As a student at UC Davis you have the opportunity to pursue independent or small group research with a faculty member and receive academic credit.

Students who are interested in doing research for academic credit must first identify a faculty member who can sponsor their work.

How do I identify a School of Education faculty member who can supervise me?

It is the student’s responsibility to email/meet with a faculty member directly to ask if the faculty is available to serve as a sponsor. Ways to find sponsors include:

• Ask a faculty member you’re taking a class with.
• Look on Handshake.
• Contact faculty who have School of Education research centers or labs.

Which faculty can sponsor me?

• School of Education faculty with the term “Professor” in their title are eligible to sponsor. 
• If you will be doing a non-research internship, for example to continue for fieldwork or volunteering in an educational setting, take EDU 192.
• If you intend to take EDU 198, the faculty must already be conducting research, usually in their own centers or labs.

I’ve found a faculty member who can sponsor me. Which EDU courses can I take and how do I enroll?

You will need to make a contract with the faculty member. Contracts are agreements between the instructor and the student and serve as a written verification of the instructor’s consent to sponsor the student for academic unit credit (contingent upon the student’s satisfactory fulfillment of the terms of the contract). The information on the contract is used as the basis for settlement of any questions that may arise regarding responsibilities of either the student or instructor.

If the instructor agrees to sponsor the student’s research or special study project, the student must complete the online departmental Variable Unit Course Contract form. The contract outlines educational goals, the number of units requested, and the instructor’s mode of instruction, evaluation, and criteria for assigning passing grades.

Students will receive a confirmation email once they apply and can track the request to see the progress. The completed form will route:

• to the faculty member listed for approval
• to the School of Education Student Services Office for review
• to the School of Education Chair of Undergraduate Programs for final approval

A total of 4 units maximum of EDU 192 and/or EDU 198 units may be applied towards the education minor elective units. If you have questions, please contact Student Services at eduadvising@ucdavis.edu.

What is the deadline?

• In order to not incur a late fee and to allow for approval and processing of the form, all completed contract forms must be received no later than the 7th day of instruction each quarter. Late requests may not be approved.
• You must do this each quarter in which you want to receive credit.
• Students will receive a confirmation email once they apply and can track the request to see the progress. ​
• The CRN for the course will be emailed to you within five business days.
• If you have questions, please contact Student Services at eduadvising@ucdavis.edu.

Which courses can I take?

The following course descriptions and unit values are the only courses currently available; please review to ensure that the unit value of the course requested matches the number of units you have agreed to.

EDU 192 Internship (1-3 units)

Must be in a school or other approved teaching unit. May be repeated for credit. P/NP grading only.

Internship General Guidelines:

• Internship: 2-8 hours
• Discussion: 1 hour
• Prerequisite: upper division standing and consent of the instructor. Internship as a tutor or teacher’s aide under the supervision of a faculty member. 

1. Student Enrollment: You must be actively enrolled as a student at the time of the internship, including for summer internships.
2. Pre-Approval Requirement: Internships must be pre-approved by an SOE faculty member before the quarter begins. Units for internships completed in the past will not be awarded retroactively.
3. Qualified Supervision: Your internship must be supervised by a professional in the field who holds at least a bachelor’s degree and appropriate certification/credentials required for their profession.
4. Paid Internships: Students can be paid for the hours they are spending on the internship (in the classroom), but in order to get academic units, they must do additional academic work as agreed with the faculty sponsor in the Variable Unit Contract.
5. Remote Internship Contingency Plan: In the event your internship site closes or can no longer offer in-person work, a remote internship plan must be included in the contract/work plan before faculty sponsor approval. This ensures you can complete your required hours and earn credit without needing to drop the course or request an incomplete.
6. Career Relevance: Your internship should align with your career goals, offering you meaningful, related experience in your field of interest.
7. Skill Development: Internships should provide opportunities to gain new, professional-level, transferable skills. Internships that primarily involve routine tasks like filing or basic duties such as handing out supplies will not be accepted.

EDU 198 Directed Group Study (1-5 units)

Individual or Group Study General Guidelines:

• Individual or group study (in labs, with faculty members, etc.)
• Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
• P/NP grading only.

1. Student Enrollment: You must be actively enrolled as a student at the time of the work, including during the summer.
2. Pre-Approval Requirement: Internships must be pre-approved by an SOE faculty member before the quarter begins. Units for work completed in the past will not be awarded retroactively.
3. Qualified Supervision: Your work must be supervised by a professional in the field who holds at least a Bachelor’s degree and appropriate certification/credentials required for their profession.
4. Paid Work: Students can be paid for the hours, but in order to get academic units, they must do additional academic work as agreed with the faculty sponsor in the Variable Unit Contract.
5. Remote Internship Contingency Plan: In the event your work site closes or can no longer offer in-person work, a remote plan must be included in the contract/work plan before faculty sponsor approval. This ensures you can complete your required hours and earn credit without needing to drop the course or request an incomplete.
6. Career Relevance: Your work should align with your career goals, offering you meaningful, related experience in your field of interest.
7. Skill Development: Work should provide opportunities to gain new, professional-level, transferable skills. Work that primarily involves routine tasks like filing or basic duties will not be accepted.