Academic and research units
If you’re looking to narrow down your research interests and identify a field of study that appeals to you, the main university list of colleges, schools, departments and other academic units can help you find a program.
The Office of the Vice President for Research provides a list of research units, and also highlights the ongoing work at UT’s research centers.
Campus-wide programs
The Office of Undergraduate Research houses the Research Mentorship and Apprenticeship Program, which provides a cohort of 10–15 students with professional development and research presentation experience, funding to support their activity as research assistants, and assistance connecting with a faculty mentor if they do not already have one.
Students in any college can participate in the Bridging Disciplines Programs, a set of 16 different interdisciplinary certificate programs for undergraduates. BDPs allow you to develop an interdisciplinary specialization that complements your major and combines coursework, internships, and research experiences. BDP advisors can help you identify research experiences and connect you with a faculty mentor.
The McNair Scholars Program seeks to train a new generation of researchers. The program provides participants with many research-related resources, including mentorship about preparing for graduate school, research and travel funding, and the Summer Research Institute.
Dell Med seeks ambitious, innovative individuals to collaborate with faculty and staff on efforts tied to the school’s work in health care transformation. For those who aspire to be a healthcare leader, join the Health Leadership Apprentice (HLA) Program.
The University Leadership Network is a nationally recognized incentive-based scholarship program. ULN’s mission is to encourage and support students to graduate in four years and become leaders through professional and experiential learning opportunities that advance their education, communities, and lives. Students in ULN engage in experiential learning, including undergraduate research.
Discipline-specific programs
The University of Texas at Austin is home to a variety of programs that focus on helping undergraduates find research opportunities within specific fields of study.
- The College of Liberal Arts (COLA) provides information about undergraduate research opportunities in the liberal arts, including projects hosted by Psychology, Linguistics, Spanish & Portuguese, the Population Research Center, and many other liberal arts units. COLA also offers many undergraduate research scholarship opportunities, including the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program.
- Within the College of Liberal Arts, the Initiative for Digital Humanities involves students in research via research internships and URAP opportunities.
- The College of Natural Sciences provides numerous resources and sources of funding for undergraduate research, including the TEJAS Award and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Research Academy (LSAMP). CNS houses the Freshman Research Initiative, which connects incoming students with research streams. Currently enrolled students can apply to join a research stream through the Accelerated Research Initiative. CNS also hosts the Women in Natural Sciences program, which fosters the involvement of women in research.
- Various undergraduate research opportunities exist within the Cockrell School of Engineering, including paid and volunteer research positions and for-credit research programs. The Mechanical Engineering department provides information on ongoing research opportunities. Engineering students can also prepare for research via other programs for engaging in research, including the Equal Opportunity in Engineering Program (EOE) and Engineering Student Life (ESL).
- The McCombs Undergraduate Research Assistant program provides opportunities for undergraduate business students to assist faculty research objectives.
- The Jackson School of Geosciences has opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student researchers. Students can apply to take part in the Jackson Scholars Program.
- The School of Nursing showcases possible projects for undergraduate involvement in research.
- The Department of Psychology provides resources for students participating in and conducting research.
- The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders welcomes inquiries from undergraduates interested in working in faculty labs on research projects.
- The Department of Linguistics houses several labs that regularly involve undergraduates in research.
- The Department of Astronomy spotlights recent undergraduate projects and ongoing projects welcoming undergraduate involvement.
- Each summer, a number of UT labs and units host summer research programs, some of which are open to UT undergraduates.
Student organizations
Several student organizations around campus provide opportunities for students with similar interests to discuss their work and promote involvement in undergraduate research.
The Senate of College Councils works to advocate for student research on campus in a variety of ways, including co-sponsorship of Research Week.
Other research-oriented student groups at UT maintain up-to-date contact information at Hornslink.
Research support
The Office of Research Support and Compliance provides information about research training and ethics, particularly with respect to biosafety and human and animal research.
Research Units that Work with Undergraduates
The following is a partial list of research units that have been open to working with undergraduate researchers in the past:
Interdisciplinary
Architecture
Business
Communication
Education
Engineering
Geosciences
Liberal Arts
- IC2 Institute
- Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
- Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
- The Delville Lab
- Imaging Research Center
Natural Sciences
- ARiSE: Advanced Research in Software Engineering
- Brackenridge Field Laboratory
- Center for Relativity
- The Delville Lab
- Imaging Research Center
Social Work