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Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Summer Institute
The Department of Sociology at Texas A&M University runs an annual summer research institute for advanced
undergraduate students. The summer institute is held in College Station and lasts for eight weeks. It
focuses on sociological research methods and their application in research on racial and ethnic relations
and stratification. The program is geared to providing promising students a hands-on introduction to sociological
research with the goal of stimulating them to consider graduate training in sociology and a possible career in
sociological research.
Institutional Support
The Summer Institute is supported with major funding from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research
Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program and with support provided by Texas A&M University's College of
Liberal Arts and the Office of the Vice-President for Research.
For more information about the NSF's REU program, visit their
website by clicking on the following link.
NSF REU Website
Program Description
The REU program supports 8-12 students each year to come to College Station to participate in an eight-week research
institute in the summer. The program provides students with specialized classroom training in research methods and with
direct experience in conducting sociological research under the supervision and mentoring of a faculty member in the
Department of Sociology.
The core activities of the program are academic coursework in the form of for-credit enrollment in a specially designed
research methods seminar, two field trips exploring ethnic relations and ethnic stratification; and participation in a
research project under the one-on-one mentoring and guidance of a faculty member;
Additional activities include a professional socialization seminar; preparatory instruction for the GRE; presentation
of a research paper at a Research Symposium at Texas A&M-College Station at the conclusion of the Summer Institute; and
travel to present the research paper at a professional meeting in the following Spring.
Overview Schedule
This coming year the Summer Research Institute will be held over the eight-week period beginning with Texas A&M
University's first summer session (see link below for program dates).
Inquiries about the program are welcome at any time (see contact information below). Review of applications for
the Summer Research Institute will begin in March with final decisions announced by mid-April.
Faculty and student inquiries about future Summer Research Institutes are welcome at any time.
Student Support
Students who participate in the program receive financial support in the following forms.
 Travel costs to and from College Station;
Room and board for the summer institute;
Tuition and books;
GRE Instruction and related materials;
Computer Lab access and research supplies;
Travel costs for attending a professional meeting in the following spring.
Students also receive a stipend of $3,200 for participating in the program. The stipend is provided in three
installments over the course of the program.
Preferred Qualifications & Eligibility
Our program is geared to students who are interested in graduate training in Sociology and a possible career involving
sociological research. We seek students who: (a) are a Junior or Senior majoring in Sociology or a closely related
social science field, (b) have completed at least one course in research methods, and (c) are able to participate in the
full eight-week summer institute.
To serve program goals, we especially seek applications from students who are nominated by a faculty member at one of
the program-affiliated universities listed below. The nominating faculty member must be willing to serve as the student's
"home-campus" mentor during the academic year following the Summer Institute to give guidance to the student in applying to graduate schools and in refining their research paper. Home-campus mentors are assisted by the REU Program
Coordinator at Texas A&M-College Station.
University of Houston-Houston
Prairie View A&M University
Sam Houston State University
Texas Southern University
Texas A&M-College Station
Texas A&M-Commerce
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Texas A&M-International
Texas Southern University
University of Texas-El Paso
University of Texas-Permian Basin
University of Texas-Pan American
University of Texas-San Antonio
West Texas A&M
Students from other institutions also will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Contact the program coordinator
to explore this possibility.
Contact Information
For additional information contact REU Program Coordinator
Ms. Marilyn Venegas
REU Program Coordinator
Department of Sociology
Mail Stop 4351
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4351
979-845-7286 (office)
979-845-5133 (department)
979-862-4057 (fax)
email: mmvngs@tamu.edu
How to Apply
The standard application involves two parts: (1) a faculty mentor at the student's home campus submits a "student
nomination form" and (2) the student submits a student application form. (These forms can be obtained via links in the
next section of this document.)
The REU Coordinator at Texas A&M University - College Station solicits nominations from participating faculty at each
of the universities affiliated with the program. Students who wish to be considered may directly contact the REU
coordinator to express interest and ask for guidance on how to pursue a nomination.
Forms
Student and faculty inquiries about the program are welcome. The following links provide access to a flyer that can be
used to disseminate information about the program and forms students can use to apply to the NSF REU program at Texas A&M
University.
REU Application Form: for students to complete online and print
REU Nomination Form (Used by Faculty)
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