Research Opportunities

Overview

Resources and opportunities abound at Stanford, giving you the chance to turn the questions that kept you up last night into the way the world will live and think tomorrow. Stanford is a laboratory for exploring and analyzing the most pressing issues facing our society. As an undergraduate, you will not be pushed out of the way by the major research that is done at Stanford…you will become a part of it.

Whether you join an existing project or create a new one, Stanford’s commitment to undergraduate research has two goals: the creation of knowledge that transforms the real world and the fostering of satisfying, intellectually exciting partnerships between faculty and students.

Departmental Research

Over 30 of Stanford’s departments and programs sponsor undergraduate research programs that provide financial support for students to work with Stanford professors on faculty-designed research projects. Most of these programs take place over the 10-week summer session and participate in the Summer Research College residential program. Several departments and programs also sponsor research opportunities during the regular academic year. More Information about Departmental Research»

Faculty Research

The Undergraduate Advising and Research office administers a grant program to support faculty in their research with undergraduates. Both individual faculty members and departments may submit proposals for grant funding to support undergraduate participation in faculty-led research. Grant programs aim to facilitate faculty-student research partnerships at all stages of a student’s development and to achieve maximum mutual benefit to students and faculty.

Independent Research

Independent research is one of the most valuable experiences you can pursue as a Stanford undergraduate. Whether your Stanford education leads you to graduate school, a business environment, or the non-profit world, the process of articulating a research goal, designing a plan of action, and sharing your results with a larger audience will develop skills that continue to serve you throughout your professional life. More Information about Independent Research»

Summer Research College

Summer Research College aims to foster close intellectual and social contact among students and faculty in an interdisciplinary residential community. During the day, students work with faculty advisors and research groups in Stanford's research facilities campus-wide. In the evenings and on weekends, they enjoy opportunities to share in research discussions, dinners with faculty guests, social and cultural activities, and other informal gatherings with fellow researchers.

The Summer Research College sponsors weekly special dinner programs with distinguished faculty guests speaking about their research and academic careers, as well as evening workshops on topics such as "Working with Faculty," "What Is Graduate School About?," "Oral Communication for Effective Research Presentations," and "Writing Grant Proposals." More Information about Summer Research College»

Honors Programs

Each academic department and interdisciplinary program develops its own honors program requirements and criteria. All undergraduate honors programs have a faculty member who oversees honors majors and is the main contact for both prospective honors students and those completing honors in that program.

In addition, Stanford offers programs for which you do not need to be a major in order to complete honors work. These non-major honors programs include Education, Goldman Honors (in environmental studies), and Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Ethics in Society, Latin American Studies, and Science, Technology and Society.

In addition to guidance from your faculty advisor, Stanford offers a wide range of resources to assist students working on honors projects. For example, your department can organize a workshop on statistics or oral presentation, or you can thumb through the Undergraduate Research Program office’s advice library for tips on writing your thesis, arrange for individual editorial consultation, and gain valuable advice and practice on making your oral presentation.