Why be a McNair Scholar?

Eligibility and Applications

To be eligible for selection as a McNair Scholar, applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Have at least a 3.0 overall GPA
• Have at least 60 hours credit before beginning the research internship
• Demonstrate potential for doctoral study
• Commit to at least a year’s participation in the program
• Submit a complete application by the deadline (usually the first Friday in November)
• Be one or both of the following:
1. first-generation college (that is, neither parent completed a bachelor’s degree)
   and in financial need (as defined by federal standards) or
2. member of a group underrepresented in graduate study

For more information about eligibility and application, contact the Program Manager.
To receive a copy of the application materials, contact the Program Assistant.

Click here to download an application.

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Study and Research

During the first year in the program, the research year, Scholars design and conduct research while taking three courses together. McNair seminars are team-taught by McNair Faculty Fellows and the Manager of the McNair Scholars Program; Fellows are faculty with a special interest in the program and expertise in supporting research by undergraduates. The seminar series consists of:

1. NEW 223 in spring semester, a one-hour, ungraded seminar which introduces Scholars to the research process and supports their development of research proposals; a sample syllabus is available for review.
2. UH 305 in summer, an 8-week, two-credit-hour, graded research internship, during which Scholars work fulltime implementing their research proposals and preparing for graduate school applications and conference presentations; a sample syllabus is available for review; and
3. NEW 223 again in fall semester, which introduces Scholars to careers in academe and helps them develop scholarly writing abilities, as they prepare articles for publication in the University of Alabama McNair Journal; a sample syllabus is available for review.

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Collaboration with Faculty

Scholars invariably and rightfully credit faculty, especially their individual Faculty Mentors, as key to their success in the program and beyond. Scholars meet regularly throughout the year with their Faculty Mentors, with each Mentor serving as expert guide and collaborator in the area in which the Scholar is conducting research. Faculty Mentors provide direction, advice, and feedback and, in general, help Scholars develop the knowledge and skills required to conduct meaningful, valid research. Faculty Mentors also serve as role models and provide guidance in the graduate school application process.

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Program Resources

Scholars have access 24/7 to a computer lab/work room and a conference room/library in the McNair Scholars program area. They may borrow textbooks for use in the McNair Scholars seminar series and flash drives for use during the research year. Program library resources and some equipment are available for check out. Year-round, the staff of the McNair Scholars Program are available to Scholars for advising, support, and other assistance. Scholars meet regularly with a Graduate Assistant Mentor, who serves as a role model and provides much practical assistance with assignments, graduate school applications, and more. The Program Manager is available as needed, especially for advising on program and graduate school matters, as is the Program Assistant, who helps in particular with travel arrangements and financial matters.

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Financial Incentives

Immediate financial benefits of being a University of Alabama McNair Scholar include a $2800 stipend during the research internship; $1100 allowance towards housing and food expenses during the summer research internship; tuition for UH 305; some support of research expenses; and paid travel and conference expenses, related to participating in a national McNair Scholars research conference. Scholars may apply for financial assistance in visiting graduate programs of interest and presenting their research at scholarly conferences. Other, longer-term financial benefits may include waiver of fees to apply to graduate schools across the country; opportunity to apply for special scholarships reserved for McNair Scholars at many institutions (including a tuition scholarship available to UA McNair Scholars pursuing doctoral study at The University of Alabama), a scholarship to take a review course for the GRE or other graduate school entrance exam; and the increased earning power that accrues to completing graduate degrees. The University of Alabama Graduate School offers a McNair Graduate Fellowship for which any McNair Scholar may apply.

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Preparing for Graduate Study

The mission of the program is to help Scholars be prepared and competitive for and, ultimately, successful in doctoral study. Participating in the research process—from design of a project through its implementation, presentation at conferences, and publication—is the heart of the McNair experience. Graduate students conduct thesis and dissertation research and are often involved in other research as well. By becoming involved with research as undergraduates, McNair Scholars are very well prepared for the research requirements of graduate study. McNair Scholars also learn how to identify and apply to graduate programs that will support their interests and goals; how to locate sources of financial support for graduate study; how to identify and develop working relationships with graduate faculty mentors; how to identify other sources of personal support and develop a network of professional contacts; what to anticipate in terms of the interpersonal and academic environment of graduate school; and much more that will help Scholars have a successful career in graduate school and beyond.

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