Voluntary Research Assistant (VRA) Scheme

The Voluntary Research Assistant (VRA) Scheme offers students the opportunity to acquire research and work experience beyond that offered in modules.

The VRA scheme is aimed to give students insight into the research process and build research skills.  Such insights and skills can help students with their Year Three Empirical Projects and help set the stage for a career in research.

The VRA scheme is also aimed at bolstering students’ employability.  The skills acquired as a VRA can be transferrable to other work environments. VRA experience enhances students’ CV, allows students to work with researchers who can write letters of reference, and increases the chances of getting a job or a place on a postgraduate course. 

The VRA Scheme is broken up into the Term-Time Scheme and the Summer-Time Scheme.

 

Term-Time Scheme

 

The Term-Time Scheme is open to 2nd year students in the Psychology, Education and Psychology, Criminology and Psychology, and Psychology with Law course at the University of Southampton.

Students on these courses will receive an email at the beginning of Semester 1 and Semester 2 with a link to complete an application. Successful applicants are assigned to research projects according to their research interests and experience.  They typically begin working with their VRA supervisor witin the first few weeks of the semester. Students who begin working as a VRA in the first semester typically continue working with their supervisor in Semester 2. However, this should be agreed upon by the supervisor and the VRA at the onset of the placement. Supervisors are allowed to work with their VRAs for up to 4 hours/week. Please see Term-Time VRA Guidelines for more information.

Summer-Time Scheme

 

The Summer-Time Scheme is open to 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students in Psychology, Education and Psychology, Criminology and Psychology and Psychology with Law courses at the University of Southampton.

Just like the Term-Time Scheme, the Summer-Time Scheme offers internal research assistant placements. However, the Summer-Time Scheme additionally offers placements with organisations external to the university (e.g. charities, rehabilitation  centres, mental health care organisations, marketing agencies). Eligible students will receive an email in the latter half of Semester 2 with a link to complete an application.  Successful applicants are assigned to research projects according to their interests and experience.  Placements may take place during the summer, anytime between June and September. Hours may vary from 1-2 days per week for 3-4 months, to full-time for two weeks, or any arrangement in between, depending on the project.  Please see Summer-Time VRA Guidelines for more information.

 

Please direct enquiries about the term-time scheme to Dr Jacob Juhl (J.T.Juhl@soton.ac.uk

Please direct enquiries about the summer-time scheme to Maria Andryszczyk-Sikorska, M.M.Andryszczyk-Sikorska@soton.ac.uk or Allyson Marchi, A.Marchi@soton.ac.uk 

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