Why Undergraduate Psychology Research Matters (And How It Helps Your Career)
Undergraduate psychology research helps students develop valuable skills like data analysis, critical thinking, and communication—whether pursuing graduate school or entering the workforce. Dr. Dana Hirn Mueller notes that research experience makes students more competitive applicants and better-prepared professionals, even if they don't pursue a PhD.
Any undergraduate psychology program will teach students basic research principles. But not every program puts that knowledge to the test. In fact, many psychology students don't get the chance to participate in research projects until they go to graduate school — if they go to graduate school.
But according to Dana Hirn Mueller, PhD, an experienced legal psychology researcher and professor at Concordia University, St. Paul, waiting that long to give students hands-on research experience is a missed opportunity ty.
"One major misconception that many students have is that you should really only research if you're interested in pursuing graduate education," she said in an interview with CareersInPsychology. "But when students actually conduct research, they are almost forced, in a sense, to learn more about the topic. That can really help to translate into a particular profession, even if you're not interested in graduate work."
You're weighing your psychology degree program, but can't seem to make a decision. Here's why you may want to rank programs that offer research opportunities higher on your list.
CareersInPsychology.org had the pleasure of learning more about topics in the field from Dr. Dana Hirn Mueller, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Concordia University, St. Paul. As an experimental and legal psychologist, she has focused a great deal of her scholarship on ways to integrate psychological research with legal practice. Additionally, her central research interests concentrate on improving the psychology curriculum at the undergraduate level, promoting undergraduate research, and enhancing teaching methods.
Table of Contents
- Conducting Your Own Research Hones Hard and Soft Skills Alike
- Soft Skills Taught By Undergrad Research Projects
- Hard Skills Promoted During Research Projects
- Ways to Participate In Research As An Undergrad
- Research Projects Broaden Students' Horizons
- Grad Schools Value a Record of Research
- Employers Value Hands-on Experience
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Key Takeaways
Conducting Your Own Research Hones Hard and Soft Skills Alike
As Professor Hirn Mueller stated, students can learn a lot about specific facets of psychology by conducting their own research. However, learning about a particular topic in a hands-on way is only one benefit. During your research, you can also add a broad variety of hard and soft skills to your personal, professional, and academic toolkit.
Soft Skills Taught By Undergrad Research Projects
"Something important to note about research is that the skills that are required to do good research are not necessarily always directly related to psycho "ogy," Professor Hirn Mueller notes. "Students learn things like good communication, good organizational skills, and other skills like 'hat."
Encouragingly, these soft skills are often the most essential things to hiring managers across all industries. According to a 2021 survey conducted by the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers), employers prioritize these key skills in new hires:
| Skill | Employer Priority | Developed Through Research |
|---|---|---|
| Problem-solving skills | 85% | Analyzing data, troubleshooting experiments |
| Analytical skills | 76% | Statistical analysis, interpreting results |
| Teamwork | 73% | Collaborating with faculty and peers |
| Communication | 73% | Presenting findings, writing reports |
A research project is the perfect opportunity to develop these skills in a real-world yet academic context. You could be collaborating with faculty members, psychology professionals, other students, and participants. And at each step, you'll be collecting clean, relevant data and analyzing it in a meaningful, creative way.
Hard Skills Promoted During Research Projects
The NACE survey also found that 64.9% of employers are looking for job candidates with specific hard skills. While the specific skills employers want change with the industry, conducting research as an undergrad psychology student can teach you a few highly transferable ones.
No matter the project, your journey through psychological research can give you experience with:
- Research ethics - Understanding IRB protocols and participant protection
- Data collection - Gathering reliable, valid information systematically
- Clinical reasoning - Applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations
- Quantitative and qualitative research - Working with both statistical data and narrative information
- Experiment design - Creating controlled studies that test hypotheses
- Higher-order thinking and analysis - Synthesizing complex information into meaningful conclusions
Ways to Participate In Research As An Undergrad Psychology Student
Undergraduate psychology students can research a wide range of topics, including gender roles, child development, cultural attitudes about food, the effects of social media, and even more advanced clinical subjects. But that begs the question: What roles can an undergraduate student fill on a research team?
