Research Practice Overview
The Research Practice (RES PRC) subject area includes interdisciplinary courses in the practice of research. Hosted by the Undergraduate Research Center – Sciences and the Undergraduate Research Center – Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Research Practice courses cover the development of research questions and the application of methodologies, as well as forms of qualitative and quantitative analysis, and research communications and publications. The courses combine the theoretical and the practical, and emphasize experiential learning. In the Research Practice subject area, students do not just gain knowledge and skills in their discipline; they also develop an understanding of how knowledge is created and applied across the university.
Research Practice courses expand on important skills for success in research, and also explore how research skills integrate into a variety of careers. Research Practice courses are not associated with one department; students in any major can enroll. Some courses are associated with a research, journal, or scholarship program, and so acceptance into that program is required to receive a PTE to join the class. Other courses have an open enrollment.
Need help getting course credit for off-campus research during the academic year or summer? We can help with that too as we offer RES PRC 99 and RES PRC 195.
Winter 2027 Course Offerings
Research Practice 98T:
Biological Politics: Searching for Scientific “Truth”
SEM 1 (Walters) – Tuesday/Thursday 12:00-1:50pm
Many of us are taught that science is a purely objective search for universal truth. But every experiment, paper, and discovery is shaped by the humans behind it with their unique identities, backgrounds, and motivations. This course asks: Is any science truly unbiased? We will examine how social and political systems determine who gets to be a “scientist,” and how the historic exclusion of marginalized voices continues to shape how research is conducted and interpreted today. Students will dive into hands-on research examining how media channels amplify misinformation and distort scientific findings, while discovering strategies to combat bias when sharing research with the public. No prior scientific training is required—just curiosity.
Instructor: Mars Walters, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Learn more about the CUTF instructors and program here.
Click on the Courses tab to explore our course offerings.
Students: direct all questions to the my.ucla Message Center.