Summer Research Initiative

The 2025 program dates are Monday, June 2, 2025 - Friday, July 25, 2025.  However, all participants are required to arrive to our College Park campus on Saturday, May 31st for the required 2-day, pre-program orientation.

• Be citizens or permanent residents of the United States; 
• Be enrolled full-time at an accredited four-year higher education institution, with preference given to those will have obtained junior or senior status by the fall 2025; 
• Demonstrate an interest in pursuing graduate study in one of the behavioral or social sciences, with preference given to those interested in doctoral training;
• Express an interest in, or demonstrate a commitment to our program’s aim to improve the research, practice, teaching, and policy work in the social and behavioral sciences by diversifying and broadening the participation of those involved social and behavioral science research;  
• Will have taken a basic statistics or research methodology course; and 
• Possess an excellent academic record, including a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA.

The Summer Research Initiative is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week commitment.  Participants are required to reside in the university housing provided by the program and to participate in all SRI activities throughout the summer.  Participation includes all SRI program and research activities and assignments and meetings with research and program mentors.  Therefore, students should not register for summer classes, hold employment that interferes with their participation, or make other summer plans that would interrupt their full and consistent immersion in the program during the 8-consecutive-week program period.

Students will be provided a $3,000 stipend (before taxes), a $780 breakfast/lunch stipend, and group dinners Monday-Friday provided on-site in the SRI lodging. Travel to College Park for the summer and return travel home, room, board, and program activities expenses are also covered by the BSOS SRI. Participants are placed in on-campus group housing.

Submit all application materials, including letters of recommendation, transcripts, and résumé or curriculum vita (CV), through the appropriate application portal in advance of the deadline.

• The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) Application and Transcript due: February 10, 2025
• The UMD BSOS SRI Supplemental Application due: February 10, 2025
• The BTAA SROP letters of recommendation due: March 1, 2025

NOTE - For best consideration and to reduce the chance of missing or late letters, we strongly recommend having your letters of recommendation submitted to us by or on the application deadline of February 10th. However, the BTAA provides a grace period that allows letters of recommendation to be submitted as late as March 1st.              

The 2025 UMD BSOS SRI is a summer program aligned with other similar Big Ten Academic Alliance's (BTAA) Summer Research Opportunity Programs (SROP). Therefore, applicants must first complete the BTAA SROP online application. The BTAA SROP application can be completed in one session or you may return later to complete it.

To be considered for the BSOS SRI, all applicants must submit the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, which consists of completing additional information about yourself as well as uploading an expanded supplemental personal statement and an updated résumé or curriculum vita (CV). We urge you to carefully review the BSOS SRI Supplemental Personal Statement Instructions before you begin writing. 

For questions about the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, please contact the SRI Coordinator, Brittney Robinson, at brobins7@umd.edu.

The department placement and faculty member preferences are part of the BSOS SRI supplemental application. Please visit the BSOS department websites below to identify up to three department placement preferences that best meet your graduate training aspirations, as well as up to three faculty members whose work aligns with your interests and training goals. Please have your three department and faculty preferences selected before you proceed to Step 4 (below).

•  African American and Africana Studies
•  Anthropology
• Criminology & Criminal Justice
• Economics
• Geographical Sciences
• Government & Politics
• Hearing & Speech Sciences
• Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
• Psychology
• Sociology

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER - When searching for potential summer faculty mentors, please focus your attention on individuals who have ‘professor’ in their title. Faculty members who are lecturers, postdoctoral associates, research associates, etc., are less likely to assume the responsibility of mentoring students through research projects during the summer. While we do our best to match students with their preferences, we do not guarantee your first faculty or department placement choice. However, providing us with faculty and department preferences gives us an indication of the types of summer research topics that might be of interest or helpful to you.

IMPORTANT NOTE - For applicants interested in placements in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, the highest priority will be given to those who intend to pursue a PhD rather than the clinical MA or AuD.

After completing steps 1-3 (above), please submit the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application and upload your expanded, supplemental personal statement and your updated résumé or CV.

For technical problems or questions about the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, please contact Brittney Robinson, at brobins7@umd.edu.  

CAUTION: Your application is not complete until you have submitted and completed both the BTAA and SRI supplemental application, along with the two letters of recommendation and personal statements.  Best consideration is always given to complete applications.