Toddie Peters, Distinguished Emerging Scholar and assistant professor of religious studies, will serve as co-director of a project to develop standards for undergraduate research in religious studies.
Peters and Bernadette McNary-Zak of Rhodes College recently received a $24,261 grant to fund their project, titled “Mentoring Undergraduate Research: A Consultation for Developing Learning Goals and Standards in Religious Studies.” The grant is funded by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Religion and Theology.
The proposal’s abstract appears below:
Undergraduate research is an emerging area of interest in undergraduate education and many institutions of higher education are increasing their interest in undergraduate research and the expectations of departments and faculty in mentoring research projects. Undergraduate research presents a unique opportunity for teaching and learning on college campuses but many faculty are unsure of how it differs from traditional academic coursework or of what kinds of expectations they should place on students whom they mentor. The purpose of the Consultation will be to gather faculty who are actively engaged in mentoring undergraduate research to discuss the critical questions related to defining UR in Religious Studies and suggest goals and standards for the discipline.