In a site-based study, students engage in a small-scale research study for an office or organization under the guidance of a Sociology faculty member. Examples of site-based studies include analyzing secondary data (i.e. archival research, historical analysis, content analysis, quantitative data analysis); observational studies and participatory research.
The Department of Sociology has partnered with several campus and off-campus sites to offer pre-arranged study opportunities. This list will be shared with Sociology students, and the opportunities are only available for Sociology majors who are in good academic standing.
To participate in a site-based study, students must get a commitment from a Sociology faculty member to be their faculty-of-record under a graded independent study for a semester. The independent study will count for 1 CU and can be used as an elective for the Sociology major. Students also need to be enlisted by a partner site to be the student researcher for the site's study project. Students must apply and sometimes interview for open study positions, so placement is not guaranteed.
Students are expected to work on the study 10 hours a week for the semester and sustain consistent communication with their faculty-of-record and the site contact (the main point of communication at the partner site). Students must complete the semester with a 10-15 page paper that includes relevant literature, synthesizes their research findings, and is reviewed by their faculty-of-record. Students also receive a formal evaluation from their partner site.
If you are a Sociology major, or someone interested in the major, and are interested or have any questions, please contact sociology-staff@sas.upenn.edu.