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The Bloustein School began a new Bloustein Honors Research Program (BHRP) in the 2019-2020 academic year. The BHRP offers a select group of students majoring in Bloustein undergraduate programs an opportunity to conduct in-depth research that aligns with the applied research conducted the Bloustein School’s faculty. Students may explore applications of planning, public policy, public health, and health administration as these disciplines relate to epidemiology, community development, health disparities, transportation, global health, the environment, health and wellness, and more.
The program, which is open to students majoring in public health (832), public policy (833), planning and public policy (762), or health administration (501), is a formal academically supervised year-long (6 credits – 3 in fall, 3 in spring) effort involving a peer classroom learning environment together with original research conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Students majoring in health administration (501), who wish to participate in BHRP, should contact their EJB advisor prior to registering for spring semester of their junior year to discuss the Research Methods prerequisite for BHRP.
Students in the program meet weekly as a class to learn general research and paper writing skills from the BHRP course instructor; the classroom experience provides a common structure to the honors program. Participants submit weekly assignments designed to guide them through understanding the steps of academic research, as well as planning and completing their research project.
In addition to the BHRP classroom instructor, each student has a faculty member who specializes in the student’s topic areas as their primary advisor (mentor). The BHRP course instructor, then, serves as the secondary advisor for all BHRP students. Both quantitative and qualitative projects can be supported in the honors program.
For health administration (501), public health (832), and public policy (833) majors, the BHRP can replace the 6-credit internship (10:775:499). For planning and public policy (762) majors, the BHR can replace the 3-credit internship (10:762:400) and Senior Seminar (10:762:499).
The BHRP is a capstone experience that works in tandem with the Honors College Capstone Requirement (Option 1: Departmental Honors), the SAS Honors Program Requirement (Option A: Departmental Honors), and the SEBS George H. Cook Scholars Program.
- Honors College students pursuing any Bloustein School major (except for Urban Planning and Design [971]) are eligible to participate in the BHRP during their senior year; participation is conditional upon acceptance to the BHRP.
- Honors College students who pursue the BHRP must be academically affiliated with either SAS or SEBS.
- The BHRP will fulfill the Honors College’s Capstone Project Option 1 “Departmental Honors.”
- All Honors College students, whether academically affiliated with SAS or SEBS, must follow the same protocols as other Honors College Students; specifically, those students must submit a formal capstone proposal to the Honors College by June 1st of their junior year. Those students are also encouraged to apply to the BHRP at or before the priority deadline of June 1st of their junior year.
- Honors College students affiliated with SEBS pursuing the GHCSP will present and orally defend their theses at the G.H. Cook Scholars Symposium and Dinner. Those students are also invited to present at the Honors College Capstone Showcase.
- Honors College Students affiliated with SAS must present and orally defend their thesis for the BHRP and are also invited to present at the Honors College Capstone Showcase.
For additional detail, or to resolve any unique individual circumstances related to integrating the BHRP with the GHCSP or the Honors College Capstone Experience, please email honors@ejb.rutgers.edu and include your name and RUID.
- SAS Honors Program students pursuing any Bloustein School major (except for Urban Planning and Design [971]) are eligible to participate in the BHRP during their senior year; participation is conditional upon acceptance to the BHRP.
- The BHRP will fulfill the SAS Honors Program Capstone Option A “Departmental Honors.”
- All SAS Honors Program students must follow the same protocols as other SAS Honors Program students; specifically, those students must submit a formal capstone proposal to the SAS Honors Program by April 21st of their junior year. Those students are also encouraged to apply to the BHRP at or before the priority deadline of June 1st of their junior year.
For additional detail, or to resolve any unique individual circumstances related to integrating the BHRP with the SAS Honors Program Capstone Experience, please email honors@ejb.rutgers.edu and include your name and RUID.
- SEBS students pursuing the Public Health major may participate, during their senior year, in the BHRP or, during their junior and senior years, the George H. Cook Scholars Program (GHCSP).
- SEBS students who participated in the GHCSP during the junior year may, at their option, elect to follow the GHCSP senior-year track (with partial participation in the BHRP), or, elect senior-year participation in the BHRP (with partial participation in the GHSCSP).
- Interested SEBS students, who participated in the GHCSP during their junior year, should click here for more detailed information on integrating the two capstone programs.
For additional detail, or to resolve any unique individual circumstances related to integrating the BHRP with the GHCSP or the Honors College Capstone Experience, please email honors@ejb.rutgers.edu and include your name and RUID.
Prerequisites
Students interested in the Bloustein Honors Research Program must complete a formal application in the spring preceding their senior year. The standard criteria for admission include:
- An overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in addition to a GPA of 3.60 or higher* within the Bloustein majors listed above;
- Successful completion of Research Methods (including an evaluation form from the instructor);
- Successful completion of any 300-level writing-intensive course (including an evaluation form from the instructor); and
- A standard letter of recommendation from a Bloustein faculty member.
* Students who do not meet the GPA criteria but who have otherwise demonstrated an interest and ability to conduct research are encouraged to apply and include, with their application materials, a brief statement explaining the circumstances behind their academic trajectory and how they have overcome these academic issues.
Application
The BHRP online application for the 2023-2024 academic year will become available by Friday, April 28, 2023. The deadline for 2023-2024 BHRP applications will be Friday, May 26, 2023. The evaluation forms and letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from course instructors to honors@ejb.rutgers.edu.
Selected students will receive special permission numbers to register for 10:775:493, 494 in their respective terms.