Biological Sciences

Experiential Learning Capstone

Students majoring inBiological Sciences,Biochemistry and Molecular Biology—Biology Concentration,Computational Biology,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,andHuman Biology are required to complete an experiential learning capstone as part of their degree requirements.

This page is not an official list of degree requirements. Adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes. Current students should refer to their interactive degree audit.

Please contact our academic advisor, Travis, if you have any questions or wish to review your academic plan.

Seminar Course

This one credit class is offered each fall and spring semester. It should be taken after you complete BL3782: Writing Practicum in Biology. It is recommended that you enroll in the course during your senior year, after completing at least part of your experiential learning credits.

Experiential Learning Credits

You may be required to take up to 5 credits of experiential learning. Your options may depend on your chosen major, so please review your interactive degree audit for your specific options. Please keep in mind that many options require special permission in order to register for the credits, please read below for additional instructions!

Research Experience

The Department of Biological Sciences encourages undergraduate students to become involved in a research project under the direction of a faculty member. Whether you are planning to go to graduate school or pursue a career upon graduation, one of the factors that often gives our students an edge is the opportunity to engage in research and become familiar with the state-of-the-art instrumentation used in our research today. 

Students often consider enrolling in undergraduate research credits after they have completed foundational courses at the beginning of junior year. However, you are welcome to begin collaborating on a research project at any time. 

Prior to registering, you must meet with a professor and obtain permission to enroll. Once you receive permission, please fill out the BioSci Undergraduate Research Credit Request Form.

You may conduct research with a faculty member outside of the Department of Biological Sciences as well. However, the registration process may be different in those cases. You should also confirm that the credits may be used to complete your experiential learning capstone.

Intimidated by research and not sure where to start? Consider attending Undergraduate Research Workshop Series to learn how to identify and contact a research mentor, what to expect when beginning research, and about opportunities for research internships and fellowships for Michigan Tech students.

BioSci Undergraduate Research Credit Request Form

Teaching Experience

Prior to registering, you must meet with a professor and obtain permission to enroll. Check our faculty profiles to find a professor that may be available to mentor you. Often, students assist with faculty that teach introductory laboratory courses.

BioSci Teaching Experience Credit Request Form

Internship Experience

Prior to registering, you must complete the internship proposal and obtain approval. Students are responsible for finding potential internship sites and supervisor. 

BioSci Internship Proposal

Enterprise Experience

Enterprise at Michigan Tech is when students—of any major—work in teams on real projects, with real clients, in an environment that's more like a business than a classroom. With coaching and guidance from faculty mentors, our 26 Enterprise teams work to invent products, provide services, and pioneer solutions.

Check out Enterprise Day or Design Expo to learn about current Enterprise Teams and how to get involved! Students should register for the following courses with the assistance of their Enterprise faculty advisor.

Field & Project Based Course

Some courses may also satisfy the experiential learning capstone requirement. These courses emphasize field experiences and project based learning.