Opportunities for BU Undergraduates
Are you an undergraduate student at BU interested in the social sciences? Take a look at these new opportunities to enhance your studies and research. Learn more about paid and unpaid research, publishing, and internship opportunities, as well as programs and supports available in CAS academic departments.
Check back regularly and subscribe to our weekly Digest for new opportunities open to undergraduate students.
Student supports:
Students in need of support can contact:
- Crisis Counseling (930 Commonwealth Avenue, 617-353-7277)
- Behavioral Medicine (881 Commonwealth Avenue, 617-353-3569,
- University Chaplains Office (Marsh Chapel, 617-358-3394)
- Dean of Students Office (George Sherman Union, 617-353-4126)
- CAS students may also reach out to CAS Academic Advising (100 Bay State Rd, Room 401, 617-353-2400)
Undergraduate Research Assistant opportunity Research project title: The politics of covert demand signaling in economic sanctions Period of employment: Fall 2025 (September – December 2025), with short training in summer Estimated time commitment and pay rate: 5 hours/week over 16 weeks at $18/hour Project description: The project will focus on building a dataset on economic sanctions, where states impose both covert and overt trade restrictive measures to seek political concessions during the period 1950-2023. The RA will help with data collection, entry, and potentially basic statistical analysis. Job responsibilities: Requirements: Application instructions: Please submit a brief CV/resume and cover letter (one-page or less) outlining your relevant skills and interest to Thang Ha (hnthang@bu.edu) by May 30, 2025. Candidates will be provided with a small exercise to test the ability to work on the dataset. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Posted: 05/21/25Job & Internship Opportunities
Professional Clothing Closet. Students can now easily access high-quality, professional attire for interviews, networking, and career-related events. This unique resource provides a personalized style experience to help them look and feel their best as they enter their careers. How it works: Each box contains six items for a 30-day rental. Students also have the option to purchase pieces at up to 60% off retail. Rentals cost $60 per month, with need-based subsidies available. Co-sponsored by the Center for Career Development and the Newbury Center, the Professional Clothing Closet is ready to help students dress for success. Encourage them to take advantage of this fantastic resource today! The Professional Clothing Closet relies on the generosity of the BU community and beyond. Donors are invited to contribute to this initiative to help provide subsidized access to professional clothing for BU students who need it. Every donation makes a difference. Forage. Students can access free, real-world online projects backed by top employers like JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Accenture, BCG, Deloitte, General Electric, and more. With no application process or interviews required, students can dive into hands-on experiences that enhance their skills in real-world scenarios. Students will earn a certificate for each completed project, which they can proudly display on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Completing these programs doubles their chances of securing a job with the company! Encourage students to explore Forage and take the first step toward valuable career experience! If you have reviewed the Crowdfunding Policy and believe BU Crowdfunding is right for your project, please submit an application below. The Application Details section provides an outline of what is needed to submit a project. Need more info before applying? Review the posts in our application phase category for helpful resources before submitting a project. The Global Engagement Summit is an entirely student-run social entrepreneurship conference held annually in Evanston, IL, on Northwestern’s campus. GES brings together trailblazers from all over the world to collaborate, learn about social entrepreneurship from distinguished mentors and speakers, and ultimately further their own social entrepreneurship projects. Past summits have drawn delegates from 20 different countries and have featured keynote speakers such as David Simas, CEO of the Obama Foundation, Nobel Laureate, Nadia Murad, and Betsy Ziegler, CEO of top non-profit incubator 1871 Chicago. Prospective delegates, individuals aged 18-26, apply to GES with their own unique social entrepreneurship projects. Projects can address any social issue that the applicant finds pressing and important, and can vary in scale, scope, and stage. Programming at the Summit is aimed at facilitating the growth and development of their projects, and the Summit culminates in a pitch competition. We invite any young changemakers to apply to be a delegate in the 2025 Summit, to be held on April 23rd through 27th, 2025. This is a great opportunity for people interested in civic engagement, business, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, The Global Engagement Summit is an incredible way to travel to the United States and connect with like-minded individuals from around the globe. We are proud to offer financial aid to help cover the costs of transportation and logistics for accepted delegates. Posted 9/23/24 Boston University’s Professional Clothing Closet (PCC) is undergoing an exciting transformation to a “lending library” model at our new location on the 6th floor of 100 Bay State Road. Please note that the PCC will not be open at the start of the fall semester. Key Updates: This new approach promotes sustainability and integrates closely with CCD