Prospective Scholars
What's Your Passion?
The motto of the USC McNair Scholars Program is the following: "What's Your Passion?" USC McNair encourages you to identify your specific graduate school aspirations ("passions") and research interests ("passions"). Students in the program have organized personal graduate school plans based on distinct academic and professional goals. Students have created research projects from an inspiration related or unrelated to their coursework and academic majors. We provide you with these unique opportunities in the program! All graduate school objectives and research ideas are welcomed! So, what are you passionate about?
USC Scholars are equipped with the necessary tools that assist them in their pursuits toward graduate study and in designing and executing successful research projects. We have a two-year program that is an unforgettable experience. We promise! Since 1996, the inception of the program, 308 USC undergraduates have participated in McNair. Many of these former participants have acquired a graduate-level degree, and a good number of them are still pursuing studies at the graduate-level. By joining McNair you become part of a family network at USC and a national network that spans across the U.S. over 180 programs at various colleges and universities. Now, we challenge you to take the next step by becoming a McNair Scholar! Provide us with the opportunity to assist by helping you get to the next level in your academic career. Again, what's your passion?
Who Can Apply?
- Must be a USC Student enrolled full-time with at least sophomore or junior status
- Minimum of 60 units completed by end of Spring semester
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- ANY MAJOR!
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident status
- Motivation to obtain a doctorate degree
- Aspirations for an academic or research career
- Either first-generation college student & low-income or member of an underrepresented ethnic group (African American, Mexican American/Chicano, Hispanic/Latina/o, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian)
- Attend or enroll in AMST 392: Undergraduate Research Methods (Spring semester)
- Available to participate full-time in the Summer Research Institute
- US Citizen or Permanent Resident Status
* Low-income guidelines are established by the federal government. Please refer to http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html to determine if you meet this criteria.
** First generation college is defined by the Federal government as a student who has not resided with or received primary support from a parent who has received a BA degree or equivalent.
*** The US Department of Education considers students who are African American, Mexican American/Chicano, Hispanic American/Latino, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian to be underrepresented in higher education.