Undergraduate Research
Enrollment Procedures—MCB 290, MCB 492
Many undergraduate students in the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) major carry out studies in research laboratories. The research experience offers the excitement of cutting edge science and the opportunity to hone skills in analytical thinking and communication using scientific concepts and language. It is an indispensable gauge of whether graduate studies offer a viable postgraduate plan.
Irrespective of your career goals, your training in the biological sciences stands to benefit substantially from the research endeavor. "How do I go about applying for a lab position to do research for MCB 290 credit?" "How do I go about earning MCB 492 senior thesis credit for MCB graduation with distinction?" The answers to these questions and others are discussed below.
Undergraduate Research for Credit
If you are a biological sciences student in good academic standing with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0, you can apply to enroll in MCB 290 (Individual Topics) in an MCB or other approved laboratory (see MCB 290 or 492 Credit for Work Outside the School of MCB). With prior MCB 290 experience you can, as a senior, enroll in MCB 492. Either MCB 290 alone or together with MCB 492 will give you intensive practical knowledge in a research laboratory where you will work closely with scientists who do research full-time using state-of-the-art technology. Students in the Biochemistry Specialized Curriculum should consult information specific to that major.
You are encouraged to look for MCB 290 experience before the beginning of your junior year; hence, many students begin applying during the spring semester of their sophomore year. However, you may start earlier if your program and academic performance allows time for it. Individual faculty mentors differ in their preferences for coursework and time commitments. Note that the School of MCB limits to 10 hours the amount of "independent research" credit (290 or 492) that can be applied toward credit for graduation, but that does not preclude you from taking more than 10 credit hours of MCB 290 or 492. Indeed, if you wish to apply for graduation with distinction you are encouraged to take as much MCB 290 credit as you desire or feel necessary to complete your independent projects. MCB 290 credit for independent research cannot be combined with any other sources of academic credit or payment of any kind.
Application and Enrollment in MCB 290 Undergraduate Research
Apart from the requirement to be a biological sciences student (Biology undeclared, MCB, MCB Honors or Biochemistry Specialized Curriculum) in good academic standing, there are no formal course prerequisites for enrolling in MCB 290; however, you must first apply for the approval of a faculty member in whose laboratory you wish to work. Enrollment in MCB 290 is on a semester-by-semester basis with a letter grade given at the end of each semester. The faculty member with whom you are working determines what your grade will be for MCB 290. There is no formal requirement for written work; however, an individual faculty advisor may require it. Be sure to discuss with your faculty advisor what will be expected of you during your research.
Begin the process of securing an undergraduate research position for MCB 290 credit by submitting the MCB 290 electronic application. In preparation for this, first identify several areas of potential research interest to you. A list of MCB research areas (e.g., bacterial physiology, proteomics) and the faculty whose research programs are associated with those interests can be found on the MCB Faculty Research Interests Web page. The MCB 290 electronic application allows you to choose up to three broad areas of research. To gain a sense of the specific MCB research projects underway in your interest area(s), access the individual MCB faculty Web pages from the links provided under each research heading. By taking a generalized approach to seeking a research lab, you ensure that your application will be reviewed by all of the research professors working in your chosen areas. On the application, you can also specify your interest in the research programs of up to five individual research professors; however many faculty members already have undergraduate students in their laboratories, and may not be able to take additional students at the time you apply, so it is advisable to also take the broader approach in your application process.
When you are ready to apply for an MCB 290 undergraduate research position, complete the student section of the electronic application. In order to submit your completed application within the one hour time limit, you may wish to draft your text portions separately and copy them into the appropriate places on the application. Alternatively, you can submit an unfinished application and re-access it for further revisions any time prior to the deadline. You may request assistance with the application process by sending e-mail to mcb290help@life.uiuc.edu. Consider the following steps to increase the likelihood of successful placement into a MCB 290 position:
Steps to Increase Likelihood of Successful Placement
- Ensure that all verifiable information is correct. For example, enter your current major, list all math and science courses taken for the major and record your major GPA (which is based only on your biology, math, chemistry and physics courses taken on this campus). Applications containing errors of this nature will be returned for correction and, once denied, will be delayed to the following application period, either during the secondary submission period of the current term or one of the periods during the following semester.
