Research Information

How to register for research for academic credit

1. Secure a research position in a lab.

• Not sure how to get started? CNS Experiential Learning has resources for getting involved in research on campus. Students are welcome to schedule an appointment with an Experiential Learning Ambassador to learn more.
• Check out the UT Eureka database for research projects on campus.
• Reference the college's research guide for Biology majors.
• Reference the college's research guide for Biochemistry majors.
• Reference the college's research guide for Neuroscience majors.

2. Fill out this online registration form and submit by 4:00pm on the 4th class day of the semester. Retroactive enrollment in a research course is not allowed.

3. If registering for the research experience will place you in over 17 credit hours, submit a maximum hours petition to your assigned advisor.

Guidelines for obtaining credit for research in faculty labs

Research Registration Form Deadline

• Registration forms with attached documentation and required signatures may be turned in during the early registration period but must be turned in by 4:00 pm on the fourth class day of the term the course is taken.
• Retroactive enrollment in a research course is not allowed.

Letter Grades are Given to Students Who:

Discuss specific responsibilities with their PI, which may include any of the following:

• Attend lab meetings when possible
• Be supervised closely by a specific mentor (either the PI or another lab member)
• Maintain a lab notebook documenting all lab work
• Submit a 1-page long document, minimum, to the PI that includes the following:
  • Project goals, methods, results, and conclusions
  • Revisions aided by the mentor
  • Please note that the mentor set length requirements; BCH 369K documents require a 6-page document

Number of Hours Per Week Required in a Lab

• To receive 3 hours of credit for a research course a student should, at a minimum, be engaged in research 10 hours per week.
• To receive 2 hours of credit for a research course a student should, at a minimum, be engaged in research 5 hours per week.
• To receive 1 hour of credit for a research course a student should, at a minimum, be engaged in research 3 hours per week.

Maximum Hours of Graded Research

• Regardless of what department the research course is listed with, students may take a maximum of six hours of research for a letter grade.
• All research courses taken beyond six hours will be taken on a pass/fail basis.

Petitioning Research Credit

Research credit automatically counts as an elective towards a student's degree. Students interested in petitioning research credit toward a major requirement in a Biosciences degree (typically a required upper-division lab) should begin the process by speaking with their assigned academic advisor. Not all Bioscience degrees permit the option to petition research credit toward a major requirement. Students and advisors should also be aware of the following general guidelines:

• Only 3-hour research courses taken for a letter grade will be considered
• Before a final grade is assigned, students must provide the following to their academic advisor:
  • A 1-page long document that includes the following:
    • Project goals, methods, results, and conclusions
    • Revisions aided by the mentor
    • Please note that the mentor sets length requirements
  • An oral presentation and documented verification of the 1-page summary given either in a lab meeting and/or another public forum
    • Presentations at the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium, or a venue outside of UT such as a regional or national meeting will all be considered
    • Students should be guided by their mentor in the preparation and practices of the presentation
• Final approval for substitution for a required lab in a degree plan is at the discretion of the faculty advisor

**Students are responsible for completing all requirements and documentation**

Please see additional guidelines for some Bioscience degrees below. For more information on how research can be petitioned in other Bioscience degrees, please contact your assigned advisor.