Prospective Students

Participation in UROP is an immersive journey into research where you get the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor and build community bonds via a shared cohort experience. Throughout the academic year, you will participate in several professional development and enrichment activities, including: 

Year-long UROP curriculum: All UROP students will enroll in a one-year curriculum to learn how to do research, demystify the hidden curriculum and promote professional development (EDLD 10 in the fall semester; EDLD 11 in the spring). The course curriculum comprises (four) total units and incorporates (four) main components:

1. Introduction to research (e.g., methods, ethics, reviewing literature, data collection/analysis)

2. Professional development (e.g., resume/CV development, interviewing)

3. Critical consciousness (e.g., reflecting on positionality/standpoint, power and inequity in research)

4. Communicating research (e.g., public speaking skills, poster development)

Student/faculty collaborative research partnership: Each UROP student will be matched with a faculty mentor for an entire academic year to work on a faculty-led research project. UROP uses a two-way selection process where faculty and students engage in a bi-directional interview to gauge reciprocal interest of both parties. Students will receive direct mentorship learning how to do research in applied, on-the-ground settings. Participating faculty meet regularly with their student mentees, provide training and enrichment materials, review student posters and abstracts, and orient students to the research process. 

Culminating experience(s): All UROP students will participate in two end-of-year research symposiums (i.e., Celebration of Research, hosted by the Office of Research and Innovation, and the UROP Research Showcase, hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Both events are an opportunity to celebrate faculty and student research projects, and serve as mini-conferences for students to present their work and learn about the research their fellow UROP classmates have worked on throughout the program.

Career exploration workshops: Each year, UROP students participate in two exploratory workshops where they engage in various self-assessments to help explore their interests and potential career pathways. The workshops are hosted by program leadership in the SJSU Career Center.

Who can participate

UROP is open to all incoming freshmen, rising sophomores, and new transfer students (as of Fall 2025). The program is open and available to all who are interested to apply and/or participate, regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.

What students receive

Participating students in UROP will receive the following:

• 4 elective units towards your degree
• Dedicated faculty and peer support
• Opportunities to professionally network and community build 
• Guided career development

Frequently asked questions