Build Your Research Skills with Olson Scholars

Olson Scholars are students driven by intellectual curiosity and a passion for asking and answering hard questions. You’ll undertake original, faculty-mentored research, building the analytical skills and scholarly rigor that set you apart in graduate programs, fellowships, and careers in research, policy, and international affairs.

Olson Scholars at a Glance

Admissions Requirements

Current first-year SIS student
High-quality research project proposal

Entrance Semester

Fall semester of sophomore year

Course Requirements

Special sections of SISU-206 and SISU-306

Application Deadline

Spring semester of first year

How to Apply

Online application

A student rests his chin on his hand at a classroom table as he listens intently.

What You'll Do

As an Olson Scholar, you'll join special sections of SIS's carefully designed research classes that build your skills from the ground up. You'll begin with foundational research methods, learning how to design studies, analyze data, and engage critically with scholarly literature. From there, you'll move onto an independent research project where you'll be mentored by a professor whose expertise aligns with your interests.

Professor Maria de Jesus lectures in front of a class.

Required Courses

The Olson Scholars curriculum is designed to build your research abilities progressively, giving you the tools, mentorship, and hands-on experience to move from asking good questions to producing original scholarship that stands on its own. You'll enroll in specially-designated sections of SISU-206 and SISU-306, learning alongside other Olson Scholars.

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SISU-206: Introduction to International Studies Research

Taken during the fall of your second year, this foundational course introduces you to the varied modes of research employed in international studies research with a hands-on approach designed for students new to research. You'll develop the analytical skills to critically evaluate research findings and leave the course equipped for the research work you'll encounter throughout your time at SIS.

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SISU-306: Advanced International Studies Research

In the Olson Scholars section of this advanced methods course taken during the spring semester of your second year, you'll complete the research project you started in SISU-206. You'll work more and more independently with your faculty mentor—perhaps the most exciting part of the Olson Scholars Program—while class time is devoted to exploring broad theoretical and methodological questions about the social sciences and the conduct and ethics of scholarship and research.

Who Can Apply

Olson Scholars is open to all incoming first-year SIS students. Selection criteria include your overall and in-major GPA, your record of engagement with and demonstrated passion for international issues, and the quality of your proposed research project. If you're intellectually curious, eager to engage with challenging questions, and ready to commit to rigorous, faculty-mentored research in your second year, we encourage you to apply. About 15 Olson Scholars are named annually.

Two SIS students work on their laptops in front of the U.S. Capitol.

How to Apply

Applications will open by the end of the fall semester. Completed applications will be due by early February. In addition to the online application, you will need to provide your current resume, an unofficial transcript, and a letter of recommendation, which your recommender can send directly to [email protected]. All materials must be received by the deadline to be considered for the following academic year.