Research Graduation Cords 

Photo of graduation cords


The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to offer graduation cords to those who have demonstrated a commitment to research during their undergraduate years. This cord serves as a symbol of your dedication to academic inquiry and your contribution to the scholarly community.

To qualify for the cord, students must accumulate a minimum of 150 points by attending specified events and activities. Each event and activity grants a specific number of points, and students can earn more points by being more involved in the research community. Please note that to qualify, students must have participated in at least one research project, such as working on a faculty member's research project or conducting independent research. 

A complete list of qualifying activities and their corresponding point values can be found below. Qualifying activities include attending workshops, participating in research programs and symposiums, presenting at conferences, and more. 

The graduation cord is free and is only offered to select students who have earned the required number of points. As a result, we strongly encourage all students to strive towards this achievement by attending events, participating in research opportunities, and engaging with the research community. 

We recognize the value of undergraduate research and the significant impact it can have on a student's academic and professional pursuits. Therefore, we believe that wearing this cord is an honor and a testament to your hard work and dedication.

To ensure that you receive proper credit for your attendance at qualifying events, we recommend taking pictures of your attendance and participation, and tapping in with your Talon Card at each event to provide as proof.

Once you have reached the minimum point requirement of 150, e-mail our@kennesaw.edu for access to our D2L page, fill out and add fields to the provided template accordingly, and provide a short reflection on your experience with undergraduate research at KSU and how it has impacted your academic and personal pursuits.

Frequently Asked Question

    1. Email (from your KSU email account) our@kennesaw.edu to be added to the Graduation Cords D2L site.
    2. Once you have reached 150 points, complete the .
    3. Upload the completed submission template to D2L.
    4. After your application has been assessed, you will receive an email with further instructions on picking up your graduation cords.
  • For Fall graduation, the application is due no later than November 27th. For Spring graduation, the application is due no later than April 29th. Application must be received in D2L by these due dates; be sure to request access to the D2L site a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the deadline. Applications emailed directly to our@kennesaw.edu or submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • The cords are free for students who meet the criteria (having earned 150 points and submitted the form by the due date).
  • No. Only one cord is given per student; therefore the loss or destruction of a cord cannot be replaced.

  • Students must reach 150 points to be eligible for graduation cords. Below are the possible activities and the points associated. Be aware that you can participate in many of these activities multiple times and earn points each time. For example, three presentations at the Symposium of Student Scholars = 60 points (20 points per presentation). 

    Please note that conducting research is the baseline activity for receiving graduation cords and is thus not listed below.

    Your submission will be reviewed, and the awarding of cords is at the discretion of the Director of Undergraduate Research. Some submissions may be denied, so we encourage you to submit early so you have time to resubmit before your graduation.

    Program/Event/Activity Points
    Participation in the First-Year Scholars Program, a paid program in the Office of Undergraduate Research 25
    Participation in the Sophomore Scholars Program, a paid program in the Office of Undergraduate Research 30
    Participation in the Thrive/Achieve Atlanta (THAAT) Research Program 30
    Participation in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program, a paid program in the Office of Undergraduate Research 40 Each Time
    Participation in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program through the National Science Foundation (NSF) 40 Each Time
    Participation in the Birla Carbon Scholars Program 40 Each Time
    Served as an Undergraduate Research Peer Mentor, a paid program in the Office of Undergraduate Research 30 Per Year
    Registered Member of the Undergraduate Research Club 5
    Served as an Officer in the Undergraduate Research Club (any position except President) 15 Per Year
    Served as the President of the Undergraduate Research Club 20 Per Year
    Published a paper in the Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research (KJUR) 35 Per Paper
    Presented at an on-campus research symposium, including the Symposium of Student Scholars, C-Day, Analytics Day, or another on-campus research event 20 Per Presentation
    Presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 30 Per Presentation
    Presented at Posters at the Georgia State Capitol 30 Per Presentation
    Presented at the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC) 20 Per Presentation
    Presented at research conference sponsored by a professional society 30 Per Presentation
    Registered Member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) or another professional society 5 Per Society
    Attended an undergraduate research workshop 5 Per Workshop
    Served as an intern for the Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research (KJUR) 20 Per Semester
    Received funding from the URCA program 25 Per Year
    Author or co-author on a peer-reviewed journal publication (not a predatory journal, indexed, include impact factor) 80 Per Publication
    Author or co-author on conference proceedings (peer reviewed) 30 Per Proceeding
    Author or co-author on a scholarly book or book chapter 30 per
    Author or co-author on a story in a newspaper or magazine about the research 25 Per
    Author or co-author on a peer-reviewed presentation (not already captured above) 30 Per Presentation
    College or department funding for undergraduate research 25 Per Each
    National or international funding for undergraduate research 35 Per Each
    Received an award for undergraduate research 45 Per Award
    Was featured in a story about their undergraduate research (must be a published story in a magazine, newspaper, or website -- not a social media posting) 30 Per Story
    Conducted research that led to an external grant proposal, not yet funded (include a letter from the faculty mentor describing the undergraduate researcher's contributions)  30 Per Each
    Conducted research that led to an external funded grant (include a letter from the faculty mentor describing the undergraduate researcher's contributions)  40 Per Each
    Was paid for undergraduate research activities from a faculty member's externally funded grant 30
    Received the Goldwater Scholarship 150