What is CPSC 502/503?

CPSC 502/503 are opportunities for undergraduate students to receive course credit while doing a small research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member. The project is completely up to the choosing of the faculty member (usually with some input from the student). The execution of the project typically is in close consultation (i.e. through weekly meetings) with a faculty member.

The 502 variant of the course is a two-term commitment and requires a GPA of at least 3.3 for entry. The 503 variant is a one term commitment. In both cases, you require permission from a potential supervisor and the department before you can register.

Because the project is done in close consultation with a faculty member, the exact nature of the project varies from faculty member to faculty member (i.e. based on their research interests). As a few samples, you can see some examples of projects that previous students of mine have done.

What do I need to do to get in?

  1. Find a supervisor. This is your job -- you can contact by email or in person to ask if they are interested in supervising you. Hint: they are likely to be interested in projects that are a research interest to them, so visit their webpages, look at their "Research Interests" and "Publications" to see if this stuff is interesting to you.
  2. Contact me. Once you have a supervisor, send an email to me, cc'd with your potential supervisor along with Susan Lucas to confirm that you have reached some kind of arrangement together. Provide either a title for your project, or a three sentence summary of your project idea. Include your student ID and your official U of C email address.

Resources for CPSC 502/503 Students