- Take advantage of all opportunities to project a clear, articulate description of personal experiences and goals that support your commitment to a research endeavor (e.g., Do you have previous research experience? How many semesters are you reserving for research? Do you have career goals? What might be the relevance of research to these goals?)
- If you request submissions to individual research professors, take advantage of the opportunity on the application to address comments to them specifically in addition to your more general personal statement at the end of the application.
Applications for MCB 290 Undergraduate Research are electronically submitted to the MCB Core Curriculum Office in 252 Davenport Hall for initial approval. MCB 290 application deadlines occur twice during each fall and spring semester and are intended for enrollment in research projects during the subsequent terms, respectively. Applications will be approved based on the accuracy of the submitted information, then advanced to databases developed for each interest area. From these the MCB research faculty can access screened applicants who express an interest in their areas of research. MCB faculty interested in supporting the work of an undergraduate researcher in their lab will contact and interview applicants. If, as a result of this process, you and a research professor agree on a MCB 290 research project your mentor will submit an electronic project description to the MCB Core Curriculum Office on your behalf, thereby permitting you to enroll in the MCB 290.
Application Process
- Complete the student information portion of the MCB 290 electronic application and submit it online by either deadline in a given semester. Receipt of your application by the MCB Core Curriculum Office will be confirmed by campus e-mail. You will be able to reaccess your submitted application for modifications any time prior to the application submission deadline.
- During the week following a submission deadline, the MCB Core Curriculum Office will notify you by e-mail with regard to the approval status of your application. A statement of explanation will accompany denied submissions. Applications that have been denied cannot be resubmitted until the next application period.
- At the end of the application approval period, the MCB research professors will be notified by e-mail of an updated database containing your application along with others who are interested generally in their area of research or their specific research program.
- During the period prior to the next submission deadline, you may be contacted directly by faculty who wish to discuss with you a possible research position.
- If you and a research professor develop a student research project, he/she will electronically file a project description to the MCB Core Curriculum Office to document your proposed research area.
- Upon receipt of the project description by the MCB Core Curriculum Office, you will receive by email a description of your research project and the information needed to enroll in MCB 290.
Important note: In a given semester, existing applications will be purged from the database prior to the secondary submission deadline. You must resubmit approved applications remaining from the first submission period in order for them to remain in the database. You can do this online without making changes to the application. Alternatively, you may wish to revise, for example, the anticipated semesters you have available for research, include a personal statement that more clearly describes your reasons for doing research, or select new areas of interest or individual research faculty.
Spring 2008 MCB 290 Undergraduate Research Application Submission Deadlines
| Priority Submission Period | January 2–21 |
| 2008 Priority Faculty Review Period | January 28–March 3, 2008 |
| 2008 Secondary Submission Period | January 21–March 3, 2008 |
| Secondary Faculty Review Period | March 10–August 25, 2008 |
While the online MCB 290 application will be the most commonly used mechanism for setting up a research position, you and a faculty mentor may also establish a project outside of the electronic system. In this situation, the completed form MCB 290 Application Form for Work in an MCB Lab in hard copy must be submitted in the MCB Core Curriculum Office, 252 Davenport Hall, at which time the you will receive necessary information to enroll in MCB 290. Similarly, once a research project is established, enrolling for MCB 290 credit for subsequent semesters in the same lab requires filing a hard copy of the MCB 290 application in the MCB Core Curriculum Office.
MCB 290 or 492 CREDIT FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OF MCB
If you wish to request approval for a MCB 290/492 project with a faculty member not associated with the School of MCB, you must do the following:
- Consult with Melissa Michael in the Core Curriculum Office (252 Davenport Hall) to determine whether the proposed research project qualifies as an acceptable MCB undergraduate research project.
- Verify that there will be no other academic credit given for the proposed project through other programs, departments, colleges, units, or institutions. This includes summer programs and other research internships at other universities or institutions. Under no circumstances will dual credit be allowed.
- Submit an MCB 290 Application Form in hard copy (link to forms at bottom of page?) and a Request for Approval Form for MCB 290/492 Credit for Work outside of MCB (downloads/RequestApprovalMCB290OutsideLab.doc)
The Request for Approval form must be received and approved before the project is started and the project must meet a strict definition as to what constitutes an acceptable MCB research project. Under no circumstances will MCB 290/492 credit be given for a project that has not received prior approval.
