Aggie Creative Collective

About the Program

The Aggie Creative Collective is a creative research program that takes place during the 10-week summer session, and continues throughout the academic year with the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program. 

The Office of Undergraduate Research provides funding for three faculty advisors in creative fields and 12 undergraduate researchers. Participating faculty receive a one-time stipend of $6,000, and selected students receive a one-time stipend of $2,000 paid at the beginning of the 10-week summer session. 

Faculty apply to be advisors in the early spring. Once faculty are chosen, students apply to work with their ideal faculty member. Our selection committee will accept 12 students into the program, and pair each faculty member with four students. 

During the 10-week summer program, the students and faculty work together to develop a creative research question, conduct research, and produce an artifact. Faculty work with students through facilitating a 491 course and mentoring students outside of the classroom. Students and faculty advisors will follow the three-semester program schedule.

The Office of Undergraduate Research partners with the University Writing Center to provide supplemental workshops for students to further their creative interests and develop their craft. After the summer session, this collaboration of creative research between student and faculty continues in the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program. 

Faculty Applications

Expand All

Benefits

Selected faculty advisors receive a one-time $6,000 stipend payable in one disbursement at the start of the summer session. They gain mentorship experience as they guide undergraduate creatives through a creative research project and thesis; and make an impact on creative research initiatives at Texas A&M University. We hope this will enhance the careers of faculty members, influence future promotions, and acquire recognition from their departments and programs.

Commitment

Selected faculty will teach three 491 courses in the following order: a 10-week summer session, as well as subsequent fall and spring semesters. These courses can be one to three credit hours in the summer depending on the faculty’s preference, and 0-3 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters. The course modality should be synchronous online or in-person. In-person modality is preferred. 

After mentoring students with the Aggie Creative Collective during the summer semester, faculty advise students through the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) thesis program, which takes place the subsequent fall and spring semesters. In this program, faculty are asked to review and approve student theses proposals. Faculty advisors are required to review and accept written content before approving the student’s final thesis. Advisors meet regularly with students, offer continuous feedback on research and writing skills, submit progress reports, and meet other requirements of the URS program.

Eligibility

Faculty should be affiliated with the College of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Arts, communication, telecommunication, English, Museum Studies, or another program or department that supports faculty and students in creative fields. 

Faculty must be tenured or tenure-track. Academic professional track faculty who demonstrate significant contributions to scholarly or creative research may also apply with an eligibility waiver from their department/program head. 

Lecturers are not eligible to be ACC or URS faculty advisors; however, Lecturers may serve as secondary advisors with eligible URS faculty members as primary advisors.

Visit the Dean of Faculties website for guidelines on faculty titles.

Student Applications

Application is Open!

Expand All

Benefits

• Work with an esteemed faculty member in a creative field. 
• Receive a $2,000 stipend payable in one disbursement at the start of the summer semester.
• Learn creative research methods through formal instruction and mentoring in a 10-week summer session. 
• Develop research questions and craft through the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program during the subsequent fall and spring semesters. 
• Receive a stand-alone honors distinction on official transcripts if completing the Aggie Creative Collective and the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program.
• Make a public presentation on creative research.
• Publish creative research thesis within the program's collection of the University Libraries’ OAKTrust Repository. 
• Have a creative research experience equitable to those provided to students in STEM fields. 
• Improve chances for acceptance into graduate or professional schools, fellowships, residencies, and grants.

Commitment

• Accepted students will enroll in three 491 courses in the following order: a 10-week summer session, and during the subsequent fall and spring semesters. These courses will be:

  • taught by selected the faculty mentor of the student's choosing. 

  • 1-3 credit hours depending on the faculty's preference. 

  • synchronous in-person or online.

• Students are required to apply for the Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis program (URS), complete the program requirements during the subsequent fall and spring semesters, and submit a final creative works thesis in the spring. 
• Students will meet regularly with their faculty thesis advisors. 
• During the URS program, students will generate creative artifacts and draft a creative works thesis by working with their selected faculty advisor. They will receive and implement feedback on their creative research, craft, and other URS thesis program requirements. 

Eligibility

• Students should be affiliated with the College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts; majors and minors like communication, telecommunications, English, Museum Studies, or another program or department that supports faculty and students in creative fields.
• Students must have completed at least 90 credit hours (senior status) of undergraduate coursework (juniors are eligible to apply with a letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor). 
• Students should have at least 12 credit hours at Texas A&M University, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and be expecting to graduate May 2026 or later.