VIPP 401
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
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In this course, undergraduate senior or junior students engage in applied research with faculty and graduate students on multi-disciplinary, team-based research projects. Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors. Participants develop research experience and team skills, while intergrating knowledge from previous courses and refining their professional skills (teamwork, project planning, and communications).
VIPP 401

Required or elective

  • Elective

Credits

  • VIPP 401 – 3 credits

About VIP

A Vertically-Integrated Projects (VIP) Program operates in a research and development context. Undergraduate students that join VIP teams earn academic credit for their participation in design/discovery efforts that assist faculty and graduate students with research and development issues in their areas of expertise.
The teams are:
  • Multidisciplinary - drawing students from all disciplines on campus;
  • Vertically-integrated - maintaining a mix of undergraduate and graduate students each semester;
  • Long-term – while the project is long term and large scale, students get to work on sub-themes.
The continuity, technical depth, and disciplinary breadth of these teams are intended to:
  • Provide the time and context necessary for students to learn and practice many different professional skills, make substantial contributions to the project, and experience many different roles on a large, multidisciplinary VIP team.
  • Support long-term interaction between the graduate and undergraduate students on the team. The graduate students mentor the undergraduates as they work on VIP projects embedded in the graduate students' research.
  • Enable the completion of large-scale projects that are of significant benefit to faculty members' research programs.

Learning outcomes

  • Learn and practice professional skills
  • Make substantial contributions to a team project
  • Experience different roles on a large, multidisciplinary team
  • Investigate scientific questions as part of a well-organized research project
  • Present and defend research findings among peers
  • Be better prepared for undertaking graduate work

Project coordination

A VIPP 401 project will be coordinated by one lead faculty member (referred to as Project main Investigator (PI)), along with Co-project Investigators (Co-PIs). Beyond project technical issues, the PI will be responsible for coordinating the logistics of each project and ensure smooth integration of the project components.

System overview

week Activity/Event
Week 1 Introductions, overview of team’s work, discussion of semester goals
Week 2 Sub-team selections finalized, and sub-team meeting times finalized
Week 3-4 Verification of student participation in class.
Week 7 Turn in TLV notebooks at team meeting for mid-term grading
Week 8-9 Midterm presentations
Week 12 Web-based peer-evaluations released for students to complete.
Late submissions will not be accepted
Week 14 Final presentations. Turn in TLV notebooks at team meeting for final

Student evaluation

The premise of VIP is teams working on projects. Much like a real-world team, individual members work on different aspects of the project. The grade is based on three areas. Students must demonstrate achievements in all three areas below.
Documentation and records (33%)
  • VIP Notebook
  • VIP Wiki/blog documentation
  • Code (via GT GitHub) if team is developing software
Personal accomplishments and contributions to the team’s goals (33%)
  • Quizzes, learning modules, essays, reports required by the advisor(s);
  • Engagement in project;
  • Pursuit of knowledge necessary for project;
  • Contributions to the technical progress of the team;
Teamwork and interaction (33%)
  • Peer Evaluations;
  • On-time attendance in meetings;
  • Actively contributes to overall team goals;
  • Coordinates activities with other team members;
  • Assists other team members;
  • Team presentation(s).

VIPP 401V equivalence across AUB

VIPP 401V is a course acting as a surrogate for undergraduate research for different programs across AUB. Table 1 lists the proposed courses across AUB to which VIPP 401V can act as a surrogate. Most programs have equivalent courses either listed as special topics, as design courses, or as tutorial courses.

Table 1 possible courses to which VIP 401 can act as a surrogate. Tut. (Tutorial); Sp. T. (Special Topic), Pract. (Practicum), Proj. (Project) and Res. (Research)

Other Courses

VIPP 201

One Semester
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
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VIPP 202

One Semester
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
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VIPP 301

One Semester
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
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VIPP 501, VIPP 502

One Semester
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
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VIPP 601

One Semester
In this course, Students work with faculty and industry mentors on real world large-scale projects with students from different majors.
view course details