Independent Study

Catalog description

The student will participate in laboratory research under direction of a faculty member. Students may perform their independent study in a laboratory outside of the CMB department or even at another institution; the student will still need a departmental sponsor to act as the instructor of record, and the grade for the project will be submitted by the CMB faculty sponsor in consultation with the host laboratory supervisor. The student may sign up for 1, 2, or 3 hours of independent study, depending on the time that can be devoted to the project. 1 credit can be earned for 3 - 4 hr/wk during the semester or 45-60 total hours over the summer. 2 credits can be earned for 6 - 8 hr/wk during the semester or 90-120 total hours over the summer. 3 credits can be earned for 9 - 12 hr/wk during the semester or 135-180 total hours over the summer. Independent study may be used once to fulfill a laboratory elective requirement for the major. Independent study can fulfill the capstone requirement for the major if the student learns how to read the scientific literature under supervision and presents the project before the end of the semester. The format can be a written paper, a poster defense, or an oral presentation, but it must include the rationale for the project, the materials and methods, the experimental results, and an interpretation of those data. Course may be repeated up to six credit hours.