SocSci Scholars Program
Advancing Social Science through Undergraduate Research
Your research. Your questions. Your project.
Thinking about writing a senior thesis or taking on your own independent research project? The Duke SocSci Scholars Program gives undergraduate students in the social sciences the training, mentorship, funding, and community to develop and complete their own research. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. The program is designed to help you develop your research question, learn how to approach your project, build practical research skills, and stay on track as your work takes shape.
What is the SocSci Scholars Program?
The SocSci Scholars Program is a program for Duke undergraduates in the social sciences who are interested in conducting independent research. Senior thesis writers are an important part of the program, but the program is not limited to students writing a thesis. It also supports students conducting other independent research projects.
The program brings together research training, mentorship, workshops, research funding, and a community of students working on their own research. Our goal is to give students the tools, support, and confidence to ask meaningful questions, conduct high quality research, and see their projects through to completion.
The program is based at the Duke Social Science Research Institute, which brings together faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and researchers from across the social sciences.
Why was this program created?
The SocSci Scholars Program is a program for Duke undergraduates in the social sciences who are interested in conducting independent research. Senior thesis writers are an important part of the program, but the program is not limited to students writing a thesis. It also supports students conducting other independent research projects. The program brings together research training, mentorship, workshops, research funding, and a community of students working on their own research. Our goal is to give students the tools, support, and confidence to ask meaningful questions, conduct high quality research, and see their projects through to completion.
The program is based at the Duke Social Science Research Institute, which brings together faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and researchers from across the social sciences.
What does the program offer?
Research training
Learn how to develop a research question, conduct a literature review, build a research design, collect and analyze data, and communicate your findings.
Topics include:
- Formulating research questions
- Literature reviews
- Theory building
- Measurement and data collection
- Quantitative and qualitative approaches
- Case selection
- Fieldwork
- Research ethics and responsible research conduct
Design Your Own Social Science Research Project
Beginning in Spring 2027, Design Your Own Social Science Research Project will provide preparation for independent research and senior thesis work. The 500 level course will be taught by Professor Adriane Fresh and will cover research design, causal inference, research transparency, and methodological training.
Students will also identify a faculty advisor in their home department who will provide individualized, discipline specific guidance throughout the research and thesis process, according to their department’s policies.
Workshops
SSRI will offer workshops designed to give undergraduate researchers practical research skills. Topics may include causal inference, qualitative coding, survey design, statistical programming, data visualization, research ethics, and academic writing and communication.
Some workshops will be designed specifically to meet the needs of SocSci Scholars, but SSRI workshops are open to all participants.
Research mentorship
Students in the program will be paired with a trained research mentor who can provide support throughout the research process.
Mentors can help with:
- Proposals and drafts
- Data collection and management
- Research analysis
- IRB preparation
- Accountability check ins
- Setbacks and challenges
Research consultations
Need help with a specific part of your research? The SSRI Consultation Bar provides an opportunity to get research support and guidance.
A community of researchers
Independent research can sometimes feel isolating. The SocSci Scholars Program gives you a community of students who are working through many of the same questions and challenges.
Students will have opportunities to participate in:
- Group research in progress sessions
- Peer feedback forums
- Social events and cohort dinners
- A web presence for their research
- A culminating thesis poster presentation
How do I join?
The SocSci Scholars Program is currently an opt-in program. If you are interested in learning more about the program or enrolling as a SocSci Scholar, please let us know. We would love to hear from you and share more about the opportunities available.
SocSci Small Research Grants
Students in the program will have the opportunity to apply for SocSci Small Research Grants to support data collection and research expenses.
Amount:
Application deadline:
Who can apply:
What the funding can support:
How to apply:
Share your research
At the end of the Spring term, SocSci Scholars will have the opportunity to present their research in a culminating poster session. The poster session gives students an opportunity to share their work and learn about the research being conducted by other undergraduate students.
Date:
Location:
Who can participate:
How to submit your poster:
Research Resources Across Duke
You don’t have to be a SocSci Scholar to take advantage of the many resources available to Duke undergraduates. We are building this section as a collection of university wide resources that can help you at different stages of your research.
Get research help
Find assistance with research design, data, statistics, writing, and other parts of your project.
Find research funding
Explore opportunities to fund research expenses, travel, data collection, and other costs associated with independent research.
Present your research
Looking for opportunities to share your research with the Duke community?
Get involved in research
Interested in getting research experience before starting your own project? Explore opportunities to work with faculty, participate in research programs, and build your research skills.
- Data and statistics consulting at the Duke Libraries
- Muser
- Workshops through the Office of Undergraduate Research
This section will be updated as new opportunities and resources become available.
Meet the Program Team
Adriane Fresh
Program Director and Course Instructor
Dr. Fresh leads the SocSci Scholars Program and teaches the 500 level Research Design course. She brings extensive experience teaching undergraduate and graduate research methods at Duke and Stanford, with expertise in causal inference, research transparency, and methodological training.
Alexandra Cooper
Program Co Developer and Cohort Lead
Dr. Cooper brings expertise in interdisciplinary research, research ethics, community engaged research, and program development. She supports cohort building, workshops, and campus partnerships.
Meet the Scholars
Get to know the students participating in the SocSci Scholars Program and learn more about the research they are working on.
[Student Name]
Major:
Research:
IDEA → DESIGN → DATA → ANALYZE → WRITE → SHARE
Questions?
Interested in learning more about the SocSci Scholars Program or independent research at Duke?