Skip to content
Alkimi University Academics

BIO 495 · Biology

Undergraduate Research in Biology

Independent experimental or field biological research conducted under the mentorship of a faculty sponsor, requiring an approved written study proposal and a culminating written report or symposium presentation.

How to enroll Where it fits

Catalog overview

Course Essentials

Credits
1–4
Level
400 upper division
Typically offered
By arrangement
Prerequisites
Junior standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000, BIO 210, and approval of the faculty sponsor and department chair.

400-level courses: advanced capstone, senior research, and specialized seminars. Counts toward the 36 upper-division credits every bachelor's degree requires (Undergraduate Catalog §2.3). Details: Undergraduate Catalog §9.2.

Department of Biology

Department page →
Meridian Science Center Chair: Dr. Martin Osei, Meridian Science Center 218

Questions about a major or your plan: Academic Advising Center, Lovell Hall 101, (555) 555-0158.

BIO 495 has no scheduled class meetings. You arrange it with a faculty sponsor in your department, who agrees the plan of work, meeting schedule, and how it's graded before you register. Department chairs make teaching assignments each year (Faculty Handbook §5.1), and every instructor posts the syllabus in Canvas by the first day of classes (Faculty Handbook §5.2).

Generative AI in this course

Every syllabus must state one of three levels: Level 1 (AI not permitted for graded work), Level 2 (AI permitted with disclosure for specified tasks), Level 3 (AI permitted broadly with disclosure). Check your section's syllabus in Canvas. Unless it says otherwise, the university default applies: generative AI tools may be used for brainstorming, studying, and feedback on your own drafts, but not to produce work you submit for a grade.

Details: Student Handbook §5.7 and Student Handbook §5.8. See what each AI level allows.

Degree planning

Where BIO 495 fits

What to take first, what this course opens up, and the requirements it can satisfy, from the Undergraduate Catalog.

Take first

Catalog wording: Junior standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000, BIO 210, and approval of the faculty sponsor and department chair.

Leads to

All Biology courses →

No other catalog course lists BIO 495 as a prerequisite.

Counts toward

All programs →

Every course also counts toward the 120 credits needed for a bachelor's degree. Confirm your plan with your advisor or the Academic Advising Center.

AP credit

AP equivalency table →

No AP exam awards credit for BIO 495 (Undergraduate Catalog §3.11).

Registration

How to enroll in BIO 495

  1. Check the prerequisites

    Junior standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000, BIO 210, and approval of the faculty sponsor and department chair.

  2. Add it in AlkimiHub

    BIO 495 is offered by arrangement with a faculty sponsor, in any term. Agree the plan of work with your faculty sponsor, then submit the signed proposal or learning agreement through AlkimiHub by the add deadline; the Registrar enrolls you once it's approved (Undergraduate Catalog §2.13 and Undergraduate Catalog §2.14). Details: Student Handbook §3.3.

  3. If the section is full, join the waitlist

    When a seat opens, AlkimiHub offers it to the first student on the waitlist and emails you. You have 24 hours to claim it before it goes to the next student. Details: Student Handbook §3.10.

All dates: academic calendar. Registration help: Office of the Registrar.

BIO courses

More in Biology

Previous course BIO 490 Senior Biology Capstone & Research Browse all courses