Research is all about asking questions and investigating, and UVA has many opportunities for undergraduates to conduct their own research. Students can choose to write a thesis related to their major in their fourth year, but are plenty of opportunities to conduct research before that as well, both independently and with financial support.
UVA has several undergraduate journals in which students can submit for publication or become involved on the editorial board. Departmental emails will also let you know when other college journals are looking for submissions. Publishing in an undergraduate journal is a great way to share your research and engage in current conversations in your field. Students also have the opportunity to go to conferences and share their research in person.
Students can apply for grants or other forms of funding. Some of these grants and funding are for researchers in specific fields, while others are broader and can be applied to any course of study. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) maintains a list of available grants and opportunities. The OUR’s website also lists other resources for students as well as tips for getting started.
Students at UVA are dedicated to helping other students find and pursue research opportunities, and this passion has culminated in the formation of a group called the University Research Network (URN). One of URN’s aims is to aid students in getting research opportunities and experiences. They hold workshops where they work with students to edit resumes and hold events where students can meet researchers looking for undergraduate assistants.
As part of UVA’s commitment to developing students’ critical thinking and analysis skills, most majors at UVA have students participate in a form of a capstone project or thesis. Students work closely with a faculty advisor to craft an experiment or exposition on a topic.
If you decide to pursue independent research at UVA, there are lots of resources to help get you started. The only question you have to ask is “what do I want to write about?”
For more information on research opportunities at UVA, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research website and the Undergraduate Research Network (URN) website.