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Home Department of Psychology Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Research Opportunities

The University of Memphis is rated R1, meaning it is ranked as one of highest research-active universities in the nation. The UoM Psychology Program is a strong contributor to this status, with many opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved. This is a great way for a student to build skills, add an impressive line to a resume, cultivate a strong letter of recommendation, and build relationships with peers. For those considering the pursuit of a doctoral degree later, this experience can be very impactful on an application. 

Involvement with Faculty Labs on Campus

Faculty members and graduate students often recruit undergraduate students to assist in their research and labs. Some students volunteer, others are hired, while others receive 3 hours of course credit. (Students may repeat the experience for up to 9 hours of course credit.) There are opportunities for those interested in clinical topics, school psychology, and experimental areas such as cognitive psychology and behavioral neuroscience. Explore different faculty research areas available in UoM Psychology. 

To learn more about these opportunities, visit our Psych Ready website, contact one of our advisors, or talk to a faculty member.

NeuroSTART Program

The University of Memphis houses the Neuroscience Techniques and Research Training (NeuroSTART) Program for Undergraduates (NSF Award #2051105). The program is part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (ASSURE) Program funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).

Qualifications to Participate

  • Undergraduate students interested in neuroscience from the greater Memphis area who will be rising juniors or seniors at the start of the program (May 15th each year) are eligible to apply.
  • We are particularly interested in underrepresented racial and ethnic minority and/or first-generation college student applicants.

Description of Experience

  • Over the course of two-semesters, students accepted into the program will receive a competitive stipend for 10-20 hours/week of participation.
  • Students will complete all phases of an empirical research project under the mentorship of a behavioral neuroscience faculty member.
  • Students will prepare and present a “mock defense” of their project, present their work at a national conference [e.g., Society for Neuroscience (SfN)], and write and submit a manuscript summarizing their project to a peer-reviewed neuroscience journal.
  • Students will join other neuroscience researchers in a series of monthly seminars to:
  • promote career development and training of responsible conduct in research (RCR)
  • hear neuroscience-related talks from guest speakers as well as current faculty and graduate students (Cajal Club)
  • partake in important discussions about equity and inclusion in academia and society (Welcoming Diversity seminar)
  • Students will also participate in a two-day retreat to prepare for the process of applying to graduate schools.

While NeuroSTART is not taking applications at this time, Dr. Helen Sable (hjsable@memphis.edu) and Dr. Deranda Lester (dbrewer@memphis.edu) encourage you to contact them with questions about the program.

Conference and Publication Opportunities

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to present their research at on-campus events and publish in the UoM undergraduate journal. Explore the UoM Works in Progress symposium, the UoM Student Research Forum, the UoM Lambuth Student Symposium, and UoM undergraduate journal QuaesitUM.

Psychology students also have the opportunity to present work at the Mid-South Psychology Conference each spring as well as at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. As well, some students attend professional conferences alongside the faculty with whom they work.

Individual Thesis

A thesis provides a unique opportunity for students to learn from faculty mentors in an individualized setting as they complete a piece of experimental research in collaboration with their mentor. A thesis is a two-semester process that begins with students earning 3 credit hours for involvement in research under the tutorship of a faculty mentor. The thesis culminates the next semester with 3 additional credit hours to complete the final thesis product.  A high standard of intellectual engagement and time commitment is expected throughout the two-semester sequence. We invite you to explore further details about the thesis process. 

Research Scholar Designation

Undergraduate students involved in research may earn the "Undergraduate Research Scholar" designation on their transcripts and receive an honor cord to wear at graduation.  This is accomplished by conducting a piece of research that they then  present or publish at any of over a dozen options and submitting an application prior to graduation. Learn more at this site.