicago. Students will benefit from an immersive, full-time summer research experience that will help them to develop the skills necessary for further engagement with their own disciplines.
The Summer Institute is aimed at rising 3rd- and 4th-year College students. While the primary audience are majors and minors in the arts, humanities and the humanistic social sciences (e.g., History, Anthropology, Political Science, etc.), it is open to all students interested in pursuing original humanistic inquiry with a demonstrated ability to fulfill the objectives of the program. Building on the critical reading and writing skills that students have acquired in their coursework, at the Summer Institute, students will learn how to conduct archival research, to engage with texts and material artifacts, to assess and apply different theoretical and methodological approaches, and to use bibliographical and textual databases and other digital tools, to name only a few practices and techniques of humanistic inquiry. This training will help prepare students for future research opportunities (including the BA thesis), for fellowships and graduate programs, and for diverse careers.
A defining feature of the Summer Institute is that students will contribute to original research as research associates matched with larger projects led by faculty, scholars, and supported by institutional partners such as the Franke Institute, the Neubauer Collegium, the Smart Museum, the Court Theatre, and the Newberry Library. The Summer Institute will conclude with a celebratory symposium, providing students with the opportunity to present their research to the University community.
Additional benefits of the 2022 College Summer Institute:
- A community of research scholars
- A research and discussion space at the Franke Center, with ease of access to the Regenstein and its collections
- A lunchtime presentation series by faculty mentors and undergraduate researchers
- A series of research training seminars, including but not limited to:
- Introduction to academic research skills
- Effective literature searching for researchers
- Introduction to managing research data
- Introduction to archives at the Regenstein
- How to produce an effective research proposal and grant application
- Crafting effective research abstracts and presenting your research: oral presentations
- An introduction to graduate study and national fellowship opportunities
- CSI Scholars will also enjoy a number of informal social events throughout the summer
The 2022 CSI will be held in person at the Franke Center for the Humanities, University of Chicago. If public health issues compel a change in campus policies, we will aim to provide this opportunity remotely. The 2022 program dates are June 21 – August 19, 2022.
Primary Responsibilities:
This is a full-time, 8 week summer research experience. Summer Institute scholars are expected to participate fully in their research appointment, as well as the formal CSI schedule during the 8 weeks. All CSI scholars are expected to participate in a pre-orientation event in Spring Quarter and in the closing symposium on Friday, August 19, 2022.
Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements:
Eligibility:
- Must be a full-time, rising 3rd or 4th-year undergraduate at the University of Chicago in good standing;
- Must demonstrate the ability to engage fully with the research and learning objectives of the College Summer Institute;
- Must demonstrate the willingness and ability to make the College Summer Institute their top priority over the 8-week summer program;
- Ability to articulate the value of undertaking research and scholarly work with a small community of faculty and peers;
- Can provide evidence of previous preparation for a rigorous research experience (strong writing skills, previous experience with methodological tools a plus);
- No minimum GPA but evidence of academic success is imperative;
- Ideally suited to students in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences (eg History, Anthropology, Political Science), but is open to all students interested in pursuing original humanistic inquiry.
Ineligbility:
- Students will not be considered eligible if they have secured or intend to secure full-time internships, jobs, other summer research experiences, study abroad or will take full-time summer courses;
- Recent graduates;
- Students from other colleges or universities.
Application Process:
A complete College Summer Institute application includes basic candidate data, two faculty reference forms, a 750-word statement detailing your top choice research projects (up to two) and why you are a good fit for those opportunities, an updated curriculum vitae, and a current, unofficial transcript (please do not submit screen shots). A complete application, including your faculty references, must be submitted by March TBD, 2022.
The application includes:
- Basic information about you (major, contact information, year of study, etc.).
- Names and contact information for your two faculty references. Once you enter their information, an automated email will be sent to them providing details on how to complete an online reference form on your behalf. Please confirm with your faculty references in advance of submitting your application.
- Faculty references can be from UChicago faculty (including lecturers, faculty fellows, assistant, associate, or tenured) or from faculty at other universities but should not be academic or career advisors, post-docs, or graduate students. You should provide your reference writers with details about the CSI, your motivation for applying and an updated curriculum vitae (CV) or academically focused resume. Your references are due on the same deadline as your own application. Late references will not be accepted.
- Based on your close reading of the College Summer Institute description, please upload a statement of interest that addresses the following questions (750 words maximum):
- Please detail in specific terms which two projects are of most interest to you and explain why. Please also indicate your preparation for these specific projects (language skills, courses, other research training, as relevant). You may identify a top choice and a second-choice, but we cannot guarantee your first choice in all cases.
- What in your background - course-work, previous research, co-/extra-curricular efforts, or other experiences - might prepare you for or contribute to your research efforts as a College Summer Institute scholar? Please be as specific as possible and note that we do not expect candidates to have previous research experience.
- Why are you interested in pursuing undergraduate research in the context of the College Summer Institute? How will your summer research experience contribute to your broader undergraduate education, scholarly and academic success, and potential post-UChicago experiences (e.g., BA thesis efforts, developing research methodologies, learning new approaches to research questions, and as preparation for professional experiences and further academic and creative pursuits)?
- Upload your current curriculum vitae (up to 2-pages); please include everything of relevance since beginning your undergraduate career (please do not include high-school credentials (eg GPA, SAT scores, etc) or high-school activities.
- Submit an unofficial copy of your current transcript (please submit a digital file/pdf, not a screen shot).
Please note that applications must be written in error-free, succinct, and well-crafted language in order to receive full consideration.