The Research Option (RO) gives you a competitive advantage on getting into graduate and professional schools. It offers an intensive, multi-semester research experience, an undergraduate honors thesis, and the RO designation appears on your transcript.
With faculty guidance, you write a brief proposal, perform independent and original research, and write a thesis about your work. This plan requires that you conduct 9 credit hours of supervised research over multiple semesters. The first 6 credit hours are taken by any combination of BIOS 2698, 2699, 4698, or 4699. You then take BIOS 4690 for the remaining 3 credit hours of research.
In addition, you must take two one credit-hour writing courses, LMC 4701 (Research Proposal Writing) and LMC 4702 (Research Thesis Writing). These writing courses can be counted as Biology breadth electives. You should take LMC 4701 the semester before you complete your Senior Research Experience, and LMC 4702 during the same semester you complete your Senior Research Experience. The table below illustrates one possible pathway for completing the Research Option as a Biology major:
| Semester 1 (Junior Year) | Semester 2 (Junior or Senior Year) | Semester 3 (Senior Year) |
| BIOS 4699 or 4698 (3 credits) | BIOS 4699 or 4698 (3 credits) | BIOS 4690 (3 credits) |
| Apply for Research Option | LMC 4701 (1 credit) | BIOS 4460 (1 credit) |
| LMC 4702 (1 credit) |
Students interested in pursuing the RO must apply through the UROP website.
LMC 4701 and 4702 are permit-only courses and you must contact the UROP office for permits.
See the UROP website for more information:
- Research Option overview
- Research Option general timeline
- Research Option requirements and application
- Certificate of Research Option Approval
Interested in research but sure if the Research Option is for you?
Check out other ways you can get involved in undergraduate research for credit as a Biology major!
