CIS Undergraduate Research Assistants

2023–24 Undergraduate RA Support Funding: Call for Proposals
PRIORITY DEADLINE: Sept. 8, 2023; applications considered on a rolling basis thereafter through Feb. 1, 2024

The Center for International Studies offers grants up to $3,000 to support the hiring of undergraduate research assistants (URAs) for the purpose of supporting faculty research.

Please complete the online Faculty Research Funding form and upload any corresponding documentation, including a budget.

Please note the following deadlines:
● Aug. 4, 2023: Funding application period for 2023–24 opens.
● Sept. 8, 2023: Priority deadline for applicants seeking to onboard students for the fall semester.
● Feb. 1, 2024: Last day to apply for 2023–24 undergraduate RA support funding.
● May 15, 2024: Last day for graduating seniors to report hours.
● June 15, 2024: Last day for students to report hours.
● Aug. 15, 2024: Impact report due.

Please also note that any changes to an approved proposal must be resubmitted to CIS for review; there will be no roll-overs of unused balances. Faculty seeking funding for URA support into summer 2024 can contact CIS for further information.

Faculty members who apply for these funds should submit a research plan that reflects the concrete tasks to be performed by the URA, as well as a statement that commits the faculty member to mentoring the student(s) through this funding. Mentoring, for example, would include everything from time spent with the URA on concrete research tasks (database searches, etc.) to encouraging the URA to develop proposals for an honors thesis and/or an external grant (Fulbright, Boren, etc.) using some of the research material and tasks that the URA has been assigned. It would be ideal if the content of the research topic could form the basis for external grant proposals, securing internships, and job searches.

The URA will be paid through Workday, which the students will report bi-weekly until the fund is exhausted. CIS will work with the supervising faculty member to track accumulated hours.

Please note the following conditions:
● The minimum hourly wage is $16.78
● Consider using the work-study program (75% funded by the federal government)
● URAs limited to 20 hours per week
● Faculty supervisors are expected to track and monitor the total hours worked

Eligibility:
● T/TT/RTPC faculty of POIR with a focus on international relations and/or comparative politics
● Active commitment to the CIS community; frequent participation in CIS events.
Email: cis@dornsife.usc.edu with any questions.
The Center for International Studies is committed to ensuring equity in its mission to support scholarship in international studies.

Email: cis@dornsife.usc.edu with any questions.

The Center for International Studies is committed to ensuring equity in its mission to support scholarship in international studies