What is Social, Behavioral, and Education Research (SBER)?

Social, behavioral, and education research (SBER) encompasses a wide range of disciplines, methodologies, and topics. SBER commonly explores human interactions, behavior, and attitudes to better understand social phenomena (Harvard Catalyst). For example, an individual may be interested in examining senses of belonging among refugee students in NYC public schools, or whether there is a relationship between social media usage and obesity among youth. Populations explored in SBER can include individuals, groups, institutions, and organizations (Participating in Social and Behavioral Health Research Video). When working with human subjects, regardless of discipline or subject matter, it is imperative that individuals understand any possible harms or risks associated with their research and have protections in place to mitigate and minimize harm or risk. SBER spans many disciplines, including but not limited to:

  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Sociology
  • Social Work
  • Political Science
  • Public Health
  • Public Policy
  • Psychology

SBER careers can consist of leading academic medical centers with deep experience in social, behavioral, and education research. The unique issues and challenges faced by those who work in social, behavioral, and educational research (SBER)-focused ethics and oversight are increasing. Students interested in SBER careers should understand how they function and how they can prepare for these careers. 

Who Works in SBER-Focused Careers?

There is a wide array of career options in the social, behavioral, and education sciences field. SBER-focused careers are in high demand, and can be found across the private and public sector (Publichealth.org). Many SBER-focused careers extend beyond academia. These may include:

  • Clinical Social Worker
  • Behavioral Specialist
  • Evaluation Specialist
  • Program Manager
  • Policy Analyst (Think tanks, nonprofit, governmental, for-profit)
  • Research Assistant
  • Research Coordinator
  • Social Scientist
  • Consultant (Nonprofit, for-profit, governmental)

For those wishing to pursue an SBER-focused career in academia, opportunities may include:

  • Professor
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Administrator
  • Research Assistant
  • Research Coordinator
  • Social Scientist
  • Curriculum and Development Specialist

Notice that there is overlap in career options within academia and other sectors. This can be attributed to the transferable skills, or skills that can be transferred from one job to the next, often required for SBER-focused careers. Analytical reasoning, critical thinking, data analysis, and strong written and oral communication are just a few of the skills that those in SBER-focused careers develop.

How Can Students Prepare for SBER-Focused Career Development & Success?

Social, behavioral and education research is particularly robust at Teachers College (TC) given TC’s status as a research-focused institution and the TC community’s deep commitment to investigating social phenomena to advance equity and social justice. There are many research opportunities and resources at TC that those interested in SBER-focused careers ought to pursue to expand their knowledge, experience, and marketability upon graduation. 

Explore TC Research Opportunities

Work in a TC Research Lab, Center, or Institute

  1. The Culture and Health Promotion of Minority Youth and Families Lab
  2. Developing Language and Literacy Lab
  3. Games Research Lab
  4. Media and Social Change Lab

Faculty and staff at TC are at the forefront of cutting edge research, and there are a number of institutes, centers, and laboratories dedicated to expanding scholarship in the social and behavioral sciences. Volunteering with a research lab is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience in supporting research, develop deeper relationships with professors and colleagues, and learn how to work in a collaborative setting. The TC Research Lab webpage contains a directory of the many labs at TC. Those interested in becoming part of a lab are encouraged to visit the respective websites for labs of interest and connect with listed primary contacts. These labs span academic disciplines and include, but are not limited to:

  • Research Assistantships
    • Beyond the research labs, TC faculty and staff are engaged in exciting research projects and frequently recruit students to support as research assistants. 
    • The TC Human Resources department lists research positions regularly that students can access here.
    • Columbia University’s Careers at Columbia webpage also houses a job search directory with research opportunities.
  • Support Student Research
    • What better way to support and learn from the TC student research community than by participating in a study you are eligible for?
    • The MyTC Student Portal Bulletin Board  often features calls for research participants under the “Research Participants & Volunteers” section.
    • Upholding respect for persons, justice, and beneficence are at the core SBER. Learn more about SBER with human subjects by taking on the important perspective of participants. 

Pursue an SBER-focused Internship

Explore your interests, expand your skill sets, network, and apply what you have learned in the TC classroom to a professional setting by pursuing an internship. Tip: make use of filters when conducting searches. You can always zoom out if you are unsuccessful in your search, but try relevant keywords, like “research”, “data analysis,” etc.

  • The TC NEXT Career Resources portal is updated daily to reflect new internship opportunities. Information on how to access the Career Resources portal can be found here.
  • Students can also make appointments to receive guidance on their resumes and other documents and practice mock interviews at TC NEXT.
  • The TC Next Weekly e-newsletter often highlights new internship opportunities that can include research-oriented opportunities, so check your TC inbox regularly to stay informed on the latest offerings.
  • Columbia University’s Careers at Columbia webpage also houses a job search directory with research-oriented internship opportunities.
  • As a TC student, you also have access to Interstride and ​​GoinGlobal that offers international and domestic research internship opportunities.
  • The Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research organization (PRIM&R) has a career database research and fellowship opportunities.

Explore Fellowship Opportunities

A postdoctoral fellowship offers individuals who have recently completed a doctorate an opportunity to receive close mentorship, and research experience in a relevant field, whereas fellowships are more broad, can be pursued by MA students, and usually offer funding to allow researchers to execute research projects or receive skills training on how to plan and implement research studies in relevant areas of interest.

External Fellowship Opportunities:

Sources

What do future social science graduates look like?

PRIM&R - About Us

Social & Behavioral Sciences jobs in New York

Social and Behavioral Science Careers and Education | PublicHealthOnline.org

Social and Behavioral Science Careers - PublicHealth.org

Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction – Open Textbook

Participating in Human Research and Clinical Trials | HHS.gov

— Hira Shahbaz

Tags: New to IRB Tips for Success

Published Tuesday, Oct 3, 2023