Some students feel that their undergraduate experience would be enhanced by a more one-to-one relationship with a professor and his/her work.  In my experience, that is true.  Other students wish to challenge themselves and refine their research skills to be more able as they pursue advanced degrees.  Both of these are solid and positive motivations for wanting to become involved (with a faculty member) in a research project.

This can be accomplished by a variety of means.  First, a student can design and propose a project to a professor and receive credit in an "independent study" format.  Another option is the commitment of the student to work on an on-going project that the professor has already begun or plans to begin.  This second option has the advantage of a longer term working relationship but may or may not have academic credit attached to it.  Finally, students could try to secure a work-study position in the department and seek to be assigned to a faculty member who is working on a project of interest to the student.  A variation of this last theme is to apply to the college of arts and sciences for a small grant to work on research with a professor.

The benefit should be understood to be principally intellectual which is a kind way of saying that money is seldom to be made on such a project.   You will certainly have pride in your contribution AND you can expect to be credited with the investment that you made when the project is published or otherwise disseminated.

Clearly, the few opportunities that exist mean that they are not for everyone.  You should consider the option if:

...you are genuinely interested in the subject matter
...you have been doing better than average in your formal academic work
...you are not greatly pressed by financial circumstances that would make this a sacrifice
...you anticipate a good inter-personal working relationship with the faculty member.

Current Research Opportunities
The first is examining the similarities and differences between managing government vs. corporations. It investigates the synergy or lack of synergy of leadership values in the two settings. A second project involves proofing and polishing a book length fictional treatment of life among young people in colonial America.

These options can be discussed with Prof. Farkas at your convenience but require a commitment to dates and results. He can be contacted via email at dfarkas@depaul.edu.

Other options...
Certainly students are at liberty to suggest other ways and related topics that could enhance the study and what we know about East Europe.  Students should take initiatives to discuss their ideas.  It is even possible to tie foreign study together with these projects.