The roles are as diverse as the topics themselves:
- Research designer. In some cases, students can actually craft their own research projects under the guidance of a graduate student or professor.
- Many psychology researchers let students participate in studies and surveys. Some colleges may even allow this to count towards graduation requirements.
- Research assistant. When college faculty are working on long-term projects, they may enlist undergrad students to help carry out day-to-day tasks like collecting and recording data.
- Literature researcher. A big part of psychology research is fitting it into existing research. Undergrad students may help the lead researcher find, review, and contextualize decades worth of relevant academic literature.
In Concordia University, Paul's Professor Hirn Mueller says that no matter the role students play, the emphasis is always on fostering student engagement and creating mentor relationships.
"We try to stress to our students that we are willing to foster working relationships with them," she says. "We encourage them to pursue their research passions, and we work one-on-one with students specifically to help them carry out a research project or to work with us on an existing project that matches their particular interest."
In a bachelor's degree in psychology, these principles may be discussed, but not necessarily used. But when students actually use them, it could push them closer to their professional and academic goals.
Ways to Participate In Research As An Undergrad Psychology Student
Undergraduate psychology students can research a wide range of topics, including gender roles, child development, cultural attitudes about food, the effects of social media, and even more advanced clinical subjects. But that begs the question: What roles can an undergraduate student fill on a research team?
The roles are as diverse as the topics themselves:
| Research Role | Description | Skills Developed |
|---|---|---|
| Research Designer | Craft your own research projects under the guidance of a graduate student or professor. | Independent thinking, project management, and hypothesis development |
| Study Participant | Participate in studies and surveys (may count towards graduation requirements) | Understanding research from the participant perspective, ethical considerations |
| Research Assistant | Help carry out day-to-day tasks like collecting and recording data on long-term faculty projects. | Data management, attention to detail, and laboratory protocols |
| Literature Researcher | Find, review, and contextualize decades of relevant academic literature for ongoing projects. | Critical reading, synthesis, and academic writing |
In Paul'saul's program at Concordia University, Professor Hirn Mueller says that no matter the role students play, the emphasis is always on fostering student engagement and creating mentor relationships.
"We try to stress to our students that we are willing to foster working relationships with them," she says. "We encourage them to pursue their research passions, and we work one-on-one with students specifically to help them carry out a research project or to work with us on an existing project that matches their particular interest."
Research Projects Broaden Students' Horizons for Grad School and Beyond
All of this discussion about the skills learned during undergrad psychology research is great and all, but how does it actually help students? Particularly, how does it help students whose goals aren't clearly defined? Wouldn't committing to a long-term research project lock a student into a specific path if they're not ready?
Professor Hirn Mueller has an encouraging and straightforward message for students with those specific and relatively common anxieties. Here's how participating in research projects can help both segments of the student population.
Grad Schools Value a Record of Research
If graduate school is a possibility for you, doing research as an undergrad can, as Professor Hirn Mueller says, show admission boards that "you "have a basic working knowledge of research, a trait that could give you an edge when applying to competitive programs.
In a recent article, the American Psychological Association shed some light on what psychology graduate school admission boards look for. The article lists some obvious criteria like undergrad GPA and GRE scores, but it also highlights how students with research experience stand out in a sea of applicants.
"Graduate programs know that if a student can run a basic statistical test, or write policies and procedures within a research setting, they don't have to be retra" ned," Professor Hirn Mueller explains. Additionally, students who have participated in research projects can often provide personal, detailed letters of recommendation from faculty members they've worked with.
So, you're not just a good candidate for a spot in any given graduate program; you're a significant investment — a student whose research can create more dialogue within the psychology community and bolster the institution's reputation as a pillar of the field. When comparing graduate psychology programs, research experience becomes even more valuable.
Employers Value Hands-on Experience
Students who want to enter the workforce right after earning a bachelor's degree can get as much out of a research project as their more academically-focused peers.
"Another thing to note about research is that the skills required to do good research are not necessarily always directly related to psychology as a field," Professor Hirn Mueller says, referencing the long list of hard and soft skills a budding researcher learns. "Those skills can certainly translate into absolutely any profession."
