Undergraduate students have the unique opportunity to engage in a diverse array of research and scholarly activities with award-winning faculty. Engaging in research not only deepens academic understanding but also cultivates critical career competencies—such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and analytical thinking—that are highly valued by today’s employers. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is here to help you find research connections and activities that will engage and challenge you and prepare you for a bright future.
The best way to take advantage of the cutting-edge research, academic opportunities, and high-quality resources available to you at the University of South Carolina is through a faculty-mentored research experience. We have gathered the steps and resources you need to get connected below. Reach out to the OUR with questions or to schedule an appointment with a member of our team.
They can be related to your major, something you read about in a class, or a topic completely unrelated to your academic program. Click this box to see the "What Are Your Research Interests" worksheet for thought prompts for this process. At a school of such a high level of research activity, there is Discovery for EVERY Discipline!
Talk to current or previous professors, your advisor or friends for suggestions. This box is linked to the OUR Faculty Research Database to streamline your search.
Use your most professional writing style, state the purpose of your email, and let them know why you are interested in their research. Ask for an appointment to talk in more detail. Click here for more tips on impressive emails.
Be ready to describe your interest in their research and ask questions about their work. Share any connections you have to the subject matter or methods used in their research, Have an idea of how much time you are able to commit and what your schedule might be.
Record your undergraduate research experience and enter your project(s) in the OUR Research Registry. This is required every semester for research to appear on your "My USC Experience" transcript.
Check out Undergraduate Research Grants offered through the OUR. We want to support you through every step of your research experience! Generally you apply for funding the semester before you plan on using it.
Be thinking about how you can showcase your research. Talk with your mentor, or check out the "Share Your Work" page on the OUR website.
If you need help at any step of this process, we are here for you!
In addition to the information on this page, the Getting Started Toolkit will be helpful to you. In the toolkit you will find a short video with information
helpful in this stage of securing a research opportunity. Please take a few moments
to watch the video for answers to some of your questions.
The OUR is available via email and offers individualized Research Consultations to
help you navigate your USC research experience. For summer appointments, please email
us at our@sc.edu to schedule your meeting.