Undergraduate Research
Get a head start on your career!
If you’re looking to broaden your employment opportunities,
strengthen your application to graduate school or simply get a clearer view of
your career interests and options, undergraduate research can open doors to
your future.
Undergraduate research offers you an opportunity to work closely with faculty members and graduate students to investigate important issues that interest you. It will strengthen your research, analytical, writing and speaking skills, and it could result in a journal article or presentation at a national meeting.
Undergraduate research allows you to become more actively engaged in your education through intellectual inquiry and practical learning. Working closely with a faculty mentor, you’ll gain a more in-depth understanding of your field, gain real-world experience and be better prepared for your future career.
Getting started
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) students may work with any faculty member at MSU. Choose a faculty member in one of three ways:
- Contact a faculty member directly to ask about his or her current research or to discuss working with you on a research idea that interests you. (Many MSU faculty members are happy to mentor undergraduate students.)
- Choose from a list of research project and faculty research mentors on the MSU Venture website.
- Contact the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) coordinator Dr. Dorcia Chaison (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) to inquire about possibilities.
International Research
Research projects can be carried out anywhere in the world. One of several options is through the Institute of International Agriculture (IIA). For more information, contact Dan Dutkiewicz (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)).
Funding
Participants may be eligible for Research Support grants of up to $2,000 per semester. The majority of the grant (80 percent) is awarded to the student as a scholarship, hourly wage, conference travel or stipend. If you usually work during the semester, these funds could permit you to devote quality time to conducting research without having to worry about working another job. The URP also provides Presentation Support grants solely to help support travel to conferences and other costs associated with presentation of research results.
Who is eligible?
- CANR students who have at least a 2.5 GPA
- Highly motivated, inquisitive, committed and self-disciplined students with a drive to succeed
- All class levels. Seniors in their last semester of study are welcome to participate but are not eligible for Research Support grants.
