BISP 193: Biology Education Research

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA prior to quarter of participation.
• Minimum of 90 units completed (including units successfully transferred to UC San Diego, i.e. AP, transfer) prior to quarter of participation.
• Minimum one quarter commitment. Note: Some faculty sponsors/instructors may require a multiple quarter commitment.

Identification of an eligible faculty sponsor/instructor of record who has an active appointment with UC San Diego in an approved teaching title. NOTE: Students interested in pursuing the Contiguous BS/MS Program with a Specialization in Biology Education Research must enroll in BISP 193 with a Biology faculty member holding the title of Teaching Professor. Biology faculty and their faculty title can be found in the Biology Faculty Directory.

Both the student and faculty sponsor/instructor portions of the application must be submitted in accordance with the stated timeline, with all required approvals obtained by the campus add deadline (Friday of Week 2). Application and enrollment are subject to approval by the School of Biological Sciences.

Completion of mandatory safety training and any other training related to the research you are conducting, as determined by your faculty sponsor/instructor of record, is required.

• Earn upper-division credit.
• One quarter of BISP 193 (if taken for 4 units) may apply to biology major requirements as an elective. If BISP 193 is applied as a major elective, any additional quarters of special studies courses (193, 196, 197, 198, 199) cannot be applied to the major elective requirement, but will result in upper-division university credit.
• A quarter of BISP 193 that is applied to biology undergraduate major requirements cannot be applied toward MS program requirements in the BS/MS program.
• Academic credit can be earned a maximum of 5 times.
• Variable unit course (2 or 4 units) graded on pass/no pass basis.

• Applicants should review all criteria (including instructor eligibility) for enrollment in the applicable Special Studies course and ensure that the submitted application represents a complete and accurate submission.
• Applications will be reviewed in the order received and evaluated based on the catalog course description for the Special Studies course for which the application was submitted. If the application is denied, the student has the opportunity to re-submit before the Friday, Week 2 deadline. It is the student’s responsibility to plan ahead and ensure there is enough time for all required steps, including required approvals by the Friday, Week 2 deadline.
• It is the applicants' responsibility to work with the proposed instructor to ensure that both the student and instructor portions of the application are submitted early enough to allow time for departmental, college (if applicable), and Registrar’s approvals by the campus add deadline, which is Friday of Week 2. Extensions or exceptions to the Friday, Week 2 deadline will not be granted under any circumstances, including unavailability of the proposed instructor at the time the application is due. Students are expected to plan accordingly and communicate with their instructor in advance to ensure timely submission and review.

• Identify a UC San Diego faculty member with whom you would like to conduct research.
• Contact the faculty member to inquire about availability and to explain your interest/qualifications. It is recommended that you include information about your eligibility, academic background, research experience (if any), and why you are interested in the work being conducted by that faculty member. You may want to include your resume.
• Once an opportunity for placement is confirmed, work with the faculty member to solidify a proposed research project. Projects are expected to involve novel research that examine issues in biology education, such as the science of learning, evidence of effective teaching, and equity and inclusion in the classroom.
• Complete the student portion of the required web-based application via EASy Request.
  • Request Type is "Special Studies"
  • Submission of the student portion of the on-line application will generate an email to the applicant and the proposed instructor of record.
  • Proposed instructor of record will complete their portion of the application and submit it for School review.
  • Students may track the status of their application by logging on to EASy.
• Both the student and faculty sponsor/instructor portions of the application must be submitted in accordance with the stated timeline, with all required approvals obtained by the campus add deadline (Friday of Week 2). Application and enrollment are subject to approval by the School of Biological Sciences.
• Be sure to fill out the application completely, including all required fields. This will help ensure a smooth application process.

The applicant will be notified of the outcome of the application review via their @ucsd.edu email address. Notification time varies and is dependent upon the instructor's response time and School review period.

If the application is approved, the student will be automatically enrolled by the Registrar's Office starting with the students 2nd pass enrollment block.

Enrollment Verification

If the student or another individual, organization, or institution requires enrollment verification, the following options are available:

• If a lab requires the student provide proof of application approval, the student may print a copy of their approved application by logging on to EASy.
• If a lab requires the student to provide proof of enrollment, the following options are available:
  • Official - Request Enrollment Verification from the Registrar's Office.
  • Unofficial - Provide a print-out via TritonLink Courses & Waitlists screen, which lists the course, instructor, section ID, grading option, etc.

Grading

At the conclusion of the term, the instructor of record is responsible for assigning a final grade (pass or no pass) via the University eGrades System.