Undergraduate Students

Begin as early as freshman year

Drexel biology majors engaged in the SEA-PHAGES project display their examination of genome annotation and bioinformatic analyses.

Through participation in the national SEA-PHAGES initiative, first-year biology majors explore genome annotation and bioinformatic analyses.

What is research?

It isn’t just for natural science students who want to experiment in a lab or do field work — it’s for anyone who wants to investigate a topic or academic discipline on a deeper level under the mentorship of a faculty expert. Undergraduate research and creative experiences are available for Drexel’s College of Arts and Sciences students across all majors and most minors in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences beginning as early as your first year.

Questions? We are eager to hear from you!

Gain Experience Find a Mentor Get Funding Meet Our STAR Scholars

Quicklinks

Drexel Undergraduate Research & Enrichment (UREP)

Undergraduate Research at Drexel

Research at CoAS

Psychology major Diego Aragon-Guevara explores neuropsychology and developmental disorders, like Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Gain experience

Opportunities abound for College of Arts and Sciences students to pursue hands-on experience in research, entrepreneurial pursuits and creative work. Many of our students receive research awards for their work and are published in academic journals — some even in their freshman year. Apply for a research fellowship or scholarship, conduct an independent study on a topic of your choice, join a faculty or group project, apply for a research co-op, take a research-based course elective, or conduct lab work. The possibilities are limitless!

Psychology major Diego Aragon-Guevara recently co-authored an article, "The Reach and Accuracy of Information on Autism on Tik Tok," published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Drexel University's College of Arts and Sciences offers unlimited possibilities for undergraduate research starting as early as your freshman year.

Find a mentor

One of the most important steps in a student’s career as an undergraduate researcher is finding a faculty mentor. Faculty mentors are a source of support and guidance, both in the research setting and in guiding future endeavors by providing advice on graduate school or potential career paths.

Undergraduate research, creative and entrepreneurial experiences enable students to gain skills in problem solving, communication and teamwork while helping to clarify their academic and professional goals. Participating in research also gives students the chance to work one-on-one with faculty, allowing them to build lasting relationships with world-renowned experts.

Chemistry major and 2023 Truman Scholar Sky Harper credits his family and faculty mentors with supporting his goal to advance Native American healthcare.

Get Funding

Mini Grants and Travel Grants

Nearly half of Drexel University’s Undergraduate Research Mini Grants were awarded to students with majors in the College of Arts and Sciences during the Winter and Spring 2023 terms. Mini grants allow undergraduate students and faculty to collaborate on research projects, scholarly efforts and creative work that encourage students to build vital skills. Drexel also supports students who have been accepted to present their work at local, national, and international conferences with Travel Grants.

Experience Fund

In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences offers the Undergraduate Experience Fund to provide essential resources and meaningful experiences that help students access rewarding extracurricular activities without being deterred by the cost. Financial assistance of up to $1,000 is available to qualified students with majors in the college who wish to pursue an academic or civic opportunity outside of the classroom. Students are encouraged to apply to help cover costs including, but not limited to:

Presentations at academic conferences.
Chances for study abroad.
Conducting research outside of Drexel.
Civic engagement aligned with their major.

Recent alum Paige DeAngelo, communication, entrepreneurship and innovation ’23, launched Aer Cosmetics, a green ‘causemetics’ brand she developed from the ground up. Paige won funding from the Drexel Startup Fest hosted by the Close School of Entrepreneurship.

Biological sciences major Tasneem Siddique became the inaugural winner of the Drexel Quick Pitch Competition in 2023 for her Alzheimer's disease-related research.

Meet Our STAR Scholars

Drexel University’s STAR —Students Tackling Advanced Research— Scholars Program is an opportunity for highly motivated first-year CoAS students to engage in an early faculty-mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, or creative experience during the summer after their freshman year. This highly competitive program seeks to identify and encourage students to take a hands-on approach to their education through undergraduate research.

Any student who participates in the STAR Scholars Program earns a stipend and lives in free on-campus housing for the summer term while completing 350 hours of faculty-mentored activity. Their summer experience culminates with a poster presentation at the annual STAR Scholars Showcase.

Learn more

Biological sciences major Tasneem Siddique became the inaugural winner of the Drexel ‘Quick Pitch Competition’ in 2023 for her Alzheimer's disease-related research project “The Effect of Synthetic Aβ on Ciliary Membrane and Axonemal Proteins.”