Research at USC Dornsife
Imagine being able to contribute to the creation of new knowledge with peers and faculty mentors. Research is an integral part of academic life at USC Dornsife, and students are encouraged to engage in research at every stage of their academic careers.
Opportunities Range as Wide as Our Selection of Majors
You might investigate the processes through which children acquire language, study peace and conflict through interviews with survivors of genocide and civil war, work on new methods to detect cancerous tumors, or analyze online economies and apply game theory to the digital universe. Students can even propose their own original research projects.
This is what makes USC a premier research institution: Dornsife faculty are actively engaged in groundbreaking research, and undergraduate students are working every day alongside our most renowned scholars.
Dornsife has allowed my curiosity to roam free. For me, a 17-year-old high school senior both deeply interested in the interconnections within our human brain neural circuitry and also the cultural bridges of different societies around the world, I found solace in attending Dornsife specifically where I could take classes in both Biological Sciences and International Relations. I had the opportunity of adding these new perspectives to my own research projects through the Dornsife SOAR fellowship, an opportunity that I vividly dreamed about experiencing when applying.
Student Opportunities for Academic Research (SOAR)
The SOAR program provides USC Dornsife students up to $1,000 of financial support for non-course related research activities during the fall or spring semester. Students submit a research plan and a proposed budget with their application; funding can allow you to purchase equipment or undertake project-related travel.
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Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF)
Looking for a stimulating way to spend your summer vacation – something unique and academically challenging? SURF provides students up to $3,000 to support a summer research project under the supervision of a USC faculty member. The stipend may be used to pay for travel, equipment, living expenses, or other fees related to the research effort.
