Navigating the Academic Landscape: How Mentored Research Experiences Can Shed Light on the Hidden Curriculum

For new-majority students (traditionally underrepresented minority, first-generation, and low-income students) who are less likely to have access to support systems, learning how to navigate the often hidden facets of academia can be a challenge. Providing programming that helps students learn how to navigate the academic landscape as they undertake undergraduate research (UR) increases understanding of the hidden curriculum and helps newmajority researchers chart a course through academia, develop higher educational aspirations, and prepare for graduate school. To demonstrate the effectiveness of these interventions, the authors use a mixed-methods approach, including testing common misconceptions, students’ written reflections on their learning, and survey data. Findings suggest that the inclusion of programming explicitly designed to shed light on the hidden curriculum increases the impact of UR and can better prepare students for graduate school and the workforce.