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Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience 


WHAT IS CURE?

On campuses with high enrollment such as UF, it can be problematic to place large numbers of students in one-on-one faculty mentored research. Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) classes have been developed nationally to provide more students with the opportunity to acquire research experience. As well as giving students an insight into what authentic research involves, CURE classes also offer you the opportunity to accomplish goals in your active research program.

What exactly is a CURE class and how does it differ from a traditional class?

There is no one specific template for a CURE class- instead CURE classes will typically take shape around proposed research and data collection. The syllabus and course can then be built around this data collection core. While the research is likely to be highly specific, the context provided by the rest of the course should generalize the experience, providing students with wider insights into the research process, ways of thinking and access to future research opportunities. CURE classes can cover broad topics such as ethics, objectivity, bias and research in society.


CANVAS CURE COURSE RESOURCES

In this Canvas course, you will find all the information you may need to embark on your CURE journey.  Each CURE instructor can adapt the format to meet their individual project and capacity. This site provides guidelines, examples, and resources but faculty have creative freedom over the course.  The course resources were developed by Dr. Christine Miller Dept. of Entomology, Dr. Ginny Greenway, Imperial College of London, and the Center for Undergraduate Research.

CURE COURSE SUMMARY

In 2021, 31 CURE courses were offered to provide 300 first year URSP students with authentic research experiences. While research looks very different across disciplines, we share a general framework with instructors in which broad general concepts and skills are incorporated around the central research or data collection project. CUR offers a shared Canvas CURE space as a resource for faculty and works with those who would like to develop a CURE class.