Richter Award – Transdisciplinary Studies

The Transdisciplinary Studies Program and the Office of Research, Sponsored Programs & Grants invite masters and doctoral students to apply for the The Richter Coursework Conversion Award.

Many course products (e.g., theoretical/research papers) developed by CGU students are publication-quality. The Richter Coursework Conversion Award is given to recognize this type of scholarly excellence from students in courses who have created work with the potential to become published knowledge in a formal, peer-reviewed journal. Through this award, students will further shape their foundational ideas into a published, peer-reviewed work through structured programming and mentorship. The award is for course products produced in the 2023 – 2024 academic year.

Award Amount:

$1000/award for ‘traditional’ (subscription) journal.
$2500/award for open access journal.

Please see explanation on publication types to help determine which is best suited for the specific entry.

Eligibility Requirements

Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students must have and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with an Incomplete (I) or Grade Pending (GP) on their student record from CGU must resolve the ‘I’ or the ‘GP’ before applying for the award. Students with an ‘Unsatisfactory’ (U) on their record from CGU are not eligible for the award.
Project from 2023 – 2024 Academic Year. Paper or other equivalent project produced in a course during the 2023 – 2024 academic year (summer 2023, fall 2023, or spring 2024).
Concurrent Registration. Student must maintain registration in coursework for units, continuous registration (400M), or doctoral study (499) during the award period. No minimum unit completion required. Students in their first semester may submit an article.
Publication Type. Students must specify the type of publication and format they wish to submit. Please see explanation on publication types to help determine which is best suited for the specific entry.
Evidence of Submission. Student must follow-up within a year to show evidence of at least submission to a peer-review journal/process.

When submitting your application, by signing the Certificate of Eligibility Statement, you agree to abide by the eligibility and requirement terms of the award.

Application Materials and How To Apply

To apply, please submit the following items, using the linked airSlate form below, applications for the 2024 award are closed.

Completed by the Faculty During the Application Process

Complete a short Nomination and Evaluation Form that nominates, attests to, and addresses the quality of research (intellectual or technical merit) of the course product, and its potential impact on society (broader impacts) and/or the commercial potential of the project (commercial impact).

Scholarly Merit (rating scale: excellent, very good, good, fair, poor):
1. What is the potential for the project to advance and/or transform the frontiers of knowledge in the field and for society?
2. Assess the project based on the creativity/originality of concept, and potential to transform?
3. Did the project incorporate a limit of research and/or propose future lines of inquiry?
Broader Impacts (rating scale: excellent, very good, good, fair, poor):
1. What potential does the project offer to benefit and contribute to the field and/or society?
2. What is the commercial potential of the project, if any (not required)?
Additional Comments (e.g., strengths, weakness, and/or other comments, 300 words).

Please note: the faculty nomination and evaluation section will be completed by faculty after the student applicant submits the required materials listed below.

Completed by the Student(s) During the Application Process

A Publishable Abstract of your course product (250 word maximum).
The Course Catalog Number and Course Title (e.g., TNDY 311 – Positive Futures. Systems. Design. Complexity. Foresight.).
The Term course was taken (e.g., summer 2023).
Course Instructor Name and CGU Email Address. Avoid using instructor’s personal email address.
Describe any other Conference Presentation or Publication Plans for your course product (i.e., have you presented this work at a conference prior to submission plans for publication (yes/no/potentially)).
Select the Publication Type.
Attachment the Course Paper or Project to be Considered.
Sign the Certifying Statement.
By signing and submitting the application form, the student(s) certify(s) the project submitted is an original work and that student(s) will complete the required Center for Writing and Rhetoric (CWR) and Institutional Research Board (IRB) webinars and workshops.

Please note: after the student applicant submits the required materials listed above, the airSlate application form will route the application the faculty listed on the form and to any teammates as needed. This routing happens automatically.

Apply Today!

Please Note:

Key Dates:
- Application Period Opens: Thursday, January 26th, 2024
- Application Period Closes: 5:00PM (pacific), Tuesday, May 21st, 2024
- Award Disbursement: Summer 2024
The Center for Writing & Rhetoric can provide one-on-one consultation support for applicants.
Masters and doctoral students are eligible for the award.
For collaborative projects:
- Only two students per collaborative course project.
- Only one student working on a collaborative project will need to submit the required application materials.
- However, each student must sign and certify the application.
- The application form will automatically route the application to the initial applicant’s teammate for certification.
The application form will automatically route the application to the faculty the applicant(s) list on the form.
Please note reviewers of your application will be outside of your field of study, so write clearly and avoid or clearly define specialized terms or concepts.
Applicants do not need to provide an academic transcript in the application.

Questions? Need Help? Want to Learn More?

Interested in applying? Check out our frequently asked question section below. Interested in speaking with CGU staff about the Award? We are also hosting a series of information sessions for students to assist applicants, see the FAQ section below for more information. You can also reach out to us directly @ transdisciplinary.studies@cgu.edu too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Course Conversion Award Open to all CGU Students (masters, joint, interfield)?

Yes, the award is open to all CGU students including masters, doctoral, joint, and interfield doctoral students.

Students in their first term may apply for the award.
Do both students working on a collaborative project need to apply for the award? Or can they submit one application?

Only one application needs to be submitted, either student on the collaborative project can start the application. Once the initial application materials are submitted, the form will be routed to the other student on the project for certification.
Can faculty nomination and evaluation forms be submitted by email?

No, the student begins the application form and then the application will be automatically routed to the course faculty to complete the nomination and evaluation form.
Is the Transdisciplinary Studies Program going to publish my paper?

No, the Transdisciplinary Studies Program is not publishing papers submitted for the award. The award offers financial and academic support to help students as they revise, prepare, and submit a course-based paper to a journal.
What is the difference between a “traditional (subscription) journal” and an “open access journal?”

Applicants should review the article on publication types for a description of the differences between the two publication types.
Do applicants have to determine which publication type (open access or traditional subscription-based) they will submit their paper to? How do applicants determine which format is best?

Yes, applicants are required to choose which publication format they will submit their paper to.

Applicants should review the article on publication types and discuss their options with the course faculty the paper/course project was produced for in determining which type is best suited for course paper.
What are the webinars and workshops that I will need to attend if I/we receive an award?

We are currently working with our ORSPG and CWR partners to develop the specific webinars and workshops to help awardees transform their course product in a publishable product.
What happens if the paper is not ultimately published?

There is no requirement that the course product to be published. It is required that within a year of award receipt that awardees demonstrate that they have submitted the paper for publication. It is not necessary that it get published only that the awardee(s) make a good faith effort to publish the paper.
How do I turn a coursework paper into a journal article? What are the best practices?

Review the document on adapting coursework into conference and publishable products.

Adapting Your Work For Bigger Things: Seminar Paper to Conference Paper to Publication (.pdf)
How do I create an abstract? What are the best practices?

Review the document on abstracts below to learn about the key components of a well-crafted abstract.

Writing Abstracts for Conference and Journal Submissions (.pdf)
Can I use the award funds to cover tuition/fees and living expenses?

Yes, applicant(s) may use the award funds to cover tuition and fees, and living expenses.
When are the funds disbursed to awardees?

Award funds are disbursed by the Office of Financial Aid in conjunction with the Student Accounts Office.

Award Disbursement: TBD (~summer 2024).

Please feel free to email us @ transdisciplinary.studies@cgu.edu with questions.

The Richter Coursework Conversion Award is generously funded by the “Richter Memorial Funds Master Code, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.” The Office of Research, Sponsored Programs, and Grants and the Transdisciplinary Studies Program thank them for their generous support of our students and their research.