We encourage undergraduates at Georgia Tech to become involved in research as early as possible. The most informative letters of recommendation for graduate school or references for future employment typically come from faculty who supervise research. Getting involved in research requires students to take the initiative by completing a research assistantship (information on that below) and/or conducting an undergraduate thesis (information that found here).
Most students do research for course credit or as volunteers, but in some cases there may be opportunities to research for pay. Regardless of how they are compensated, undergraduate research assistants have real responsibilities that have meaningful impacts on research outputs.
Research Areas in the School of Psychology
There are six different areas of research within the School of Psychology. Each area investigates a broad array of topics, so it is best to do a bit of research and reflection on the topics you’re interested in. You can explore the six different research areas and research labs by following the links below.
Each research lab also has its own webpage. You can explore the different labs by following clicking here.
Finding Research Opportunities
In the spreadsheet below, research personnel across the School of Psychology have indicated their need for research assistants. You should also feel free to reach out directly to research labs that you are interested in working for, if the opportunities listed below do not suit your interest. Find the “Contact Us” area of a lab’s webpage and reach out accordingly. Lastly, many lab post research assistant recruitment flyers on the bulletin boards around the J.S. Coon building.
Link to Available Research Opportunities
Other Universities
Most labs welcome interest in research positions from motivated undergraduates studying at other universities. Georgia Tech students may also contact researchers in other departments at Tech and at nearby schools such as Georgia State and Emory about research opportunities. Students who spend their summers in different parts of the country should consider contacting local labs about summer positions.
Research for Credit FAQs
Is psychology coursework required?
Some labs will accept entering students with no psychology coursework whereas others may prefer that students complete some coursework first. The best you can take to prepare you for research is Research Methods (PSYC 2012 or 2015).
I found a lab to work with. How do I register for course credit?
After confirming with the research staff how many credit hours you can enroll in in exchange for your research activities, you will need to submit a permit to enroll in the research course number. As a general guideline, for each credit hour, a student is expected to complete 3 hours of research per week (e.g., 3 credit hours = 9 hours per week commitment). There are two research course numbers: PSYC 2699 and PSYC 4699. See below for which section you should select. The permit request will first be sent to the faculty member you have arranged to work with, they will then approve/deny the request, and then you will be issued a permit to register if the request is approved.
After a request to enroll is processed, students will receive an email with the CRN of the course for which they should register. It is the student's responsibility to register for the course prior to the close of Phase II registration. Up to 3 hours of 2699/4699 can be applied toward PSYC electives for PSYC majors.
Which section of research should I enroll in?
- If your classification is Freshman/Sophomore, you can only enroll in PSYC 2699.
- If your classification is Junior/Senior, you should be enrolling in PSYC 4699.
- To find out your classification, please follow this link: http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/6/ (Links to an external site.)
How do I indicate the number of credit hours I’d like to enroll in for PSYC 2699 or 4699?
The PSYC 2699/4699 courses are identified as "Variable Hour Courses" in Buzzport/Oscar. When you register for PSYC 2699/4699, the number of credit hours defaults to 1 hour. It is YOUR responsibility to adjust the number of credit hours on your schedule. Details on this process are pasted below.
- Log into Buzzport (Links to an external site.)
- On the Home tab locate the "Registration and Student Services" channel
- Select the "Registration - OSCAR" link
- Select "Student Services & Financial Aid"
- Select "Registration"
- Select "Add/Drop Classes"
- Select "Term"
- Select "Change Course Options" at the bottom of screen
- Enter the desired number of hours
I still have questions. Who should I contact?
For any other questions about Undergraduate Research Opportunities, please contact Dr. Christopher Stanzione.
