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Undergrad Research

When Should I Start Doing Research?

There really is no right answer to this question. Students can start research any time they wish, as long as they have a lab to work in. We recommend that students take on research after they have gotten used to Cal. For many, this is around their junior or senior years. We advise transfer students to wait until their second semester at Cal to begin research.

Finding a research position

There is no sure way to find a research position; Different avenues exist by which students may pursue research. The first place to start may be Cal's Research Page.

Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP)

Faculty post descriptions of positions for which they would like to recruit undergrad research assistants (RAs). See postings for URAP positions in IB.

Application required?

Generally, Yes

    Pros:

  • Highly structured program;
  • allows comparison shopping of research positions in various departments.

    • Cons:

  • Highly competitive;
  • not all faculty recruit through URAP;
  • available positions may not mesh with student's research interests.

Direct contact with faculty or graduate students:

Students may contact directly a faculty member or grad student who is doing work related to the student's area of interest. If unsure about what people in IB are studying, take a look at the Faculty Research Interests and Students Research Interests pages. (You may also want to look at faculty research interest and grad student pages for other biology departments.)

Application required?

Generally, No

    Pros:

  • Allows students to find a faculty member/grad student who is doing work directly related to the student's area of interest.

    • Cons:

  • The specific faculty member/grad student with whom the student wishes to work may not currently seek any RAs;
  • not a structured way to look for research may be hit or miss.

The Career Center

The Career Center maintains an Internship Directory and provides workshops and seminars on finding internships.

Contacting Faculty

Tips for approaching faculty about research:

  1. Research the faculty member beforehand:
    • If their research is interesting to you, think about why.
    • Read the most recent publications from the lab.
    • Become well informed regarding recent and current research in the lab, enabling you to discuss why you would like to enter the faculty member's lab and why you think you (and your specific interests) would be a good fit.
  2. Contact the faculty member via email first to set up an appointment. Mention in the email that you are interested in pursuing research and why you think their research is interesting.
  3. Practice for the meeting. Try some tips from the Career Center.
  4. Prepare your resume and cover letter. See the Career Center's guide to resume writing.

What are faculty looking for in a research assistant?

While there is no exact "recipe" for what each individual faculty member is looking for in an RA, there are some qualities that almost all faculty would like to see in a potential RA:

  • Dedication and reliability
  • Passion for the research topic(s)
  • Analytical thinking skills
  • Ability to think outside the box
  • Willingness to commit to at least one year of research in the lab

Can I do research outside of the IB major?

Absolutely! IB students work in labs in various departments across campus, including MCB, Psychology and PMB, just to name a few. Additionally, it is possible to do research in a lab off campus if you wish—IB students can earn credit for research at UCSF, Oakland Children's Hospital, etc. as long as a Cal faculty member is willing to sponsor them. Please note that in order to earn research credit through IB, a student must be an IB major or be working in an IB lab.

Unit credit for research

Yes, there are many ways to earn units for research. Unit credit is generally earned on the basis of 1 unit per 3 hours of research per week. (E.g., 6-8 hours of research time per week would earn 2 units for the semester, while 9-11 hours would earn 3 units.) A student can accumulate up to a maximum of 16 units of Independent Study towards the bachelor's degree, and enrollment in Independent Study is restricted to 4 units in a given semester. Check with the College of Letters & Science for further restrictions.

**Though all research credit is earned through work with a faculty sponsor, some credit can only be earned for working on a highly independent project.
**Honors work requires this.


Options for earning unit credit for research:


Credit Earned Units Who is eligible? Requires original research? Letter Grade
IB 99 Variable (1-4) Students with less than 60 units Not always P/NP
IB 199 Variable (1-4) Students with more than 60 units Not always P/NP
IB 196 -
IB Honors Program		 3 IB Majors with a GPA of 3.3 overall AND in IB Major Yes Letter graded

Procedure for earning credit

  1. Contact an IB Faculty member to sponsor you (see steps above).
  2. Complete an application for Independent Study.
  3. Return the completed application to the Undergraduate Student Services Office (2033 VLSB).
  4. The Undergraduate Student Services Office will provide you with a course control number (CCN) to enable you to register for the units. Please note that CCNs are not usually available until the beginning of the semester—come in during the first five weeks of the semester to obtain your CCN.

Are there alternatives to doing research?

Of course! There are numerous volunteer and tutoring opportunities both and Cal and throughout the East Bay. Some programs of note are listed below.

Health-Related Volunteer Positions:


Additional Volunteer Opportunities:


Teaching and Tutoring:

Undergraduate Student Instructor (UGSI)

Students interested in assisting in a course they have already taken may enroll in units as an undergraduate instructor. Upon instructor approval, the student can sign up for IB 194 (UGSI for IB courses). Application forms are available in the Undergraduate Student Affairs Office, 3060 VLSB.

Tutor for credit in local schools

Check the bulletin board on the first floor of Tolman Hall outside the School of Education Student Services Office for listings.

IB Info

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Thank you for your interest!

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