Research Assistant
Background –
The general job requirement of a research assistant is to help support a research study. Daily duties of someone working as a Research Assistant will vary depending on what research study they are a part of. Some duties may include completing interviews with participants, collecting data, entering data and/or conducting literature reviews to support the research study. Choosing an area of interest (personality psychology, experimental psychology, developmental psychology, etc.) is important in determining what research studies a person will explore.
What is the average salary for a research assist? $43,190*
What classes at GVSU may help me in my career? Discuss with your advisor which courses among those on this list, along with other courses not listed here, would best serve your career goals.
- PSY 300 – Research Methods in Psychology
- PSY 400 – Advanced Research in Psychology
- Minor in Applied Statistics (21 credits)
- STA 215 – Introductory Applied Statistics
- STA 312 – Probability and Statistics
- STA 216 – Intermediate Applied Statistics
- Additional 15 elective credits
What additional experiences at GVSU can I explore to help prepare me in my future career?
- Become involved in a research project in the GVSU Psychology department
What skills are important for a Research Assistant to have? Active listening, reading comprehension, problem solving, and critical thinking skills are important to have while a research assistant. In addition, written and oral communication skills are important to strive for in this position**
Employer Possibilities – Psychological research is completed at colleges and universities, hospitals, government or privately owned research corporations.
*bls.gov (2016) for Social Science Research Assistant: excludes graduate assistants
** O*Net for Social Science Research Assistant