services. You can support the PCC by making a financial donation or purchasing items from our Amazon wish list. Your generosity ensures BU students have the professional attire they need to succeed. Thank you for your support. Stay tuned for more details about the PCC’s grand opening in October! For questions, contact closet@bu.edu. Minority Access’ National Diversity & Inclusion Internship Program (Paid) The Minority Access National Internship Program is designed to allow talented undergraduate and graduate students experience the diversity and scope of career opportunities available in the federal, state and local government and participating private business entities. The program allows students to merge academic theory with the experience they are learning in the workplace. Minority Access interns receive pre-employment training, financial management and professional development, and recognition for fulfilling the program’s requirements. Funding Information: $15.50 – $19.50 hr. 🗓️ Application Deadlines: Rolling, December, March & July 1st. Teagle Foundation Education for American Civic Life The program supports efforts to prepare students to become informed and engaged participants in the civic life of their local and national communities. The funder seeks to elevate the civic objectives of liberal arts education by partnering with institutions offering bold and coherent initiatives that endow students with the content, skills, and sensibility to participate in a political system designed for self-governance. The program is focused on funding in two particular areas: Funding: up to $300,000 over up to 3 years Proposals for planning grants in the range of $25,000 over 6-12 months are strongly encouraged. 🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling – Concept papers for this initiative will be reviewed three times per year with submissions due by December 1, March 1, and August 1. Details: https://www.teaglefoundation.org/Call-for-Proposals/RFPs/Education-for-American-Civic-Life-RFP Free Mental Health Screening The Chief Health Office, in collaboration with Student Health Services and Employee Wellness, invite students, staff, and faculty to take a free, on-line, mental health screening. This depression and anxiety screening takes just two minutes to complete. We encourage you to take the anonymous online screening that shares feedback and resources. Take the online screening. UROP Travel & Supplies Award Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) applications for supplies and travel awards are now accepted and reviewed. 🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling Rewriting the Code (RTC) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to disrupting gender and racial inequity in tech. By connecting, equipping, and empowering undergraduate, graduate, and early-career women in tech, RTC is unapologetically making space for women to enter and thrive in the tech industry. The community is virtual and operates through Slack and regional in-person events. Membership is free, as are all of the amazing resources and opportunities RTC provides. Sign up today to take advantage of this women-focused network with over 18,000 members across 110+ countries, prioritized career opportunities with 50+ tech companies, and, most importantly, the sense of pride, representation, and belonging. Contact info@rewritingthecode.org with any questions! BUild Lab Innovation Pathway Support & Funding The Innovation Pathway (IP) is a self-paced program that fosters and supports all forms of innovation created by current Boston University students from any school and college, as well as BU alumni within one year of graduation. Whether you want to launch a new business or nonprofit, or dream of creating a community event or campus initiative, this self-paced program provides the inspiration, resources, and opportunities needed to develop new ventures or projects. Submit your application before the 25th of each month in order to be considered for the next month’s round of interviews. 🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling – (Note: the early application deadline is the 20th of each month and is filled on a first come first serve basis). Institute on Culture, Religion, & World Affairs (CURA). Travel grants of up to $500 are provided to Boston University students who wish to travel outside of Boston for a conference or to conduct research on a subject related to CURA’s mission. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.To Apply: Send an explanation of the purpose of the travel, along with a budget for the trip, your current CV, and an email from a professor approving the plans to Assistant Director Arlene Brennan. 🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling Jewish Cultural Endowment (JCE) supports Jewish cultural programs across the University, sponsoring lectures, conferences, literary events, curricular enhancement, and artistic performances and exhibitions. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of Jewish culture in all its richness and diversity. The JCE invites grant proposals from individuals (faculty, students, and staff) with access to a BU program administration that will be responsible for planning, promoting and executing the event. JCE funded events must take place on the BU campus and should directly benefit the BU community. 🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling – There are three submission deadlines each year in February, May and October.Rolling Deadlines
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
(1) anchoring significant questions in democratic thought in local history and community and
(2) strengthening preparation for public service.
