Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Thanks so much for your interest in an internship at CARE!
The application for Summer 2023 is now closed.
Applications for Fall 2023 will open in mid-April and can be found here.
CARE accepts applications for both academic year and summer internship programs.
Please note: Students from all universities can apply to the summer internship program. We only accept BU students during the academic year internship program.
Goals of a Research Internship at CARE:
Interns at CARE have the opportunity to become immersed in scientific research on autism through one or more of our ongoing projects. Responsibilities at the Center will vary depending on your background, experience, and interests. In order to optimize your experience, it is important that you have already completed or are currently enrolled in a Research Methods/Design or Statistics course in any department.
Academic year internships run semester-to-semester, and we ask that you plan to commit a total of 10 hours a week for the 14 weeks of the semester. In the summer, we offer both a 20-30 hours/week program, and a 30-40 hours/week program.
What can I expect from an internship at CARE?
As an intern at CARE, you will complete a range of tasks that include: data entry, transcription of natural language samples, assisting in the cognitive-behavioral testing of participants with and without ASD, coding data sets and other administrative activities. In order to track the skills you have developed during your internship, we ask you to keep logbooks of your progress on your work. This is a great resume-builder and will help you keep track of the skills you have acquired during your internship. At the end of the semester, you will be evaluated on your performance. You will have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Tager-Flusberg about your time as an intern; this meeting with Dr. Tager-Flusberg is required if you wish to receive a letter of recommendation.
What if I have questions?
All questions about research opportunities at CARE at any level may be directed to our Center Administrator (care@bu.edu).
Are CARE internships funded?
CARE intern opportunities are unpaid, but we encourage students to seek funding from other sources. One example of funding BU students may be eligible for is the UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program) at BU. You can learn more about UROP HERE.
Students wishing to apply for UROP funding to complete a project in the Center (fall, spring, or summer), must first have taken a research methods/statistics course, as should all students. They also must have already completed a semester in the Center, and have a general idea of a research project they would like to take on for the UROP, if awarded.
Please schedule an appointment with Helen Tager-Flusberg at least 3 weeks before the UROP application deadline to discuss your goals and ideas.