Undergraduate Research

Global Studies Program faculty and students engage in research projects that explore thorny historical and contemporary questions around the world through the social sciences and humanities, such as the climate crisis, public health challenges, uneven development, the strife for racial justice, precarious labor, curtailed rights and liberties, and technological revolutions. Often, Global Studies scholars utilize various theoretical lenses and methodological approaches to investigate questions that defy disciplinary boundaries.

Global Studies selects a limited number of Research Assistants (RAs) each fall and spring semester. In the Research Methods Proseminar and Assistantship program, students attend a weekly Proseminar and engage in research with faculty members for five hours per week. The Proseminar orients students to the practice of research professions. Ideally, students should apply to enroll in this course in their sophomore or junior year.  Students who successfully complete the course and assistantship will be awarded the Research Scholar Distinction in Global Studies.

The research projects allow for, and develop, a variety of skills that distinguish Global Studies from disciplinary programs: as Global Studies scholars, students can conduct research in at least two languages, are conscious participants of intercultural encounters, and are aware of historical and cultural linkages across political and geographical boundaries. In addition, students are prepared to use various methodological and theoretical approaches that suit the research questions and account for the cultural, political, and historical specificity of their research sites. In addition, the course prepares students to write an honors thesis and explore their interest in graduate school and a career in research.

How are students selected for the ‘Research Team’? This is a competitive process. The Global Studies Research Methods Proseminar Faculty recruits and matches Faculty Mentors with students based on the needs of the participating Faculty Mentors’ research projects. Some projects require specific language skills while others benefit from familiarity with archival research or interviewing. Some faculty seek research assistants with strong quantitative skills or familiarity with statistical analysis. Other faculty may not have specific needs, but they expect that students are diligent, meticulous, and curious. Students will work with faculty from Global Studies, other departments and programs in Arts & Sciences, and the Law School on projects focused on a range of topics.  All the projects are international or global in focus and about 1/3 make use of students’ language skills.

To apply for the Research Team, please submit an application to Prof. Cindy Brantmeier and register for Research Methods Proseminar and Assistantship (L97 4007). You will remain on the waitlist until you receive confirmation that you have been placed with a faculty member. The deadline for submitting an application is May 1 for the next fall semester and December 1 for the next spring semester.

While we encourage you to pursue individual interests outside the classroom format by enrolling in L97 GS 400 (Independent Study) OR L97 GS 4007 (Research Methods Proseminar) under the direction of one or more faculty members, please note that electing either of these two options may not necessarily fulfill your 400 level requirement for your specific Global Studies concentration and direct approval must be sought from your major advisor. If that approval is given, a limit of 3 units of independent study may be counted toward the 36 units needed to complete the Global Studies major.

If you have additional questions, please contact Prof. Cindy Brantmeier.

Email PROF. brantmeier

Writing an honors thesis is exciting and very rewarding, but it can also be challenging, exhausting, and far more time consuming that you imagine. Ideally, you need to start thinking about potential topics and meeting with potential advisors by the end of your sophomore year. The deadline to declare your intent to write an honors thesis (by completing this intent form and submitting it to the Global Studies main office) is the second Friday in April of your junior year. You must have your thesis advisor secured at this time. [For those students graduating in December, the deadline for the intent form is the second Friday in November of their junior year.]

In writing a thesis, you will work closely with a faculty advisor to articulate a narrow research question, identify the type of data and secondary sources you will examine to answer this question, and formulate an original argument based on your findings. Your faculty advisor will do their best to guide you, but ultimately, the project is up to you. In the Fall, all Global Studies honors students must enroll in the Global Studies honors seminar course (GS 485). In this seminar, you will present your thesis proposal, your results at various stages of progress, and a final presentation. To write a first-rate research paper, all scholars need the opportunity to present their ideas and receive feedback. In addition, you will have the opportunity to interact and learn from your fellow honors students. In the Spring, all honors students must enroll in GS 486. You will work closely with your thesis advisor (they will determine and submit the final grade for your thesis). Once your research and writing is complete, you will present your thesis to the Global Studies Honors Committee. We view this more as an assessment than a defense, and as an opportunity for professional development in preparation for the public presentation at our annual spring semester conference.

Through the process of writing a thesis, you make the transition from being a consumer of other scholars’ analyses to being a contributor to knowledge. Regardless of your future plans, conducting an independent research project in the form of a thesis is a meaningful intellectual process. Moreover, the thesis can be helpful professionally. If you plan to attend academic graduate school or any professional graduate school requiring independent research, analysis, and writing, you should strongly consider writing a thesis.

Global Studies majors who write an honors thesis are eligible for Latin Honors (level is determined by the College of Arts & Sciences) and are strongly encouraged to submit to and present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Note: there are special requirements for students who conduct independent research involving human participants - for more information on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, contact your thesis advisor. The WUSTL Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) website has information for undergraduates conducting research, including information for students who conduct research abroad, and a special section for SIT program participants.

For more details about the thesis writing process, please consult the Director of the Honors Program.