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Student Research

Narek Mkrtoumian presenting research

Why do student research?  To explore a topic that you love or answer a question that you have.  You can conduct independent research or join a research teams of one of our amazing BCLA faculty.  Research lets you build your critical thinking, writing and presentation skills.  These are skills that every employer wants and that prepare you for graduate school.

Have questions? Ask your advisor about the best way to plug into research in your major.

  • LMU offers numerous opportunities for research, and you can even get paid or receieve course credit for your work. Here are some programs offered:

    • Research Assistant
      • If you have recieved work study, you may be able to work with a full-time professor as a teaching or research assistant, gaining valuable experience in an area of disciplinary or career interest. For more information, visit Financial Aid Work Study.
    • Rains Research Assistant
      • Rains Research Assistantships are paid positions working with a professor to support their research.
    • Independent Study
      • Arrange to do an Independent Study course under the direction of a full-time professor. This could allow for the continuance or even completion of a research project beyond the scope of a regular course. For more information, speak to your professor and fill out an independent study course form.
    • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
      • Offers work-study funding or academic credit for students engaging in faculty-mentored research
    • Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
      • SURP is a 6-week program that supports students engaging in faculty-mentored research during the summer. Earn up to $1,500 and on-campus housing.

  • Most departments offer research assistantships with individual faculty members. Opportunities vary by department, so consult your advisor or department chair for details about research assistantships in your area of interest. These special donor-funded research programs and fellowships are additional ways to get research experience unique to your discipline. 

    • James L. Fredericks Fellowship
      Based in the Department of Theological Studies but open to all students, the James L. Fredericks Fellowship supports student-faculty research projects that address an interfaith theme.  
    • Knott Fellowship
      English majors are eligible for a pre-professional fellowship to fund a special writing project for fiction writers, journalists, and dramatists. Knott Fellows have used the funding to support pre-professional internships, while others have used it to conduct bold research and writing projects. Ask the English Department for application information.
    • Archaeology Student Enrichment Fund
      The archaeology program in the Classics and Archaeology Department sends qualified students on international archaeology digs, funding up to $2,500 per student for travel and expenses. Ask the archaeology program for details about this unique opportunity.

  • You've finished your research project, so now what? Show off your findings to students and faculty at a symposium or conference. Ask your department chair or advisor for ideas in your department or discipline. Students have presented at political science conferences, Chicana/o Studies conferences, and others. Some other resources to help you get started:

Psychological Science Summer Research
Students had the opportunity to collaborate with faculty from the Department of Psychological Science as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program.
Women’s and Gender Studies Research
Student researches gender categorization at LMU.