Think about psychology careers open to people with bachelor's or master's degrees in the criminal justice system, social work, counseling, marketing research, and more. Any of these careers requires endless amounts of passion and compassion. But when those traits are blended with an understanding of how the data that fuels those fields is collected, analyzed, and distributed, the result is an educated, forward-thinking professional.
Doesn't want a student who knows how to communicate well, is well-organized, can stay on task, knows how to follow policies and procedures, and even write "hem?" Professor Hirn Mueller says. So like their grad school counterparts, psychology students who enter the workforce with hands-on research experience can leverage their knowledge to explore virtually endless career opportunities.
So no matter where a student ends their academic career, participating in psychological research at the undergraduate level isn't likely to be a waste of time. From learning nuanced research principles to building professional relationships and learning how to collaborate, almost anyone can find personal and professional fulfillment in the halls of a research-minded psychology department.
Frequently Asked Questions About Undergraduate Psychology Research
Do I need to do research as an undergrad psychology student?
Resistance isn't required for all psychology students; it's highly valuable. Whether you're planning to pursue graduate school or enter the workforce immediately, research experience develops critical thinking, data analysis, and communication skills that employers and graduate programs both value. Dr. Mueller notes that research helps students learn more about their chosen topics in ways that classroom learning can't provide.
What skills do you learn from undergraduate research?
Undergraduate research develops both soft skills (communication, teamwork, problem-solving, organization) and hard skills (statistical analysis, data collection, research ethics, experiment design). According to NACE, 85% of employers prioritize problem-solving skills, and 76% want analytical skills—both of which research directly develops. These skills transfer to virtually any career path, not just academic or research positions.
How does undergrad research help with grad school applications?
Research experience demonstrates to graduate programs that you understand the research process and can work independently. You'll have hands-on experience with statistical tests, research protocols, and academic writing. You'll also develop close relationships with faculty members who can write detailed, personal letters of recommendation. Graduate programs view students with research experience as better investments who require less retraining.
Can research experience help you decide not to go to grad school?
Absolutely. Dr. Mueller emphasizes that research skills translate into any profession. Employers value candidates who can analyze data, communicate clearly, stay organized, and follow protocols. Psychology-adjacent careers like social work, counseling, victim advocacy, and marketing research all benefit from understanding how data is collected and analyzed. Research experience sets you apart in competitive job markets.
What roles can undergrads play in psychology research?
Undergraduates can participate in several ways: as research designers creating their own projects with faculty guidance, as study participants contributing to ongoing research, as research assistants helping with data collection and management, or as literature researchers reviewing and synthesizing academic publications. Many programs let research participation count toward graduation requirements.
How do I find research opportunities at my university?
Start by talking with your psychology professors about their current projects and whether they need research assistants. Check the department's website for research labs and ongoing studies. Attend department events and office hours to build relationships with faculty. Many universities also have formal research programs or honors thesis options. Express interest early—competitive positions fill quickly.
How much time does undergraduate research require?
Time commitment varies by role and project. Research assistants typically dedicate 5-10 hours per week during the semester. Independent research projects may require more time, especially when conducting data collection or analysis. Many students balance research with coursework by treating it like an additional class. Talk with your faculty mentor about realistic time expectations for your specific situation.
Key Takeaways
- Research builds transferable skills: Communication, analysis, organization, and problem-solving are valued across all industries, with 85% of employers prioritizing problem-solving skills.
- Grad school advantage: Research experience demonstrates the capability to graduate programs and often leads to strong faculty recommendations that distinguish you from other applicants.
- Workforce benefits: Employers value hands-on experience with data collection, analysis, and evidence-based thinking, even for positions that don't require advanced degrees
- Multiple participation paths: Students can serve as research designers, participants, assistants, or literature researchers, depending on their interests and availability
- Not just for PhD-bound students: Research experience benefits psychology careers at all education levels, from bachelor's-level positions to doctoral programs
- Mentorship opportunities: Working closely with faculty on research projects creates valuable professional relationships and networking connections for your future career
Ready to explore psychology programs with strong research opportunities?
Finding the right undergraduate program can set you up for success when you're planning graduate school or entering the workforce.
