{"id":51,"date":"2020-05-15T22:22:48","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T22:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/biological-sciences\/?page_id=51"},"modified":"2026-04-02T16:21:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T16:21:56","slug":"undergraduate-research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/biological-sciences\/undergraduate-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research and Immersion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Skip to: \u00a0<\/strong>Research for <\/a>Academic<\/a>\u00a0Credit<\/a> \u00a0Summer Research Programs<\/a> \u00a0Paid Undergraduate Research Assistant Positions<\/a>\u00a0 Immersion<\/a>\u00a0 Undergraduate Publication<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Research For Academic Credit<\/h2>\r\n

Majors in biological sciences are encouraged to carry out research projects for credit. Students usually start with either BSCI 3860 or BSCI 3861 in the sophomore or junior year. A typical progression is BSCI 3860, followed by BSCI 3861, then one or more semesters of BSCI 3961, depending on the level of interest in research that a student has. Other sequences are possible; consult the catalog for prerequisites.<\/p>\r\n

BSCI 3860 Research Internship<\/a>\u00a0is an introduction to research intended for the student to become familiar with the principal current projects and publications of a research laboratory. This usually entails reading primary literature papers either from the lab or from labs doing very similar research. The student should learn about the aims and projects of the lab, the organism being studied, the significance and importance of the research, how it fits with other research in the field, what methods and techniques are used to address the questions being examined, and the current status of what is known and what is unknown in the field.<\/p>\r\n

BSCI 3861 Directed Research\u00a0<\/a>is taken after BSCI 3860. This course is to provide the student with an opportunity to participate in original laboratory research including problem definition and experimental design, performance, and interpretation of results. This course attempts to provide experience in all of these areas culminating in a written presentation in the form of a scientific journal article. The research is performed under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor. It is expected that during\u00a0 the directed research semester the student will make a substantial intellectual contribution to the goals of part of the mentor’s research program. The mentor will define the initial problem and design the first experiments to be performed by the student. As the semester progresses, it is hoped that the student will begin to develop the necessary skills to define a problem independently and to plan and carry out meaningful experiments.<\/p>\r\n

BSCI 3961 Independent Research<\/a>\u00a0is taken after BSCI 3861. Independent research is defined as scholarly activity that includes the conception and execution of a project by the individual student, with minimal input from the mentor. Although independent in activity, the student enrolled in an Independent Studies course has frequent and regular supervision by the sponsoring faculty member. Usually, the research expands and builds upon the research undertaken in the 3861 course, and it is a continuing development of the independence shown in 3861. Reading and writing are again important ingredients of independent study but this course also provides more opportunities for conceptualizing and demonstrating originality.<\/p>\r\n

Seminar\/ Reading Courses<\/h2>\r\n

BSCI 3850 Independent Reading<\/a> is a 1-credit course involving reading and discussion of research papers with a member of the faculty, typically organized around a specific topic. At the conclusion of the semester, the student will write a review article summarizing the topic area. Registration requires consent of the supervising faculty member. The application form is open for summer and fall 2026 registration. The deadline for summer registration is May 3 and the deadline for fall registration is September 2<\/span>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Summer Research Programs<\/h2>\r\n

The Department of Biological Sciences has many opportunities for summer research. Students may be paid or they may carry out research for credit, and there are several specific summer research programs in which students may participate.<\/p>\r\n

These programs offer exceptional opportunities to begin research or to continue a research project started during the school year. They are available to students at all levels, although some programs give preference to rising seniors. Most programs last approximately ten weeks and include a stipend. All students in residence during the summer are encouraged to attend special summer seminars, designed to complement our various summer programs.<\/p>\r\n

If eligible, students are advised to apply to more than one program. In all cases, students should first make arrangements with an individual faculty member or contact\u00a0 the Director of Undergraduate Studies.<\/p>\r\n