Sociology Undergraduate Mentoring Program. Are you a sociology graduate student looking for a mentor? Or a graduate student hoping to become a mentee? The BU Sociology department is launching a mentoring pilot program in January 2022. For more info, visit the Department of Sociology’s Mentoring Program website. Peer Writing Support program Writing a paper in Sociology? Work with Sociology Peer Writing Support to talk through your writing assignment, to work on your thesis, evidence or organization, or simply to get another set of eyes on your paper! From brainstorming to making those final edits, our tutors are available to help. Peer writing support for all Sociology students will now be in the conference room (251A) in our department’s Maxwell T. Robidoux Collaboration Lounge at 100 Cummington Mall. Please schedule with the link above. We encourage students to share the assignment prompt with the writing tutor and to make sure they are clear about what specific writing issues or subject knowledge where they need help. Sociology Peer Writing Support is funded by a gift from Jennifer Simpson (CAS 2000). For more information about the program, visit Tutoring Writing in the Disciplines. Blackboard Ally is now automatically enabled for new Blackboard courses. Ally is BU’s new tool supporting inclusion and accessibility, which allows students to download course materials in alternative formats like audio, HTML, and electronic braille. Ally includes a dashboard showing instructors how accessible content is, which is only visible to the instructor and serves to offer guidance for improving accessibility and inclusion (you can opt out via the TechWeb form here). Learn more about Ally on TechWeb and in trainings.Academic Supports
Anthropology Anthropology in the Works is a student-run group that is an inclusive, collaborative, creative space for students to explore anthropology and is open to any student interested in learning more about the discipline. We work to increase the understanding and appreciation of anthropology and to dispel claims that it is not “real” science. We are dedicated to learning more about the traditions and customs of different cultures by hosting and participating in events around campus and across the Boston area. Anthropology in the Works connects undergraduate students with faculty and graduate students and contributes to the community within the Anthropology Department. We do this through planning excursions, discussions, presentations, and celebrations attended by various members of the community. For more information, contact the Executive Board at aitw@bu.edu. Archaeology BU Undergraduate Archaeology Society who’s mission is to discuss, learn, and promote awareness about Archaeology and related fields such as Anthropology, Cultural Heritage, and History. To join, send an e-mail to archsoc@bu.edu. Phi Beta Kappa Only students at a college or university may be inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Membership is invitation-only and contingent upon fulfillment of minimum requirements. Chapters are expected to determine the specific application of standards stated in these stipulations. If you have questions on your eligibility, please contact your chapter officer. Economics Graduate Economics Association (GEA) assists students in the Economics graduate program and provides peer resources on a variety of topics. The GEA can be contacted at mailgea@bu.edu. History Undergraduate History Association (UHA) The UHA is an organization for history concentrators and other students interested in the study of history. Activities include discussions, lectures, museum trips, and an annual undergraduate history conference. Members also assist at events designed for prospective history majors. To join the UHA, send an e-mail to the BU chapter email at uha@bu.edu. Phi Alpha Theta – Delta Mu Chapter, the national history honor society, was established at Boston University in 1952. Membership is open to undergraduates and graduates concentrating in history. Eligibility for undergraduates is based primarily on high scholastic achievement in all subjects and especially in the field of concentration. The faculty advisor for the BU chapter is Professor James Johnson (jhj@bu.edu). Political Science Undergraduate Political Science Association (UPSA) is an organization for political science majors/minors and other students interested in the study of political science. The group hosts a variety of events including discussions, lectures, group outings, and alumni engagement. Members also assist at events designed for prospective political science majors. To learn more, students can email upsa@bu.edu. Pi Sigma Alpha – Gamma Xi Chapter, the national political science honor society, was established at Boston University in 1956. Membership is open to undergraduates majoring in political science or international relations. Eligibility for undergraduates is based primarily on high scholastic achievement in all subjects and especially in the field of concentration. For more information about the society, students can email poadvise@bu.edu. Sociology Boston University Undergraduate Sociology Association Boston University Undergraduate Sociology Association (BUUSA) aims to foster community among BU undergraduate Sociology students by hosting events that cultivate a greater sense of togetherness among the BU Sociology community. These events will connect undergraduate Sociology students through conversations about ideas learned in the classroom and from lived experience. BUUSA supports undergraduate Sociology students in their post-graduation plans through events that engage faculty, alumni, and various professional organizations to inform students about their various career options like the Professor Perspectives series and the grad student panels. BUUSA will also offer fun social events including ice skating nights, documentary screenings, game nights, and professor perspective talks. Lastly, BUUSA aims to give back to the greater Boston community by engaging in community service events. Other Alianza Latina is Boston University’s largest Latinx student organization dedicated to providing programming that fosters community and encourages students to learn more about Latinx culture and identity, regardless of their own race or ethnicity. We implement weekly cultural, social, and professional meetings as well as community service events on and off campus. For more information, email them at alianzal@bu.edu. Alpha Phi Omega is the gender-inclusive community service fraternity at Boston University. They aim to establish a space for our members to build a diverse community right here on campus and with the city of Boston. APO partners with numerous community partners, such as the American Red Cross Food Pantry, Women’s Lunch Place, and the Boston Bruins Foundation, to help support this city we call home. There’s definitely an opportunity to get involved with any issue or social justice area you’re passionate about.Student Organizations