Undergraduate Research
The Pharmaceutical Sciences program strongly encourages students to participate in undergraduate research. Whether you are planning to pursue a career in research, pharmacy, clinical healthcare, or something completely different, we believe that the best way to learn science is by gaining hands-on experience. Opportunities vary widely, and can include traditional lab research, clinical/patient care-related projects, community outreach, and more.
How to Get Started
Securing a research position requires effort and motivation on the student’s part. You need to identify faculty who are doing research that is of interest to you, contact them directly to discuss their work, and find out if there are opportunities for you to become involved. Approach it like a job search; you need to be resourceful, professional, and prepared.
Your first step is to identify research projects that are of interest, or find faculty who specialize in an area that really excites you. Some ways to get started include:
Learn about Our Faculty
- Learn about the exciting research our faculty are engaged in by reviewing the College of Pharmacy Faculty Areas of Expertise document
- Dig deeper into individual faculty members' research in the College of Pharmacy Faculty Directory. (Narrow your search by Person Type: Faculty, and also by Department.)
- Pharmacology & Toxicology faculty primarily focus on basic science, drug discovery, and drug development.
- Pharmacy Practice and Science faculty are more likely to do research on clinical care.
Learn about our Centers
The College has several centers, including the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, the Arizona Center for Drug Discovery, the Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, and more. Faculty and staff working in our centers are doing exciting interdisciplinary work to address issues in the community and across the world, and you may be able to participate!
Speak with Your Professors
If you’re in a course that really interests you, talk to the instructor to learn more about their research. If they aren’t currently doing research in your specific area of interest, they are likely to know someone else on campus who is. A referral from another faculty member can be a great way to land a research opportunity.
Apply for an Established Research Program
Numerous UA-specific and nationally-competitive research programs are available. These programs often provide paid stipends and generally assist students with the process of connecting with specific faculty mentors. Some established research programs include (but are not limited to):
Earning Research Credit
Once you have secured a research opportunity, it may be possible to earn academic credit. The amount and type of credit you will earn depends upon the number of hours you are committing. University policy requires that you complete a minimum of 45 hours of work (average 3 hours per week over the course of a semester) for each research unit earned.
Different types of research credit are available, including graded units, pass/fail units, and honors units. You and your research mentor will determine which type of credit is appropriate for your project. General guidelines and the courses are as follows:
Designed for students who are performing routine tasks. Non-honors Independent Study units do not count in your GPA.
Grading Scale: S/P/F
Students earning honors independent study credit should be doing demonstrably different work than those earning non-honors credit. This should be reflected in a deeper, more challenging, and more intense engagement with the subject matter or project. Units will count in your GPA.
Grading Scale: A/B/C/D/E/W
For students making intellectual contributions to an existing project or engaged in their own research. Not for students conducting routine tasks.
Grading Scale: A/B/C/D/E/W
Honors students will complete an honors thesis in their final two semesters (3 units per semester). Additional paperwork must be submitted to the Honors College.
Grading Scale: A/B/C/D/E/W
If you are completing research with a College of Pharmacy faculty member, you will enroll in credit by completing a College of Pharmacy Research Credit Registration Form (Download a Fillable Form). Your completed form should be submitted to the College of Pharmacy’s Student Services Office within the first four weeks of the semester in which you are earning credit. If you are working with a non-pharmacy faculty member, you will register for credit through that faculty member’s department.
Do you have more questions?
Contact your Academic Advisor, or speak with your Course Instructors to get more information about research opportunities.