Undergraduate Research and Practicum Opportunities

This is a great way to get started in research. Many labs in Psychological & Brain Sciences offer volunteer research opportunities to those who are interested and qualify. Typically, volunteers might be involved in:

• participating in lab/project meetings
• piloting experimental studies
• assisting with the implementation of a study
• assisting with data collection
• data processing
• conducting literature reviews on research topics

Volunteer experience is sometimes required or highly-regarded for more advanced undergraduate research opportunities (e.g., ROP, IRP, Thesis).

• The Research Opportunity Program is administered centrally by UTM's Experiential Education Unit.
• The program allows qualified students to earn course credit as they engage in intermediate-level research experience in on-campus laboratories.
• Information about the application process can be found here.

The Independent Research Project is a 4th-year course (offered as either a semester-long or year-long course) in which qualified students conduct an independent research project under a faculty supervisor affiliated with  UTM Psychological and Brain Sciences.

• This project usually involves more independent work than a research volunteer or ROP position. As such, it often requires prior research experiences as a research volunteer, paid research assistant, or an ROP student.
• General information for the application process can be found here.

A research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty supervisor for the full Fall-Winter session.

• The Honours Thesis program provides students with an exceptionally in-depth research opportunity as they earn course credit.  In the program, students play a key role in a research project spanning the full academic year.

• The program enables highly qualified undergraduate students to conduct an independent research project under a faculty supervisor affiliated with UTM Psychological & Brain Sciences. Admission is competitive and the general requirements can be found here. 

   

PSY401 is a year-long, half-credit course in which undergraduate students will produce and present deliverables for a faculty supervisor affiliated with  UTM Psychological & Brain Sciences. 

• Students will participate in seminars to learn to communicate effectively about scientific discoveries and engage in the process of knowledge translation. Students will also work with a faculty supervisor to create and deliver knowledge translation products.
• More general information can be found here.

PSY442Y5 is a year-long seminar and practicum on issues relating to the life-long development of individuals with disabilities. 

• The course combines academic material (readings, weekly seminars, assignments, and field trips) with practical experience in a community-based setting with exceptional children, youth or adults. The practicum portion involves an 80 hour supervised placement in a school or social service agency, with emphasis on developmental delay, physical disability, and/or hearing and visual impairment.

Objectives of the Field Placement:

• To provide students with direct experience working with exceptional children, adolescents and/or adults in the context of a school, clinic, community agency or other setting approved by the Course Instructor.
• To stimulate philosophical and practical discussions of disability issues based on students’ experiences.
• To enable students to evaluate their suitability for a variety of careers involving exceptional people, including education, counselling, rehabilitation, advocacy, research and writing.

More general information can be found here.

Work-Study is a university-administered program that offers qualified students paid opportunities to obtain hands-on research experiences. Many research labs in UTM Psychological and Brain Sciences participate in this program to offer various opportunities throughout the year.

• The qualification varies across opportunities and is described in program specifications for each opportunity. The research experiences also vary across opportunities and may include but are not limited to the same activities as the unpaid positions.
• General information for the application process can be found here.

• On some occasions, a paid research assistantship may be available for highly-qualified students.
• The qualification for this position is specific to each lab, but it almost always requires extensive prior research experience in a specific field of research. The research experiences also vary across opportunities and may include but are not limited to the same activities as the unpaid positions.
• For more information, please contact the lab of your interest.

For an overview of the various types of research opportunities available within the department and some tips and guidelines for getting involved, see: