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FAQ

Is the NEURUS Exchange Fellows program designed for graduate students only?

No. The program is open to masters, doctoral and honors undergraduate students that wish to make a research-based semester length international exchange to one of the partner institutions.

I have to complete a master's project or thesis in order to graduate. Can I use the program's paper to fulfill that requirement?

Yes. Just work with your home institution program director to ensure your project will be approved.

Will I have to find my own housing?

No. The host university will work with you to find housing. In some cases, you can be accommodated in university housing. Often, off-campus apartments are a better housing alternative.

What are the dates of the exchange?

Because each university is on a slightly different calendar, the program does not set specific dates of arrival and departure. Students will work out the timing of the exchange with their home and host universities. Students must be present in their host countries for dates that overlap with the continental seminar.

Exchange Fellows
Research Project

Students wishing to participate in the NEURUS Exchange Fellows program are required to propose and conduct original research on a topic of their choosing, within the areas of expertise of the program faculty. Every applicant must submit a description of their proposed study topic, how that topic fits within the aims and goals of NEURUS, how the proposed region for the research is a suitable context in which to examine the principal study questions, and which resources (faculty, courses, institutes, internship hosts, etc.) at the proposed host university and region might be effectively drawn upon. Since the project is expected to fit within the degree requirements of the home university, students should seek approval of their project ideas with home university professors and advisors.

Applicants are to indicate the faculty at the host institution from whom they propose to seek guidance. After discussing their ideas with home institution program directors, applicants may be encouraged to contact the program directors at the proposed host university to discuss research topics. These contacts should be made prior to the submission of an application to participate in the NEURUS Exchange Fellows program.

While proposals to participate in the NEURUS Exchange Fellows program should adhere to the specific requirements of the home university, the following are general guidelines for the preparation of a NEURUS-based research proposal.

Degree-based Research
The proposed research and topic must contribute directly to the satisfactory completion of some research component required to receive a degree. This eliminates research topics that satisfy only a single course, since it is the research requirement of the overall degree that is involved. For advanced undergraduate students, this could form the basis of an honors paper or capstone project, while masters or doctoral student projects might constitute a major section, chapter or element of a larger thesis.

Specific versus Universal Findings
Projects are to be designed as specific, self-contained studies about a particular event, situation or concrete issue. This implies that studies that aim for generality or universality are less well-suited to the limited time available during the semester or available period in which major field work must be completed. Also implied is that presence at the host university provides an opportunity to gather information via field research that is otherwise unavailable or inherently difficult to obtain.

Methods of Inquiry
Projects should utilize research methods most applicable to the selected topic, ranging from ethnographic to highly quantitative treatments of available evidence, data derived from interviews, surveys, secondary sources, archives or documents. There is no restriction on the range or richness of approaches that students may elect to use in their research. The adoption of approaches that are well-supported at host universities is naturally encouraged.

Topics
Students should select a topic in which they are genuinely interested, ideally one which has good support at the preferred host institution. The unique expertise and research focuses of host departments and affiliated faculty are typically summarized at each host university's website. See the Partners page for links.

Format
While proposals are to reflect each home institution's required format, they should include the following at a minimum: a statement of research interest, a clear research question, a short background literature review, an outline of proposed research methods, a discussion of the evidence to be collected, an outline of proposed analytical techniques, and a discussion of types of results or conclusions expected. Proposals should be as concise as possible and will typically not exceed 4,000 words.