Undergraduate Research

Independent research allows you to explore new topics and deepen your existing knowledge of topics that interest you. Research has the power to make a positive impact on people’s lives and even influence policy. Through independent research, you will gain first hand experience, become more confident about your abilities, and enhance your knowledge and skills. Performing independent research gives you an advantage in applying for graduate schools, professional jobs, and internships. Investing in research trains you for any type of job as many skills learned can be applied to everyday life. To learn more information, follow this link to the Office of Undergraduate Research at UNC.

Getting Started

The Geography Department is dedicated to undergraduate research and is willing to help students as they develop their independent projects. Geography is an interdisciplinary department with a wide variety of research opportunities. Geography faculty members are involved with many diverse research projects. Here are some steps that might help in pursuing undergraduate research: 1) If you are a first year student, take a Geography first year seminar 2) Ask Geography faculty, lecturers, or graduate students about their own research 3) Discuss with your teachers topics you find interesting in class and questions you have about a particular topic 4) Ask librarians for help in discovering resources and reading materials in the area of interest 5) Find out about other students research projects 6) Ask faculty members to be your adviser once you have developed a topic 7) Register for undergraduate courses in independent research or pursue summer independent projects.

 Course Credit

The department offers many courses in undergraduate research. Each course must be advised by a Geography faculty member.