Undergraduate research
Getting involved with research as an undergraduate student is an opportunity for you to feed your curiosity by exploring a topic of interest, working with a mentor, and communicating your findings to others. Opportunities exist in every discipline, at every campus, during every year of your undergraduate career at Penn State.
Getting started
Getting started
Read our 10 steps to get started in research.
This page provides an overview of the steps you can take to get involved.
Resources and opportunities
Resources and opportunities
Learn about researching as a volunteer, for course credit, through grant funding, or as paid work.
Also, peruse our list of programs and resources to support undergraduate research.
Contacting Faculty
Contacting Faculty
Many opportunities can arise when undergraduates ask faculty members if there is a research role for them.
Read our advice on how to reach out to faculty members.
Common questions
Common questions
Consider why research is useful for undergraduates and when in your academic career is the right time.
Learn moreWhat students do
Undergraduate research assistants in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development participate in hands-on, real-world research with world-class faculty. Students collect survey information, work in research labs, conduct data analysis, and more. Some students develop their own research projects and present their findings at regional or national conferences.
Undergraduate research is a fantastic opportunity to learn new things, apply course work, build your resume, and possibly help to build a better world.
She is working alongside experts to help uncover the implications of child maltreatment as it relates to a child’s health and development.
