Social Sciences | Undergraduate Research Experiences
The following is a listing of off-campus summer undergraduate research opportunities spanning most social sciences disciplines. Opportunities exist across the country and are a great way to get valuable experience, both to list on your resume and to help you determine your career goals.
This list shows programs available nationwide. Contact your department faculty member if you are interested in one or more. These opportunities are competitive and have application deadlines ranging from late November to February and early March.
General Social Sciences
Big Ten Academic Alliance Universities Summer Research Opportunities Programs: a gateway to graduate education. The goal of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study and research careers. SROP helps prepare undergraduates for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty mentors and enrichment activities.
DC Internships: Summer Internships in International Affairs, Public Policy and Economics, Business and Government Relations, Service & Citizenship and Leadership.
Institute for Broadening Participation: Searchable database for fully-funded summer programs.
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research: Summer program in quantative methods of social research.
The Leadership Alliance: Paid summer internships that provide training and mentoring in the principles underlying the conduct of research.
National Archives: Internships in History, Political Science, Computer Science and Information Technology, Communications, and Education
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU): Programs in Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences.
Public Policy & International Affairs Junior Summer Institutes: Junior Summer Institute is an intensive seven-week summer program that focuses on preparing students for graduate programs in public and international affairs and careers as policy professionals, public administrators and other leadership roles in public service.
Smithsonian Summer Internship Opportunities: Catalog of internships available at Smithsonian Museums.
Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage: Internships are offered year-round in various fields including cultural anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, marketing, journalism, and library science.
Think Swiss: Research experiences in all disciplines in Switzerland. **International**
University of Missouri is hosting a new National Science Foundation REU Site centered on the scientific theme of Close Relationships.
University of Utah Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) is a nationally competitive opportunity that provides undergraduate students with an intensive 10-week summer research experience under the mentorship of a University of Utah faculty member. The program provides opportunities to gain research experience in a variety of disciplines.
USA Jobs: Pathways internship program for students and recent graduates in multiple areas.
Public Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides Intern and Fellowship programs in Public Health.
Political Science
Fred Hutchinson for Cancer Research Center Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Research opportunities in public health and cancer.
American Political Science Association: Internship resources.
History
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: Internships for applicants interested in American History and K-12 education.
Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage: Internships are offered year-round in various fields including cultural anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, marketing, journalism, and library science.
Psychology
American Psychological Association: Listing of research opportunities and internships.
APA Summer Undergraduate Psychology Experience in Research (SUPER) Fellowships The American Psychological Association will offer up to 25 fellowships to support college students with a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion to conduct summer research in a psychological science laboratory. The purpose of this fellowship program is to promote access and equity among psychology undergraduates considering research as a career by expanding opportunities to laboratory training and mentorship to those who have not had the opportunity to access research experiences.
University of Utah offers a Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) provides undergraduates with an intensive paid 10-week research experience under the mentorship of a University of Utah faculty member. These student researchers work hand in hand with faculty mentors on project topics ranging from health, medicine, data science, robotics, fine arts, psychology, architecture and more!