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Research and Internships

Biology 386: Undergraduate Research

A student who wishes to register for 386 must fill out the form with their prospective mentor and submit it to the Biology Main Office.

Biology 486: Honors Investigation and Thesis

Biology 493D, 493F, and 486 courses are a sequence of three semesters of original research completed by undergraduate majors in biology under the guidance of research faculty at WVU. Students that complete the requirements for Biology 493D, 493F, 486 and earn the approval of their committee will graduate with Honors in Biology, a departmental distinction.

Starting Summer 2024:

  • BIOL 493D will be replaced with BIOL 484
  • BIOL 493F will be replaced with BIOL 485

Students must have a GPA of 3.4 or better and a Biology GPA of 3.0 or better, have junior status or higher, and completed the biology core courses.  Students must have a member of WVU research faculty (within the Biology department or another department) who is willing to serve as their mentor through all three semesters of work.  Students will write and defend a proposal describing plans for original research, conduct that research, analyze data, and finally write and defend a thesis.

To learn more, follow the link below that answers frequently asked questions for students:

Below is a link that answers frequently asked questions for prospective mentors:

If you are interested in registering for the first course in the series, Biology 493D, students will fill out a form here:

Prospective mentors will fill out a form here:

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience

  • WVU Summer Undergraduate Research Experience , selected students are given a $3,500 stipend for e ight weeks of research with a faculty mentor in the summer. An additional $2,000 is available for travel to a professional conference or for supplies.

    Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center

    The Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at West Virginia University offers undergraduate research fellowships every summer in clinical and basic cancer research. The highly competitive fellowship program provides funding and opportunities for students who want to pursue careers in cancer research or medicine.

    WVU Center for Neuroscience 

    The  WVU Center for Neuroscience offers internships of research-intensive training for qualified undergraduate students. Our research opportunities incorporate molecular- to systems-level analyses of nervous-system function. Projects are offered in sensory, cognitive, and behavioral neuroscience; in neural injury and neuro-degeneration; and in neuropsychiatric diseases.

    Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review

    Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review  is West Virginia’s only research journal exclusively for undergraduate authors. MURR publishes outstanding research performed by undergraduates at West Virginia University.  

    Research Experiences for Undergraduates

    Undergraduate research experiences  are funded by the National Science Foundation. Over 100 universities across the United States offer paid summer research internships in biology. Typically, they pay a stipend, room, board and travel.