Investigative Biology Requirement

All students in the Biology major must complete a biology-related research experience. Be sure to plan for your research early – we recommend completing your first Investigative Biology or research course at least three quarters (1 year) in advance of your intended graduation date. 

Please keep in mind:

  • You can take more than one of these options! Additional research credit can be applied towards the Upper Division Biology Electives of your degree. 
    • BBIO 495 (Investigative Biology) can act as a great introduction before pursuing more in-depth research with BBIO 499. 
    • A maximum of 10 research credits (5 credits of  B Bio 498 + 5 credits of B Bio 499, or 10 credit hours of B Bio 499) can be applied to Biology degree requirements. Research beyond 10 credits can count towards the 180-credit minimum to earn a degree, but fulfills no other requirements. 
  • Research projects that are part of a CURE (course-based undergraduate research) must include all of the elements listed in the ”Student Expectations for Completing the Research Requirement” section of this webpage, and the research project must be >90% of the coursework. 
  • It’s possible that you will find other research opportunities that don’t fit neatly into these categories. If you find a research opportunity that seems like a good fit, contact your Academic Adviser for guidance. 

Student Expectations for Completing the Research Requirement 

The Department of Biological Sciences requires 5 credits of research. This can be satisfied by taking 1) B Bio 495 Investigative Biology or 2) B Bio 499 or 3) another research experience. The general goal of this requirement is to ensure students have the experience of participating in research that is designed to generate new knowledge (e.g. in contrast to labs with predetermined outcomes). In all instances, students are expected to do the following: 

  • Understand and, to the extent feasible, help develop the goal of their research project and how it fits into what is already known by scientists on the subject.  
  • Read some peer-reviewed scientific literature on their research topic and be able to explain how that research relates to their project.  
  • Be able to explain the experimental design and how it addresses the research question.  
  • Participate in the data collection process (data acquisition, documentation, and organization in analytical projects). They should be able to explain how the data was collected and why it was collected in that manner (methods and techniques).  
  • Participate in visualization and analysis of the data. The student must be able to explain how to read the data visualization(s) and how the data were analyzed 
  • Participate in interpretation of the research results, ideally in the context of peer-reviewed scientific literature. 
  • Because this is a 5-credit requirement, student work should be about 150 hours total (these hours include all time spent working on the research project including but not limited to: background reading, communicating/meeting with mentor, practicing methods/techniques, data collection, data analysis, work on presentation). 
  • The research topic should be biological, focusing on the ecology, evolution, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, etc. of one or more species or viruses.  

Options for Satisfying the Research Requirement 

Option 1: BBIO 495 (Investigative Biology)

BBIO 495 automatically fulfills the Investigative Biology requirement – no petition is required! There are at least two BBIO 495 courses offered every autumn, winter, and spring quarter, and usually one in summer. Space is limited to 12 students per course. You will present your research findings as a group at the School of STEM Research Symposium at the end of the quarter. 

Each instructor has a different area of expertise. Visit the faculty profiles below to find out more about their research and for contact information: 

  • Doug Wacker – Avian Social Behavior and Communication 
  • Jesse Zaneveld – Microbial Ecology & Evolution; Bioinformatics 
  • Han-Wei Shih – Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Encystation and Antibiotic Resistance 

Steps to complete this option

  1. Find an Investigative Biology course. Visit the time schedule as soon as it is posted for the quarter you want to take the course. 
  2. Contact the instructor to ask for permission to join. Instructor email addresses can be found in the profiles linked above or can usually be found in the notes of the time schedule. 
  3. Register for the course using MyPlan / MyUW. Once you have permission to join, the instructor will provide you with an add code so that you are able to register yourself.  
  4. Present your research. Your instructor will arrange for your BBIO 495 class to present at the quarterly School of STEM research symposium. 

Option 2: BBIO 499 (Undergrad Research)

You may complete 5 credits of BBIO 499 research to fulfill the requirement. Other research credit, such as BCHEM 499, can also be used as long as the project is biology-related and that it follows the ‘Student expectations for the Research Requirement’. Many research faculty prefer that students spread these credits over two or more quarters. 

All forms and petitions referenced in the steps below are available under Biology Student Forms & Resources. 

Steps to complete this option:

  1. Find a research opportunity. Visit our Research & Internships page. Talk with instructors about their research projects, and if you agree to work together then you can move on to the next step. Make sure to inform the instructor of your intent to use B BIO 499.  
  2. Ask the mentor to complete the “Checklist for Mentors”. 
  3. Complete the “Pre-review for research requirement” petition.  
    • Note: If approved, students will still be required to seek approval through the petition process following the completion of the research project and will be required to show evidence of successful completion of all listed ‘student expectations’, during their presentation at the quarterly STEM symposium. A petition could be denied if the completed work is missing any required elements of the research experience.
  4. Register for the credit. Complete a BBIO 499 Request by the deadline 
  5. While preparing to present at the symposium, submit a petition to have the research count for the requirement. Complete an Investigative Biology Petition. 
  6. Present your research. All biology students MUST present their research at the School of STEM Symposium. Sign up for the STEM Symposium. If you have questions, you can also contact our Symposium Coordinator, Janet McDaniel, at stemsuccess@uw.edu

Option 3: Non-credit and for credit research experience 

You may use 150 hours or more of a non-credit biology research experience (or for credit at another university) to fulfill the requirement. This is usually an internship, volunteering, or other professional work. If you find a research opportunity, please talk with your academic advisor to see if it might work for the requirement. This research experience must fulfill the ‘student expectations for the research requirement’, which are shown above.  

All forms and petitions referenced in the steps below are available under Biology Student Forms & Resources. 

Steps to complete this option:

  1. Find a research opportunity or co-curricular learning opportunity. Try searching for volunteer experiences, internships, or jobs at hospitals, clinics, biotechnology companies, environmental consulting firms, or government agencies. Check out our  Office of Undergraduate Research and the UW Bothell Handshake platform for regular updates on possible experiences. Ask your academic adviser if the experience might be a good fit for the requirement. 
  2. Ask the mentor to complete the Checklist for Mentors petition. 
  3. Complete the “Pre-review for 5-credit research requirement” petition.  
    • Note: If approved, students will still be required to seek approval through the petition process following the completion of the research project and will be required to show evidence of successful completion of all listed ‘student expectations’, during their presentation at the quarterly STEM symposium. A petition could be denied if the completed work is missing any required elements of the research experience. 
  4. While preparing to present at the symposium, submit a petition to have the research count for the requirement. Complete an Investigative Biology Petition. 
  5. Present your research. All biology students MUST present their research at the School of STEM Symposium. Sign up for the STEM Symposium. If you have questions, you can also contact our Symposium Coordinator, Janet McDaniel, at stemsuccess@uw.edu