If approval is granted, you will receive instructions for registration by the Core Curriculum Office.
Enrollment in MCB 492 and Submission of a Senior Thesis
Enrollment in MCB 492 occurs in the last semester before graduation and involves continuation of the work done previously for MCB 290. For this reason, enrollment in MCB 492 does not involve an electronic application. It is intended to indicate that you will be writing and submitting a senior research thesis for graduation. A minimum of 3 credit hours of MCB 492 is required in the final semester and a thesis must be approved by the advisor and submitted to the chair of the Distinction Committee (Dr. Brenda Wilson, c/o Ms. Donna Prahl in B103 CLSL, drprahl@life.uiuc.edu) for credit to be received. The prerequisite for MCB 492 is a minimum of 2 consecutive semesters of at least 2 credit hours of MCB 290 under the guidance of the same professor. With rare exceptions, MCB 492 credit is for work performed in the same laboratory as that for the MCB 290 research. Not every student who conducts MCB 290 research writes and submits a thesis.
Please note that MCB 492 cannot be counted towards the 15 hours of advanced course credit required by MCB for graduation and that the School of MCB limits to 10 hours the amount of "independent research" credit (290 or 492) that can be applied toward credit for graduation. Nonetheless, in order to accomplish an adequate body of research for a thesis project, many more hours of research are usually necessary than the stated minimum. You should discuss with your faculty advisor what is required for your project. See instructions below for how to submit a thesis.
Graduation with Distinction
To provide recognition of senior students in the MCB major, who have demonstrated excellence in academic performance and in research, the MCB Distinction Committee awards graduation honors of "Distinction in MCB" in three categories, based on academic performance and quality of research: Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction. The final Illinois transcript and diploma will note if a student earned distinction and at what level. Successful completion of MCB 492 is required in order to be eligible for graduation with distinction in MCB.
To be considered for graduation with distinction in MCB, six copies of your senior thesis, approved by your faculty advisor, must be submitted to the MCB Distinction Committee (c/o Ms. Donna Prahl in B103 CLSL) by the posted deadline (usually the week after spring break), and your overall GPA must be at least 3.25. To be considered for graduation with high distinction, your overall GPA must be at least 3.50. To be considered for graduation with highest distinction, your overall GPA must be at least 3.75. The faculty advisor with whom you are working will write a letter of evaluation and recommendation for distinction, and the MCB Distinction Committee will determine if the senior thesis you submit is satisfactory for graduation with distinction and at what level, based on the overall quality of the thesis and research performed (see below).
The Research Thesis
Since good research requires intensive effort and time commitment, you should plan to get started with MCB 290 in your junior year or before. Past experience indicates that one- or two-semester projects rarely succeed in producing substantial results adequate for a thesis. Three- to four-semester projects are the most common. The research project must consist of original research, which should attempt to answer a specific scientific question. Simply learning to master a technique is not sufficient. Because research often involves unanticipated technical problems, you should be prepared to accept delay and frustration when things do not go smoothly. The best approach to your project is to have a clear understanding of the questions you are asking and why you are asking those particular questions. This understanding is aided by a familiarity with the literature in your area.
The research thesis should be a formal report of your results, and therefore should follow accepted professional standards for such reports. Your faculty research advisor should be a valuable resource for details on this. An acceptable thesis should describe research discoveries of sufficient quantity and quality to constitute a body of work that presents a problem, address that problem through specific and well-defined experimental approaches, and interpret the results in the context of the relevant research field. Your thesis should contain a title page, abstract, introduction, experimental approach and methods, results, discussion, acknowledgments, and references.
The title page should include the title of your thesis, your name and affiliation, your research advisor's name and affiliation, and the date. The Introduction should discuss the scientific background leading to the project, including a review of previous literature related to the topic and what questions need to be addressed and how the thesis project addresses these questions. The Experimental Approach and Methods section should clearly describe how the thesis project addressed the problem, what the experimental design was, and details on how the experiments were conducted, including sources of materials. The Results section should summarize the results of the experiments, showing the experimental data in graph and figure format with adequate statistics. Be sure to label and caption all Tables and Figures. The Conclusions section should evaluate the results obtained and the figures, tables, or graphs presented and should succinctly put the work in the context of the appropriate field(s). Adequate references should be cited, and a bibliography with complete reference information (all authors, complete title of article, journal name, volume, date, and so on) should be given.
