The purpose of the First Year Research Project (FYRP) is to provide graduate students with an introductory, independent research experience that is manageable in scope. The FYRP ensures that students are introduced to the skills necessary for proposing, carrying out, and presenting academic research. The FYRP is meant to be a practical application of the theories and methods students will be introduced to in the first year of their program. A key component of the FYRP is to aid in developing skills as autonomous researchers and to manage a long-term solo research project. Students work under the supervision of their faculty advisor(s) and will submit the final product to the International Communication Association (ICA) conference.
The FYRP is a department requirement for all graduate students. First year students enroll in COMM 699 in the winter semester. Here, they will work with one another and a faculty member to plan their projects, write a literature review, and timeline a work schedule to conduct and write-up their research in the summer after their first year. A rough draft of the First Year Research Project is due to the student's advisor by September 1 of their second year in the program.
FYRPs will differ in nature and scope due to their highly individualized nature. However, students will work with faculty and one another to ensure that the project is manageable, and that it can be completed in the timeline. Students are required to present their research to the department’s colloquium in the fall of their second year. Ultimately, the FYRP culminates in a full submission to the conference for the International Communication Association.
Should their FYRPs require funding for successful completion, students can apply for Chamberlain funds from the department.
