Welcome to Biology 4 th Year Studies Information Session

1. Welcome toBiology 4th Year StudiesInformation Session

2. Topics to be covered • Degree Program Requirements • Choosing a Seminar Stream or Research Stream • Selecting BIOL 500 level seminar courses • Selecting BIOL 537 Supervisors • Selecting BIOL 594 Supervisors • Summer Research Awards etc.

3. DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS • To track your program requirements use the SOLUS Advisement Tool. The advisement tool will help you plan your last year • Degree program requirements are listed on the Arts and Science web site: • http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academic-calendar

4. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? • SEMINAR STREAM • OR • RESEARCH STREAM

5. SEMINAR STREAM • Seminar stream includes BIOL 400 and BIOL 500 courses. • Offers more conventional course experience (presentations, discussions, papers, normally few exams) • Offers opportunities for in-depth learning in an area that interests you • Offers a great opportunity to improve communication (oral/written) skills • Offers an opportunity for Professors to get good information to provide letters of support for admission to professional schools or graduate work* • *many students who take BIOL 500 level modules go on to graduate school – you don’t need to do a BIOL 537 Research Project

6. SEMINAR STREAMBIOL 500 LEVEL COURSES • BIOL 500 level courses are required for students who elect the seminar stream BIOL 500 options: • BIOL 59X: Independent/Directed Studies A set of 3.0-18.0 unit courses developed in conjunction with a professor • BIOL 500-536: Seminars These are 3.0 units courses and are also available to students in the research stream, providing space is available after all students in the seminar stream have been placed

7. BIOL 500 LEVEL COURSESHow to apply • Course descriptions and the application form will be available on the BIOL web site the first week in April (an e-mail will be sent to all current 3rd year BIOL students). Application deadline will be the end of April. • Efforts are made to try to get students into their 1st or 2nd choice • Courses are filled (normally in June) based on academic performance (normally cum GPA) • Students need to ensure they have the appropriate course prerequisites (no exceptions) for seminars they are applying to take • All students must have completed at least 84 units in order to be eligible to apply for 4th year courses (BIOL 500). • Course enrolment is normally limited to 14 students

8. RESEARCH STREAM • CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE • Using all of your Biology skills, learning and experience to generate new knowledge in your area of interest • Defining a research problem • Writing a research proposal • Carry out the investigation (collect & analyse data) • Defend your ideas (seminars and orals) • Tell the world (posters and theses)

9. RESEARCH STREAMBIOL 537 • It’s hard work (40% of a full course load) • Independent learning • Opportunities to DO science (pursue unique hypothesis-driven research) • If all goes well, you could become a coauthor of a publication • Great opportunity to gain experience or improve research skills • Supervisor can provide very detailed letters of support for admission to professional schools or graduate work

10. BIOL 537Course Details • 12.0 unit course • Minimum 18-20 hours/week (reality is closer to twice that!) • Public seminar presentation: based on project • Poster presentation (March 23 2013 tentative) • Thesis draft submitted to supervisor • Thesis final draft submitted to course coordinator • Final thesis defense-held in April study break

11. BIOL 537Supervisors • Your primary supervisor MUST BE: • A professor in Biology • A professor who is cross-appointed to Biology • Biology Adjunct Professors can only be a co-supervisor • Your supervisor CANNOT BE: • Adjunct Professors from other departments • Professors outside of Biology (unless they are cross-appointed) • Not from other universities • Not from hospitals • Not from other countries (e.g., Wallacea projects)

12. BIOL 537HOW TO FIND A SUPERVISOR • Work Hard. POSITIONS ARE COMPETITIVE! • Define your interests. Choose the area that interests you most. Don’t claim to love molecular biology when you’ve avoided all courses with molecular/cell in them! • Think outside the box. Professors who taught courses that may not have been your favorite still have plenty to offer. • Interview. Most professors will not accept someone they have not spoken to! Prepare for the interview! Know what the professor’s research program is! Ask honest questions! • Ask questions. Every professor is different in what they seek in an applicant. • Survey. Talk to current Honours students who are members of the professor’s lab.

13. BIOL 537APPLICATION PROCESS • Applications will be available on the biology web site • You will receive an e-mail with details when the application form and project list is ready • Students will be asked to list 3 supervisors in order of preference • You will send the application form to all 3 supervisors (copy to: frenchj@queensu.ca) • Supervisors will contact you for an interview • A list of offers from professors will be posted on the web • Students will then be asked to either accept the offer or decline

14. BIOL 537No offer from a professor • Make an appointment with each professor and check if they are willing to take an additional student. Some professors may make offers and the students reject them. • The undergraduate office will circulate a list of professors that still don’t have students • Be prepared to take BIOL 500 level seminar courses • Possibly try for BIOL 594 – Independent Study Project with a professor

15. 537 DEADLINES • Applications Due: March 30 • Offers (round 1): April 6 • Accept/Decline: April 13

16. BIOL 594 / 59XIndependent Study • GENERAL DESCRIPTION:Students undertake a laboratory research practicum under the supervision of a Biology faculty member. In addition to volunteer work in the host lab, students attend BIOL537 seminars (Fall or Winter), conduct library research to present both as a major paper and seminar. The research practicum normally includes 40-60h of volunteer work in the host lab. Though the lab practicum may be conducted in the Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter terms, students must formally obtain approval for the course prior to commencing the lab work. Registration is subject to availability of a supervisor, approval by the Undergrad Chair and Faculty of Arts and Sciences. • PRE-REQUISITE AND EXCLUSIONS. Open to students in Biology Major or SSP, including EBIO, BIPS or BIMA. Students will normally be enrolled in their fourth year of their Program, having completed the third year core requirements of their Plan. Students enrolled in BIOL537 are excluded from this course. • TRAINING. All students in this course will obtain the appropriate training and certification required for the laboratory field work, including (as appropriate) WHMIS, Off-Campus Field Safety, and Animal Care.

17. Summer Research Awards • BUGS (QUBS) awards due Feb. 17th • NSERC USRA Awards applications due Feb. 10th • SWEP applications (Career Services) due Feb 15th • Visit the Biology Web site (Undergrad/Awards) for details.