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Research Abroad

Why Should I Conduct Research Abroad?


Learn in a new way

Conducting research abroad functions similarly to an internship where one learns by “doing”. This is your opportunity to craft a question in your chosen major or area of interest and use critical thinking, problem solving strategies, and guidance from a faculty advisor to learn deeply in an accelerated fashion that is tailored to your interests.

Build skills that will serve you for a lifetime

By conducting research abroad, you will develop a skill set that will help you approach both large-scale societal issues and small-scale everyday-life challenges. Skills learned in conducting research include experiential learning, collaboration, time management, and problem solving.

Expand your resume in a unique way

Over 70% of students at Notre Dame study abroad by the time they graduate. Approximately 10% of study abroad participants in any given year conduct research while they are abroad, enabling them to customize their program abroad and distinguishing themselves from their peers.

Gain exposure to potential careers

Much like an internship or service placement, conducting research abroad offers an opportunity to learn if a certain kind of work excites you or may help you reconsider your options within a chosen field. Participating in lab research and/or delving into libraries and archives will give you a sense of what a career in this field may be like.

Programs with Research Opportunities

There are currently two paths to research abroad at Notre Dame.

Program-Facilitated Research

Facilitated research programs are those where research is entirely program organized and administered. You will work with a principal investigator (PI) or team of researchers as part of organization, company, or university-sponsored initiative. Programs with this model of research include:

Program-Supported Research

Supported programs are those where you develop your own question and are advised by faculty either at Notre Dame, via regular video-conference meetings, or on-site with the support of your on-site program administration. Programs with this model of research include:

Advised by ND faculty only: *

 

Advised by local and/or ND faculty:

*What topics have ND students researched while on Kennedy or Rome-Scholars Programs?

Numerous ND students have participated in both the Kennedy and Rome-Scholars programs. Below is an abbreviated list of some of their past topics and projects, identified with the researching student's major(s):

LONDON ROME
  • Out of Place: Spatial Imagery in Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice (English)
  • Economics of museums and the display of antiquities (Economics)
  • A Dialogue on Universal Yearnings of the Human Heart: Beauty and the Divine (PLS)
  • Womanhood and Beauty in Ghana (Politics / History)
  • Reframing the Singular Identity as a Progression: ethnic identities in conflict (Politics)
  • Mental health care in UK and US universities (Psychology)
  • The economics of healthcare: Equality and the NHS (Economics)
  • Female mystics and mental illness - a creative thesis based on Julian of Norwich (PLS / Film, Television and Theatre)
  • Attitudes of white British citizens towards east-asian immigrant populations (Sociology)
  • Mediterranean fishing and aquaculture (Political Science)
  • Youth unemployment (International Economics)
  • History of medicine in Italy (Pre-Med & Italian)
  • Architecture, artwork, and symbolism as part of the early Church’s teaching process (Philosophy & Theology)
  • Connection between the education system and rising poverty rates in Italy and obstacles hindering equal educational opportunity (Management & Economics)
  • Correlation between racism & immigration in Italy (History & Political Science)
  • High energy particle physics research on Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) (Honors Physics with Theology minor)
  • Italian Renaissance mathematicians (Math)
  • Refugee crisis in Europe (Program of Liberal Studies)

Funding Opportunities

There are some nationally competitive funding opportunities available each year. While not all opportunities are exclusively for international programs, they may allow for study and research abroad. Click on the provided links to learn more about each.

Non-ND Summer Research Opportunities

These programs exist outside of Notre Dame and are available for application by Notre Dame students. Credit for these programs would need to be arranged with an appropriate college or academic department at Notre Dame.