Research experience is needed if you’re planning on applying to PhD or PsyD programs (or Industrial/Organizational programs) as well as clinical or other applied experiences.

The faculty in the Psychology Department are very active in research. To apply to a research lab, go to RA Match and click on the lab(s) you wish to apply to. Next, be sure to make an appointment to meet the professor to talk about graduate school and the availability of a research position within their lab. Their contact information will be posted on their lab webpage or you can get it from the UCF Psych webpage. Most labs prefer that you have earned a “B” or better in PSY3204C Statistical Methods in Psychology at minimum. If you can’t get into the research lab relevant to your preferred field, don’t worry! All research experience is good research experience! Learning how to work with participants, read, collect, and input or code data, and work on research papers will be necessary to apply for graduate programs in any field. Most graduate programs like to see at least 1 year of research experience or more on your resume or CV.

If you have been approved to volunteer for a Psychology lab the faculty member will complete a volunteer registration form for you.

Labs in the Psychology Department: psychology.cos.ucf.edu/research/laboratories/
Some labs require that you are CITI trained. Go to https://www.citiprogram.org/index.cfm?pageID=668 and click on University of Central Florida. Then just log in with your NID and NID password to take the CITI training course for Group 2: Social/Behavioral Research Investigators and Key Personnel Group

Graduate Research

The UCF Psychology Department offers many opportunities for graduate students to participate in research.

Laboratories sona systems irb office

Research Participation

Sona

Sona is the UCF Psychology Research Participation System. This link is for students who are looking to serve as a participant in a psychology study (usually in exchange for course credit).

Refer to the SONA Participant Instructions, it provide information on how to create an account, login, etc.

Do NOT click on Sona if you are interested in serving as a research assistant (RA).

If you are interested in being an RA, click on ‘RA Match’ below or see our undergraduate research page to learn about research opportunities.

RA Match

This website is intended to assist current UCF undergraduate students in finding a placement as a research assistant in one or more of the research laboratories of the department.

Other Research Lab Opportunities

Other undergraduate research opportunities may be found through the UCF Institute for Simulation Training (www.ist.ucf.edu) or the UCF Marriage and Family Research Institute (www.mfri.ucf.edu) .

IF YOU ARE AN ONLINE STUDENT: It can be a big challenge to get research experience with our professors virtually since they usually prefer to work with you for a semester or 2 to make sure you can handle working effectively on your own. Sometimes, rarely, there will be opportunities with helping our professors conduct research online.

You can also connect with local schools near you to see if they are willing to let you work with their lab even though you’re a UCF student. Find the contact for faculty at other campuses and look at their lab and research information. Contact them for an appointment to sit down with them to talk about graduate school, the research they are doing and how it relates to your interests, and ask them if they are in need of a research assistant.

Office of Undergraduate Research

The University of Central Florida offers numerous opportunities for undergraduates to pursue research in various disciplines under the direction of a faculty member. This intensive research opportunity enhances the academic experience and challenges students to strengthen their critical, analytical, and writing skills. You can find out more at the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research www.our.ucf.edu

Honors in the Major (HIM) Program

This website has been designed specifically for Psychology HIM students, it outlines expectations for our majors please visit https://sciences.ucf.edu/psychology/him/

McNair Scholars Program

McNair prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Participants are either first-generation college students and low-income as defined by federal guidelines or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate school. mcnair.ucf.edu

Research and Mentoring Program (RAMP)

RAMP offers paid research experiences to students in their junior and senior years with the potential to continue in graduate school. Faculty members mentor students, and participants engage in research throughout the academic year. www.ramp.ucf.edu

Burnett Research Scholars

The Burnett Honors College hosts the SMART program, which offers research experiences to all UCF undergraduate students who have completed at least one semester and have at least two semesters left before graduation. SMART offers grants to students and faculty every spring, summer, and fall. research.honors.ucf.edu/burnett-research-scholars

Summer Research Academy (SRA)

This two-and-a-half day event is held every summer for transfer students and rising sophomores and juniors. SRA scholars receive one credit and free housing (if needed) for the academy, where they learn about academic research. www.sra.ucf.edu