Participating in undergraduate research is an amazing experience regardless of your major or areas of interest. Mason has made it possible for any undergraduate student to have the opportunity to pursue individualized research regardless of their interests. There are three primary avenues to pursue undergraduate research (not including the Honors college).
Option One: OSCAR
The Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research (OSCAR) is the primary home to undergraduate research opportunities. They are a go-to source for students looking to pursue undergraduate research.
Students can request to be a research assistant in which they help faculty work on their research projects. Students are introduced to the concept of scholarship, learn the research or scholarly methods in their field, and provide faculty free project support. You can learn more here.
Students can also apply for the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. This program provides students with funding to conduct original research under the guise of experienced faculty mentors. You can find more information here.
OSCAR provides a ton of resources to students, so we highly recommend you visit their website to learn more.
Option Two: Ask you academic advisor.
Your academic advisor may be able to connect you with a faculty member in your field of interest who could use your help. Feel free to reach out personally to your advisor to find out if there is an opportunity for you.
Option Three: Ask a faculty member.
Many professors may currently have their own research projects. If you are interested in their field, consider asking if they could use help or if you could learn more about their endeavors. Sometimes professors will agree to sponsor you for an independent research course.
If you have any feedback or questions, please reach out to sg@gmu.edu.