Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate Physics majors are strongly encouraged to participate in research activities in the Department.

MassURC Poster Presentation

Undergraduate research can be explored as an independent study or practicum under the guidance of a faculty member, typically for 1 - 3 credits. This list of Undergraduate Research Opportunities shows available projects in the different research groups in the Physics Department in the current semester. This is not a comprehensive list, since not all researchers choose to post positions online, so do not feel limited by this - if you are interested in working with a particular faculty member, you should feel free to contact that person directly.

The department also maintains lists of previous Undergrad Research Projects going back to 2008, including Independent Study projects and Honors Theses. Peruse some of those titles to get a feel for the type of research work available. Faculty who are actively searching for undergraduate research assistants also advertise under undergraduate research jobs, and these listings are available at the start of each semester. 

In addition to research positions, the department sometimes uses undergraduates in academic support jobs, as graders, teaching assistants, or lecture support. Check our list of Undergrad Assistantships for open positions.