Biology 386: Undergraduate Research
A student who wishes to register for BIOL 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 484, 485, and 486 courses (formerly 493D, 493F, and 486) 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.
Information for Students
To learn more about and to register for the first course in the series:
Student Info for BIOL 486 Student Form for BIOL 484
Information for Mentors
For prospective mentor details and form:
Mentor Info for BIOL 486 Mentor Form for Student Acceptance
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.