Biology students in their 4th year have the option of pursuing an undergraduate Research Thesis, wherein students investigate a specific field of interest under the guidance of a faculty member. If this is something you are interested in, you will need to start thinking about this early in your 3rd year. Think about the courses you have taken that you have enjoyed, look at the research interests and papers published by your professors, and talk to current thesis students; basically, get as much information as you can.
You should talk to the professor that you hope to work with by November or early December in your 3rd year, if possible. There are a limited number of places with each professor and they fill up quickly. If the professor agrees to be your supervisor, ask for suggestions for background reading material to start to familiarize yourself with the material. You may even want to ask if you can volunteer in the lab, or inquire if there might be a summer position that you would be eligible for.
Biology Research Thesis Application Process
To conduct a Research thesis, you must enroll in the Research Thesis course, either BIOL 4010Y (a single credit course) or BIOL 4020D. BIOL 4020D is a double credit in Biology. BIOL 4010Y is a single credit because the same thesis is submitted to the other department/program in a joint-major or is submitted in conjunction with BIOL 4400Y. The Animal Care Course is a prerequisite, if applicable (see page 20 of the Trent University Academic Calendar).
Open to students with at least 15.0 university credits including 1.0 BIOL credit at the 3000 level, a minimum cumulative average of 75% in BIOL courses completed, and agreement of a faculty member to supervise the project. In some cases, it may be possible to take BIOL 4020D with a cumulative average of 70% in Biology courses if recommended by a faculty member willing to supervise it. Please note that at least one member of the supervisory committee (e.g., primary supervisor, co-supervisor or second reader) must be a Biology faculty member. To be accepted into a BIOL 4010Y joint thesis course, the student must meet the requirements of both programs. Fill out an application form for the Biology Thesis, BIOL 4020D/4010Y and submit it to the Biology office in LHS D101 or via email to biology@trentu.ca.