You should recognize that communication of your results is the final step in scientific research. Therefore, your thesis should be as clear as you can make it. A well-written, concise thesis should be understandable to researchers in allied fields as well as to specialists in your own field. The senior thesis is NOT a "paper," so there are no hard-fast page limitations. Do not get bogged down in detail. Since this is an undergraduate senior thesis, it is not expected that students will have the same depth and level of accomplishment that might be found for a master's or doctoral thesis, but the format is similar. An unduly long thesis is discouraged. Again, your faculty research advisor should be consulted regarding this. The goal is to have a thorough, clearly written, yet concise presentation of your research project. Formatting should include 1" margins, double-spaced, and 10–12 point font size. Complex figures, color illustrations, or other materials that do not copy well must be reproduced clearly in each copy submitted.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must fully credit any data, analyses, illustrations, and so on, that are produced or obtained by or through collaboration with other individuals. This credit must include the names of those with whom you collaborated and an explanation of the nature of their assistance and/or collaboration. This information should be included within the experimental sections as well as the acknowledgments section of the document. Failure to give proper credit may disqualify you from consideration for graduation with distinction.
Evaluation Procedures for Graduation with Distinction
Your research thesis will be read and evaluated by members of the MCB Distinction Committee, which consists of MCB faculty members. Remember that committee members will consider clarity of expression as they read your thesis. In addition, the committee members will also take into account the letter of evaluation submitted by your faculty research advisor. The MCB Distinction Committee will decide which theses, if any, are worthy of Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction. Not every student who writes and submits a thesis receives distinction. If you submit a thesis but do not receive distinction, you may still receive credit for MCB 492.
As a part of the evaluation process, the committee may interview some students. All students being considered for High or Highest Distinction will be interviewed, so it is important that you be available for an interview during the week after the submission deadline. If you are interviewed, you will be asked to provide a brief (˜10 minute) presentation summarizing your work. You will be expected to be able to discuss your work, and you will be questioned on its technical aspects, the interpretation of results, and the significance of the research. The objective of this interview is to find out how well you understand what you did, why you did it (the scientific reason), and what the results mean in relation to other knowledge in the field.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES 2007-2008
If you are graduating in May 2008, you must submit an Application to Graduate with Distinction, along with a page that provides the tentative title of the research thesis and a brief summary of the research (i.e., one paragraph) to Ms. Donna Prahl, B103 Chemical Life Science Lab, no later than 11 a.m., February 27, 2008.
This information is needed by the MCB Distinction Committee to determine the number and disciplinary distribution of theses to be reviewed. If necessary, the committee may need to add appropriate faculty members.
If you are graduating in December 2007 or August 2008, you do not need to submit the application/title/summary, but you must present the research thesis plus the letter of evaluation from your advisor by the submission deadline given below.
Thesis: You must present the original and 6 copies of your research thesis to Donna Prahl (B103 CLSL) for the MCB Distinction Committee by the following deadlines:
| Graduation Date | Submission Deadline |
|---|---|
| Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007 | 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 27, 2007 |
| Sunday, May 13, 2008 | 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2008 |
| Monday, August 6, 2008 | 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 8, 2008 |
No theses will be accepted after the listed submission deadline. If you miss the deadline, you will NOT be considered for graduation with distinction, but you may still receive credit for having completed a thesis. If you miss the deadline, but wish to receive credit and a letter grade for MCB 492, you may still write and submit a thesis (original) by the last day of classes for the semester that you will be graduating, but only with prior approval of your research advisor and the chair of the Distinction Committee.
Letter of Evaluation: Your faculty research advisor must submit the original and 6 copies of his/her letter of evaluation of your research to Dr. Brenda Wilson, Chair, MCB Distinction Committee, B103 Chemical Life Science Lab, no later than the appropriate submission deadline listed above.
Forms
MCB 290 Application Form for Work in an MCB Lab [PDF]
MCB 290 Application Form for Work Outside of MCB [PDF]
MCB Application for Graduation with Distinction [Word] [PDF]
Revised January 4, 2008