Research Opportunities

The BASW Program at Michigan State University allows and encourages our undergraduate majors to become involved in faculty research projects. Our aim is to create an atmosphere at the School that encourages our BASW students to view research as an exciting and useful task for professional social workers. Students admitted to the social work program will be asked if they want to work on a research project and will be assigned to interested faculty members upon admission to the program. This will provide students with two years of experience working with faculty on their research.

There are several sources of funding to support undergraduate students doing research with faculty. One is the Provost Undergraduate Research Initiative grant, designed to provide an opportunity to work closely with faculty on major research projects, usually as part of the faculty member’s own scholarly enterprises. The College of Social Science lists some funding opportunities and there are other competitive award programs available elsewhere in the University.

MSU is nationally renowned for its support of undergraduate research. More about undergraduate research at MSU.

University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum

The annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF)—begun in 2004—provides MSU undergraduate students with an opportunity to showcase their scholarship and creative activity. This prestigious competition brings together an intellectual community of highly motivated students to share their work with faculty, peers, and external audiences and provides a unique educational opportunity for aspiring researchers.

Because one of the signature themes of our BASW program is our Undergraduate Research Initiative, many BASW students participate with our faculty researchers each year. Because of our high UURAF participation in past years, the School of Social Work now has its own program category, distinct from the other College of Social Science disciplines.

For more information, please email Monaca Eaton, BASW Program Coordinator, or call 353-8616.