UCLA Student Research Programs
UCLA has multiple programs that match local organizations and governments with student researchers. They serve as mutually beneficial opportunities for students to explore the questions that staff are unable to answer and practitioners are able to provide real-world experience for the next generation of climate leaders. In general, these programs select clients 6-12 months before the work is completed.
UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Net Impact Consulting Challenge: Call for Applications from Nonprofits and Social Enterprises. In this three-week pro bono consulting engagement, nonprofit organizations and social enterprises can receive strategic and operational guidance from a team of MBA students to address challenges in fiscal management, operations, marketing, and leadership transition.
IoES Senior Practicum pairs teams of five to seven undergraduate students with a faculty member or environmental expert, and then subsequently with a diverse array of clients. Project proposals are accepted beginning in ~May and projects are selected by ~July. Students conduct background research in Sept-Dec, begin client meetings in January, and complete the projects in June. For more information, see the FAQs or contact us if you would like us to connect with the IoES staff person who leads that effort.
Three options at the Luskin School of Public Affairs:
The Luskin Undergraduate Experiential Learning Capstone
30 week internship. More info for prospective hosts here. Deadline is in the spring of the preceding academic year - see the form for 2024-2025.Masters of Urban Planning: Applied Planning and Research Project
The MURP Applied Planning and Research Project is a year-long consulting agreement that pairs an individual Master of Urban and Regional Planning student with an external client partner to tackle a planning question. Working with the client and a UCLA faculty advisor, second year masters students define a problem, design and conduct data collection, analyze and contextualize the information, and prepare a written and/or oral report for their client organization. Students gain experience working as consultants, and clients receive professional-level analysis and recommendations to drive action. Learn more about Applied Planning Research Projects (Example of individual project on CUGU). Please submit your 2024-25 project idea by Friday, July 19th, 2024 for the first distribution to students. Ideas submitted after Friday, August 23rd, 2024 will not reach students.Masters of Public Policy: Applied Policy Projects
The Master of Public Policy Program culminates in a mandatory three-quarter sequence of courses, led by faculty advisers, dedicated to the preparation and presentation of a major Applied Policy Project (APP) on behalf of a client agency, nonprofit organization, or firm working in the public interest. The objective is to challenge students to conduct a detailed investigation of a real policy problem facing the client and to develop evidence-based and actionable recommended solutions. Students are encouraged to grapple with the challenges of policy implementation in the midst of competing and often conflicting social, political, economic, and technical interests. Projects are completed in teams of 4 to 5 students. Please submit your 2024-25 project idea by Friday, July 19th, 2024 for the first distribution to students. Ideas submitted after Friday, August 23rd, 2024 will not reach students.