For all students who declare their major within the department, a project taken as "Experiential Component of Senior Learning Community" (BI/MI/MCB/NS 400E) is mandatory. To enroll in 400E, use the Form for Senior Research after receiving approval from your thesis advisor.
This research can be done in the laboratory of one of the professors within the department, or during an internship at a research institution with an on-site supervisor and with a faculty supervisor from the department.
Further details can be found in the "Guidelines for the Senior Learning Community" in General Biology/Microbiology & Immunology/Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry/Neuroscience and Biopsychology (within the department) which can be downloaded below.
In their "Senior Thesis in Biological Sciences" (BI 400) seniors will elaborate a thesis that must follow a particular format using the template within the guidelines.
NOTE: Health Sciences supports a unique internship requirement and follows a separate Senior Learning Community.
Downloads:
- Senior Learning Community
- Form for Senior Research 400E
- Thesis Body (pdf)
- Thesis Body (word document)
After a student declares her/his major, it is strongly recommended to collect information about the research areas of the professors of the department and to contact them for possible research collaborations.
To better tailor a senior project to the wishes and capabilities of a student, some professors require students to spend at least one semester of research in their lab (usually as BI/MI/MCB/NS 493/494: Undergraduate Research) before they enter into BI/MI/MCB/NS 400E under their supervision.