The Purdue University Research Center in Economics offers experiential learning programs that teach students real-world research techniques and technologies and how to dive deep into economic topics.
These special opportunities are planned and hosted by PURCE staff and faculty, and are possible thanks to the center's generous supporters.
Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program
The center's Undergraduate Research Assistantship (UGRA) program arose out of a desire to give undergraduates more direct exposure to economic research — something that’s often reserved for graduate students.
Students are paired with a professor from Purdue’s department of economics and are paid to assist with real research projects. Through hands-on work and weekly cohort meetings, UGRAs learn research design, quantitative data analysis, database management, and presentation skills.
A commitment of 10 work hours per week is expected and preference will be given to students who have had Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship (UGTA) experience within the Daniels School's Economics department. Due to the interactive nature of this program, in-person participation is required and participants must be enrolled in on-campus courses at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.
UGRA work hours will include:
Read a feature story on the benefits of participating in the UGRA program.
All UGRA program positions have been filled for Spring 2025, and PURCE does not currently offer summer UGRA positions. Requirements to apply to future cohorts of this competitive program include completing ECON 360 (Econometrics) and having at least a 3.0 GPA.
If you’re interested in the PURCE UGRA program and would like to receive an email alert when the application goes live on June 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 academic school year, or if you have questions related to UGRA, please complete the survey below.
Economic Scholars Program
Students who have successfully completed a principles of economics course are invited to apply for the Economic Scholars Program, a one-credit hour independent study course, typically capped at 12 students, that meets weekly to discuss readings.
The program is taught by a different professor each semester, and focuses on a different economic topic. Formative texts, including Frédéric Bastiat and John Rawls, are read and discussed alongside recent economic works. Grades are based largely on participation — the quality and rigor of class discussions — and an essay.
Starting in Fall 2024, PURCE expanded Econ Scholars to two sections each semester. Now, up to 24 undergraduate students have the opportunity to each earn up to $750 in scholarship money while exploring economics topics in great depth.
