Research Experience

At its core, science is an active pursuit aimed at understanding the natural world. Students who desire to be scientists must move beyond their textbooks and develop the skills necessary to create knowledge rather than just memorize facts in textbooks that have been previously demonstrated. These skills which include the generation of a hypothesis, the designing of experiments, troubleshooting experiments, making precise measurements, completing statistical analyses, and communicating findings are only developed with meaningful laboratory research experiences. To this end the Biology Department at Boston College offers three primary research opportunities to our students that also allow them to earn credit toward their Biology or Biochemistry degree 鈥 Research for Credit with a Biology faculty member, Research for Credit off-campus, or Advanced Experience Laboratory Courses.

Research for credit can be completed either on campus with a Biology faculty member or off-campus with pre-approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. In either case students can earn 3 credits per semester for independent research. If a student completes research for credit for two different semesters they can use those credits to fulfill their advanced experience requirement. 听

Individual labs both on campus and throughout the Boston area have independent hiring processes and specific expectations that align with their research goals. Thus, students are encouraged to explore opportunities with multiple faculty members to identify a lab that will provide them with the experience that best suits their needs. Furthermore, students should be aware that clinical research opportunities, while potentially valuable, do not meet the Biology Department鈥檚 requirements for research credits.

Students who are interested in research but do not know where to begin should read faculty websites and speak with the professors and teaching assistants for their foundational courses in addition to their academic advisor to gain advice. 听

Advanced Experience Laboratory courses are offered every semester and are available during registration for any student who has completed the necessary prerequisites.

Paid positions, with Biology faculty members or off campus, CAN NOT be used for credit.

Undergraduate Research Day


Research Opportunities

For on-campus research, students will need to make contact with an individual faculty member who will agree to supervise you in his or her laboratory. To find a faculty member, look at their research activities and see if you are drawn to specific areas of interest. You can contact professors, visit their labs, and talk to your peers to help make your decision. As a special honor, students can be selected by professors to serve as a paid Undergraduate Research Fellow. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the many research opportunities that are available off-campus in biomedical institutions around the Boston area.

Once an opportunity has been found by a student, the student must bring the听Undergrad Research Contract Form听to the Biology Department for approval either before or during the course registration period.听

Note that paid positions, both on and off-campus, do not count towards university credit.听

Senior Thesis Program

Students working in a faculty laboratory who wish to write a thesis may sign up for Biology Senior Thesis, with support and approval of their laboratory advisor.

  • The decision will be at the discretion of the faculty research adviser and there is no minimal GPA requirement.
  • The decision or intent should be made early in senior year; the student will sign up for the Biology Senior Thesis Research (BIOL4962) in their final semester.
  • All Senior Theses must be turned into the Department by the last day of classes to receive credit for the Senior Thesis course.
  • The Department will prepare format guidelines and a timeframe for completing the thesis by the semester deadline.
  • All students completing a Senior Thesis will be recognized at Undergraduate Research Day.
  • Theses completed and turned in by the designated deadline will be considered for the Balkema Prize, judged by a faculty committee to be 鈥淏est Senior Thesis鈥

Students participating in the Senior Thesis Program may also be eligible to apply for the听Scholar of the College Program. Students who are accepted in this program will register for a six-credit Advanced Independent Research course (BIOL 4921) each semester of their senior year.