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Experience the research process firsthand while earning course. 

SONA is an online system where you can:

• Find available studies
• Book time slots
• Earn course credit or other incentives for participation

Learn how to participate in a study.

Volunteering in a lab is one of the most common ways to gain research experience.

• Work a few hours per week
• Help with basic tasks such as data entry or participant coordination
• Assist with literature reviews
• Learn about the research environment
• Take on more responsibility over time

Contact professors in your area of interest about potential volunteer opportunities in their labs. A good starting point is to check researchers’ lab websites to see if they have a specific way they want students to contact their lab about volunteer opportunities.

• Paid Research Assistant positions are available, though opportunities can be competitive.
• Some paid positions may be full- or part-time
• Not all positions are advertised
• Monitor your lab websites and social media for postings
• Research experience is often required
• Volunteering can lead to paid opportunities

For upper-year students, independent and directed research courses allow you to gain experience by working on a faculty-supervised project. You earn course credit while completing a research project.

Eligibility requirements:

• B or higher in PSYO/NESC 2000
• Average of B+ or higher in all completed PSYO/NESC program requirements at the 2000-level or above (i.e., a major GPA of 3.3 or higher)
• A confirmed, eligible supervisor

Click here for a document (COMING SOON) with full details about these research opportunities. It also has a syllabus template that you will fill out with your supervisor.

Directed Research (PSYO 3001/PSYO 3002 | NESC 3001/NESC 3002):

• You complete a single-term term research project (12-weeks) for course credit
• You develop a research plan with your professor and conduct the project under their supervision
• Your assessments are project deliverables that you agree on with your supervisor (e.g., drafts, outlines, presentations, final papers)

Independent Research (PSYO 3100/PSYO 3101 | NESC 3100/NESC 3101):

• You complete an 8-month research project for course credit (across Fall/Winter terms in the same academic year)
• You play an active role in developing the research project, and conduct it in collaboration with your faculty supervisor
• Your assessments are project deliverables that you agree on with your supervisor (e.g., drafts, outlines, presentations, final papers)

Both options can be a stepping stone to honours thesis work. They can also be a way for students to get research experience if they don’ t want to pursue honours.

Note: You can earn a maximum of 6 credit hours from these research project courses (either one Independent Research Project, or 1–2 Directed Projects). See our program guidebooks for details!

An honours degree provides you with intensive research training.

You’ll typically need it for research-based graduate programs (e.g., Experimental or Clinical Psychology PhD), but not always for course-based professional programs.

Explore the honours program

Learn about honours thesis research

Faculty of Science Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) provide the opportunity to do research as a summer job.

• You must be in at least the second year of your program to apply
• Work terms typically run for 16 weeks (May to August)
• You may work with faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and lab staff
• Applications are competitive and typically open in December and close in January

Learn more about Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

• Developmental psychology
• Clinical psychology and mental health
• Brain and cognition
• Cellular/molecular neuroscience
• Animal behaviour and comparative psychology

You may have opportunities to connect with researchers and projects through affiliated organizations and research networks, including:

»ÆÉ«Ö±²¥ Centre for Psychological Health (CPH)