Campus Research Opportunities in the Humanities
Stanford offers many opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in humanities research. Here are some of the most prominent ones that are accessible to frosh, sophomores, or non-majors.
The Humanities Research Intensive
If you are a frosh or sophomore and new to humanities research, consider taking this 2-unit course taught during spring break. Through hands-on work with archival materials in Stanford’s collections, you’ll learn how to formulate a research question and develop a compelling project proposal.
Faculty-Led Projects
Another great way to get started is to join a pre-defined, faculty-led project. These guided research experiences are a bit like apprenticeships: by working with a professor, you will learn the craft of research from an expert, form valuable relationships with faculty, and almost certainly come up with ideas for an independent research project of your own. Many of these opportunities emerge spontaneously: consider asking a professor you know if they need help with their research, and they may hire you on! In addition, the following programs offer annual opportunities to which you can apply.
- American Studies Summer Research Internships
- Bill Lane Center for the American West
- Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA)
- Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE)
- Haas Center for Public Service:
- Philosophy Talk
- Stanford Arts
- Stanford Humanities Center
- Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program
- Stanford Initiative on Language Inclusion and Conservation in Old and New Media (SILICON)
- Stanford Public Humanities Undergraduate Researcher Program
- Stanford University Archaeology Collections
- Stanford Archaeology Center Summer Field Experiences
- Some humanities departments offer internal research grants or lab opportunities to their majors. Check their webpages for details.
Funding for Independent Research Projects
If you have a research idea of your own, you can write up a proposal, find a professor willing to advise you, and apply for funding to cover your expenses—including travel, room and board, and materials. Some of the annual opportunities listed above also include funding for independent projects. But the main place to turn is the office of Undergraduate Research and Independent Projects Their website also has very helpful information on how to write a research proposal, choose a grant, draw up a budget, and more. They offer several different kinds of research grants, depending on your situation and class year. While the largest grants are generally reserved for juniors or seniors doing honors thesis research, the Chappell Lougee Scholarship supports full-time, independent research projects in the humanities, arts, and qualitative social sciences during the summer after sophomore year.
Other Resources
- Stanford On & Off-Campus Learning Opportunities (SOLO) lists experiential learning opportunities in all disciplines. It includes some research opportunities.
- The Stanford Undergraduate Research Association (SURA) is a student group that organizes an annual research showcase, a mentorship program, and other events.
- Bing Overseas Studies Program: Many of Stanford’s overseas programs provide opportunities to do research with local scholars if you have sufficient language skills.
- Undergraduate Research Journals: Some departments have an undergraduate research journal where you can get your project published.
Do you know of an opportunity that is not listed here? Contact Jeff Schwegman (jschweg [at] stanford.edu (jschweg[at]stanford[dot]edu)).