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Program for Undergraduate Research in Linguistics (PURL)

The Program for Undergraduate Research in Linguistics (PURL) pairs undergraduate students who are interested in participating in research with graduate student research mentors. If you are a UC San Diego undergraduate linguistics student and would like to learn more about the process of conducting research in linguistics, apply to be a research assistant (RA) through PURL. Applications are open every quarter and you can receive course credit for participating in the program.

Program expectations

All RAs who are selected to participate in PURL for a quarter will have weekly meetings with their mentor and will be expected to complete a certain number of hours of research on their assigned project each week. Additionally, there are two meetings during the quarter that all PURL participants are expected to attend to give an overview of the progress they have made and to discuss what they have learned. First time RAs must also enroll in LIGN 188R: Introduction to Research Methods in Linguistics to complete training on how to conduct research within the field of linguistics.

Application process

Applications for Winter 2025 are due December 3, 2024. Review the catalog of research opportunities for Winter 2025. Once you have selected the projects you are most interested in, you can apply using the online form. Be sure to list all the coursework, skills, and background you have that are relevant to the requirements of the projects you are applying to since RAs will be selected based on how well they meet the project requirements. Applicants will be notified if they have been matched with a research project prior to the start of winter quarter.

Questions?

All questions about PURL can be directed to Dr. Emily Clem at [ eclem at ucsd dot edu ].