There are a variety of ways that students may increase their research skills and/or explore a topic more in-depth. Research experience is often important for job opportunities and graduate school applications. Students should discuss their desire to conduct research with their professors, TAs, and the Undergraduate Program Office in SSMS 3119.
Some of the most popular options for undergraduate students to conduct sociology research are listed below:
199RA Independent Research Assistance in Sociology
Students may enroll in 199RA in order to work individually with a faculty member on their research. This course involves faculty supervised research assistance. Students are encouraged to approach professors to discuss research possibilities and receiving credit for this work.
The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA)
The mission of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) Unit in the College of Letters and Science is to promote the scholarly work of undergraduate students and to provide resources for undergraduates to pursue independent research and creative activities under the guidance of faculty mentors. Through this site, you can explore opportunities related to pursuing research here at UCSB. In the past, there was a program that was called Faculty Research Assistance Program (FRAP) but this has since merged with URCA. The University often funds and helps to facilitate undergraduate participation in faculty research projects. Several sociology professors are involved in the program. A list of current research in sociology being conducted under this program can be found on the URCA website. Students receive credit through enrolling in either Soc 99 or 199RA. Although university funding is sometimes unavailable for the faculty members though this program, undergraduates are encouraged to discuss working with faculty members as they often continue to require undergraduate assistance.