RE/ES320 - Research Methods and Applied Lab

Hands-on experience is essential for successful individual career planning. The IES Abroad Research Assistantship offers students a unique opportunity to gain such experience in an international and intercultural setting abroad. Students having been accepted to an ESS Research Assistantship gain hands-on research experience with an external partner, such as a university department or research institute. Working under the guidance of an on-site supervisor, they contribute to ongoing projects in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, or Sustainability while developing practical research skills in an international setting.

The accompanying Research Methods course connects students' placement experiences with the scientific research process. Through examples from current research, students explore research design, quantitative and qualitative methods, good scientific practice, and common analytical approaches in the natural sciences. The course also includes lab components in which scientific concepts are applied and learned through hands-on experience. They also complete a small research project linked to their placement and reflect on their research practice, professional development, and career goals.

By combining academic learning with hands-on research, students will have strengthened their research competencies, build practical skills, intercultural experience, and a strong foundation for future study or careers in research.

Applicants are required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV), apply for placements in advance and participate in an interview via Zoom, coordinated through IES Abroad, with the prospective supervisor of the assistantship position.

The Environmental Studies & Sustainability program
The Environmental Studies & Sustainability Program is taught in a modular structure consisting of four consecutive modules, each lasting three weeks. During each three-week module, students take only one course. This format allows for substantial hands-on experience and extensive field-study learning. The Research Assistantship takes place during Modules 3 and 4, covering the final six weeks of the semester. The accompanying Research Course runs alongside Modules 1 through 4 as twice weekly evening course, complemented by designated Field Study Fridays.

Syllabus pending approval by the Curriculum Committee in 2026.