Research
We are proud to present our students with a number of different opportunities to develop their skills conducting research as novice political scientists.
The ability to craft well-articulated arguments, supported by well-reasoned evidence and analysis, is vital to selling yourself as a quality applicant to graduate schools, and to differentiating yourself from other applicants in jobs across the political science spectrum.
Research Opportunities
The Ramerican Political Science Review accepts work from all of political science’s disciplines, including American politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory and public policy. We look for research that addresses pressing political issues and that, therefore, carries substantial normative importance. We also look for research that approaches research questions from theoretically grounded avenues, and for research that seeks to answer the research question in a novel, yet compelling, methodological fashion.
Students who are interested in serving as an editor for The Ramerican Political Science Review should email the journal's faculty adviser, Dr. Reckendorf, at anreckendorf@vcu.edu.
Students who are interested in submitting a paper for publication should complete two easy steps:
- Email your paper to vcupoliscireview@gmail.com.
- Complete a submission form.
Students who are interested in submitting their research for consideration should look in their inbox for the 'Call of Papers' that goes out typically in April. Students can also contact Dr. Reckendorf at anreckendorf@vcu.edu.
Undergraduate and junior graduate students are invited to submit proposals to present completed research papers/projects, research in progress or roundtable discussions on any topic related to the general fields of government, international and public affairs. Students from colleges and universities in and around Virginia, as well as national and overseas colleagues, are also invited to submit proposals. The conference occurs during spring semester, annually.
Students who are interested in presenting their research should look in their inbox for the Call for Papers that goes out, typically, in January. Students can also contact the conference assistant directly at cjsaladino@vcu.edu.
The VSSA is the oldest association of academics in the state of Virginia. The organization is comprised of scholars from a variety of social science fields, and welcomes undergraduate students to present their research in a formal, yet non-intimidating, setting at their annual VSSA Conference. The conference’s location rotates across universities within the state of Virginia, and is typically held during the spring semester.
The 2017 and 2018 VSSA Conferences were held right here at Virginia Commonwealth University!
Students who are interested in presenting their research should visit the VSSA website and contact their leadership directly.
The (In)Security Lab is a vertically-integrated student research lab housed in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Political Science. By fostering multidisciplinary student research opportunities, the ISL@VCU gets VCU students involved in research on contemporary, pressing issues relating to human security. With an emphasis on intersectional approaches and individuals’ lived experiences with insecurity and violence, ISL@VCU’s research agenda engages questions of agency, accountability, and justice at the individual, community, and structural levels.
The ISL supports the One VCU Research objective of achieving a just and equitable society by reducing the impact of inequality, discrimination and disparities through the development of knowledge and solutions at the levels of practice, services, and policy.
Learn more about our team and research as well as opportunities to get involved!
Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) provide undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in course-based, multiyear, multidisciplinary, team-based projects under the guidance of faculty and graduate students. These projects are in the faculty areas of expertise, with the main criterion for participation being that of mutual interest.
Undergraduate students earn course credits (depending on major) for working on specific research projects with a team of other undergraduate students that is mentored by graduate students in the faculty member’s research lab. VIP courses have a combination of discipline-specific and professional learning outcomes that lead to self-sufficiency, innovative thought, team ethos, project management, and leadership skills. This is a valuable team-based learning experience on cutting-edge topics that benefits students who want to enter the workforce or go to graduate school.
VIP teams always welcome enthusiastic students who want to learn and do new things. Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact the team advisers of all the teams they are interested in. This may be done either through the e-mail provided on the VIP team page or through the VIP Interest Form, where students can describe why they are interested in joining a particular team.
Remember: Teams have the right to choose you but you also have the right to choose the team! Do your research, review all teams listed, talk to your academic and faculty adviser to see how this would fit into your curriculum and join the ranks of VIP students who learn through discovery.
Students who hope to hone their research skills, develop relationships with faculty, and pursue research in areas of interest may decide to take advantage of Student Opportunity Center.
VCU has teamed up with Student Opportunity Center (SOC) to provide a central place to find experiential learning activities like undergraduate research.
Sign up with SOC today to explore — and apply for! — mentored research opportunities on the VCU and VCU Health campuses and beyond.
You will find three types of research opportunities while navigating with SOC:
- VCU Research Experiences: These opportunities will take the form of a research internship or credit-bearing experience and they are available to all VCU students. All positions of this type will begin with “VCU Research Experience”.
- Work Study Research Assistantships: These opportunities are reserved for students who have a work study award as part of their Financial Aid package. All work study research assistantships will begin with “FWS-Research Assistant”.
- National Research Opportunities: These opportunities are offered by other institutions all over the country and are typically funded opportunities as part of a research training program.